The Curse of Silence

I've just heard about a potential virus effecting S60 phones, dubbed 'The Curse of Silence' This is sent in the form of an SMS and it stops further functionality of SMS and MMS on the infected phone.

Has anyone received this? Apparently the only way to restore the phone is a factory reset.

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I Broke My Phone!

Unbelievable, after all that time deciding and finally choosing the Nokia N82, I've broken the camera! The lens cover does not activate the camera when opened; I cannot activate it through the menu either, as the sensors think the cover is still closed. All that opens is the front facing camera.

I've had to send my phone away for repair, and if I'm lucky it will be back by the weekend. Having just recently sold a few old phones on Ebay, all I have left now is the Nokia 6600!! Now, when this phone launched (Four years ago? Five?) I loved it, an excellent handset for its time. Problem is, that time isn't now. Oh, how spoiled we have become with mobile technology.

So, the 6600. No WiFi, no HSDPA, poor quality screen, no decent music playback, poor camera (but at least it works!) and so on.

How will I cope?

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A Christmas Gift from Nokia

One weeks free navigation for Nokia Maps is on offer from Nokia, just click on this page and enter your mobile number. Could be useful for that long trip to grannies for lunch, if the motorway gets closed, I suppose? Or finding your way home on New Years Eve?

Merry Christmas, all.

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I Choose The N82

I've been giving some serious thought to which phone I should buy next. I've not been using Nseries for a while, I've been off using handsets from Sony Ericsson and Samsung, fine handsets in their own right, I guess, but not for me.

Recently I've been using an E51, which is a great handset, but I was getting itchy for something new. As it turns out, my choice is anything but. I was thinking of going retro, with either the N80 or the N73, but although the appeal was there, I decided it wasn't worth it. I left myself with a choice between the N82, or getting one of the really nice Eseries phones, either the E66 or E71.

The E71 is a fantastic handset, a friend recently nominated it his 'handset of the year'. One of the major pluses of the E71 is the reported battery times. It has always been one of the important points for me, on any phone, is the quality of the battery. But finally, with this phone, I am just not sure the QWERTY keypad is for me. Very fickle I know, but sometimes it comes down to the minor points when choosing a phone.

The E66 is a good alternative to the E71, with a more standard form factor. Reviews are quite harsh when commenting on the battery life with this phone, but it is still overall a fine looking handset, with plenty to offer. The build quality on the E66 and E71 also feels top drawer, really solid and feel like they are built to last.

Thing is, after a lot of thought and some useful suggestions in the comments a few posts back, I decided the phone I'm gonna stick with is the N82. I picked one up the other day to use whilst deciding what phone to get, and I guess that has influenced me. Ever since the first day I used the N82 I have been impressed with its all-round feature set. Quality in all areas, camera, GPS, Web, Email, acceptable size, with an acceptable battery life too. The keypad can become frustrating, especially when composing long emails, but that is not enough to detract from the quality of the phone.

I had looked at newer Nseries phones, like the N96, but I am not liking that phone. Too buggy, (Yeah, I know I can update when new firmware releases, but still, poor showing from Nokia with that phone) and the build quality is just so cheap and plastic. The Eseries phones are streets ahead in this regard.

So, N82 it is. But I honestly feel with the better media features now on Eseries phones, and a superior build quality, active standby screen plugins, etc, my next purchase may be Eseries.

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Nokia, what HAVE you done?

Ok, so I've been away from the Nseries market for a while, so there are lots of updates that are old news to some that I'm only just finding out for myself. A lot changes in a few months, it would seem. In my deliberations on a new phone and checking for a good deal, I managed to pick up an N82 cheap, second hand but in excellent condition. Just needed a new screen cover. At least whilst deciding where I'm going to go long term, either E or N, I can remind myself just how good the N82 really is.

However, after updating the phone to the latest firmware, I am not sure I can deal with that Homescreen! What a mess!

It is a long term bugbear of mine, the fact that Eseries phones have the option to add or remove items on the Homescreen with the plugins, and Nseries cannot. It is so silly. I like the active standby shortcuts, I don't like lines and lines and lines of text all over the place.

Like I said, this may not be news to some, but I am left with a real dilemma now. Do I hate the Homescreen that much I would buy a different handset because of it? As much as it seems petty, I just might.

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Decisions, decisions.

So, I've been looking into getting another phone, after my foray into the world of the non smartphone, as I mentioned in the post below.

I had been tempted to go retro.The idea of reliving 'the good old days' with an N80 or an N73 was very tempting. The N73 was always my favourite phone, the all round balance of features and performance was spot on, for a phone of it's time. However, I'm spoiled with phones these days that include WiFi, GPS and HSDPA. It's also a contributing reason to why I decided not to go for the N80, as tempting as it was. Poor camera, no GPS, no HSDPA, and I think the mists of time are clouding memories of a really poor battery, too.

So, I'm left with four options, either I stick with my Nokia E51, look for an E71, E66 or go for the N82. The Eseries are strong contenders, and apart from the N82 I can't see any Nseries worth having. Maybe the N95 8GB could slip in as a contender, giving me 5 to choose from.

Decisions, decisions.

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We're back..... Sort of.

It's been a long while since I had anything to add to this blog. In the time I've 'been away' I have tried many phones. (Such is the life of a mobile geek, just when you think you are happy with a handset, another comes along to entice you away!) Chiefly among the handsets I've used has been the Sony Ericsson C905 and the Samsung Tocco. Nice phone in their own right, but it takes a lot to please me, and they just didn't make the grade. So, I find myself right now at a bit of a loose end. I want a new phone, but what should I get? I've narrowed my choice down to 6.

I could go retro, and pick up a Nokia N80. It's not something I've been hankering for, I was just in a shop the other day that sells second hand phones, and I saw an N80 on display. Amongst the memories of dire battery life, I also recalled the quality of that handset. Seriously. Poor camera apart, the N80 could hold its own against many of the phones on the market today, despite being around two years old.

If I'm going to go retro, why not go back to the phone I had when I started this blog? The Nokia N73 has lawys been a favourite of mine, one of the best handsets for balance of features ever. Quality camera, NSeries functionality, and an excellent battery life. Again for slightly nostalgic reasons, the N73 is a consideration.

Alternatively, I could go for a Nokia N82. There's nothing nostalgic in this option, the N82 simply remains my favourite phone of all time, I'm still not 100% sure why I traded it in. I guess I just wanted to see what else was out there, but there's nothing I've used that comes close to the near perfection, in my opinion, of the N82. At the moment, despite my nostalgic dreaming, the N82 remains favourite.

Unless...

I go to the dark side! Actually, I'm kind of already there, and it isn't that dark, to be honest. I'm referring to the Eseries, so nothing too drastic. But, I'm supposed to be an Nseries fan, I shouldn't be harping on about Eseries phones, surely? Well, it's not really the multimedia things that get me going, it's the functionality of S60. And there are some options on the Eseries, namely homescreen plugins (yup, I'm still banging that drum!) that you just don't get with Nseries phones.

I've looked at the E71. Functionality wise, this phone is top drawer. It has all the connection options covered, isn't as ugly as the E61 was, feels well made, looks good, and apparently has a battery that like, goes forever! This phone is a strong contender for my next purchase, but there is one drawback. That QWERTY keypad, I'm just not sure that is for me.

So, I could consider the E66. Now this is a smart looking phone, and it actually looks like a phone, too! Nice slide design, all the features of the E71, still feels well built, I could see myself using this phone and being happy to do so. I'm unsure about the battery with this one though, some reports have been less than promising. But I'm still tempted.

My last option is just to stay with what I've got. Kinda boring, really, it's so much nicer to be choosing something new, when quite honestly I have a perfectly adequate phone already. Currently I use the E51. Nice slim phone, with HSDPA, WiFi, excellent S60 functionality, good battery life, fits nicely in the pocket and it just works. No claims are made about anything spectacular, but it just gets the job done.

Although Nseries has always been 'my thing' none of the new stuff appeals. I think the fact I'm even reminiscing of the old stuff is indicative of the recent releases. The N78 is not particularly nice, and the N79 seems to be an N78 rehash with a better keypad. As for the N96, it's a right dogs dinner, it just feels nasty in the hand, cheap plastic rubbish. And I don't do touchscreen phones. I always felt I didn't, my experience with the Tocco (nice enough phone for what it is, just not for me) proved as much.

So, decisions, decisions.

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Early Thoughts on the N96

There are a few N96 reviews kicking around the net, which are all worth a read. I have had some time using one, a Vodafone branded device. And I do like it, the feature set is top of the tree and it just feels good in the hand. But, if I had to buy one, right now I would not. This phone is slow, slow, slow. Horribly so. I cannot emphasise how annoying it is. The time it takes the camera to load is frustrating, menu navigation is awkward, you press a button and the reaction is virtually non existant. It is not a product I would easily recommend.

In its current state, I won't be looking to purchase this phone just yet.

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The N96 is Here!

I was in the Vodafone store in St Albans yesterday, and they had the Nokia N96 in stock! It is likely that most UK Vodafone stores will have some stock, but it is likely to be limited for the next few weeks.


Check out with your local Vodafone store, and see what is available.

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Pre-Order The Nokia N96

Nokia have a habit of making the next best thing, and it's usually the NSeries handsets that catch the interest. This time the phone we are all waiting for is the Nokia N96. The N96 takes mobile communications to a new level and offers some amazing features, including:

16GB Internal Memory Capacity
Expandable Memory
DVB-H TV Broadcast Receiver
Music Player with multiple format support
TV OUT Feature
Built in GPS feature
5.0 Megapixel Camera

The Nokia N96 is due to be released imminently in the UK, and it is available to Pre Order with Mobiles.co.uk, one of the leading online retailers of mobile handsets in the UK. Mobiles are offering the Nokia N96 for FREE, on either O2 600 at £35 a month, or O2 1200 at £45 a month. On O2 12000, the offer includes 8 months half price line rental!

To Pre Order the Nokia N96 click here

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FIFA 08

Although I don't go in for much gaming on my phone, there are many who do. I have a friend who behaves pretty much like the guy in the video below, too engrossed in his phone, playing games!



Nokia have 120,000 licenses for FIFA08, to give away until the end of August 08, details of which you can find here.

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What I Want in a Mobile Phone

Currently I use the Nokia N82. Although I don't change my phone as often as I used to, I still get the occasional impulse to try something different. I bought a Sony Ericsson W890i just the other day, using an upgrade I had available, but it only lasted two days - the speaker is just awful! Ringtones and text alerts sound distorted.

So, for the next phone I get this is going to be what I look for:

3G - As a minimum, the phone must be 3G
Bluetooth - Almost a default feature these days, but I expect my phone to be Bluetooth 2.0 compatible, for stereo connectivity
Form factor - I like candybar phones, I do not like slide, nor clamshell.
Keypad - My phone has to have a usable keypad. Messaging on my phone is by far the biggest usage, text, email and IM.
Battery - My phone *must* have a decent battery. All the features in the world mean nothing if the phone cannot survive at least one day of solid usage as an absolute minimum.
Size - I don't want a bulky phone. Not too long, and not too thick.
Java support - My phone has to have good java support, to at least run the java GMail app and Opera Mini. Opera Mini is especially necessary if my phone has a poor native browser.
Email support - I wasn't sure if this would be an required option or not, as I use GMail, I mainly login via a bookmark on my phone's browser. But for sending email direct from the phone, it is easier to compose in the phone's email client, so decent email support gets on the must have list.
Alarm Clock - The most used feature on all my phones. If I can manually adjust the snooze time, so much the better.

Optional features on my phone are:
HSDPA - Ideally, the phone I buy should support HSDPA
WiFi - This is an optional extra. I rarely use WiFi, but it's a nice feature to have if possible
Operating system - S60 is by far the best I've ever used on any phone, and it has just got better and better over the years. But I'm not so blind to S60 as to not consider other phones. I like Nokia S40, UIQ, and standard SE phones too. But if a phone carries S60 it is a definite plus
Customisability - What I mean is I want control over the shortcuts on my phone, on how the display looks, on what appears on the standby screen and what doesn't.
MP3 Player - I like to listen to music on my phone, but it isn't essential.
Radio - As above. A radio is a useful option to have, but not essential.
Camera - So far down the list. I really am not bothered about a camera on my phone. If there is one, I'd like it to be worthwhile, to take decent pics, but I am not fussed too much.
GPS - Including GPS support is a nice touch, but overall I think I've used Nokia Maps three times in the last six months, and two of those occasions was because I could, not because I needed to. An application like Sports Tracker is useful, but not enough to make GPS vital.
Profiles - I like to be able to adjust the tone settings on my phone to my own comfort, that means being able to set different ring tones and text alerts for each separate profile.

I think I've covered the essentials and desirables. There's nothing extreme in my list, I think my requirements are quite conservative really. My N82 covers all of this (apart from maybe a decent keypad and size), I would want my next phone to cover all the essentials and as many desirables as possible.

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Nokia N78 Review

I haven't had much hands on time with the N78. I recall seeing an early prototype at a testing session, and I was less than impressed. When the handset was officially announced, I was at a press event at the Nokia store in London. Seeing the handset there, I changed my mind and thought it could be a worthy successor to the almost mythical N73.
As I said, my hands on time with the phone is severely limited, however Rafe over at All About Symbian has an excellent in depth review, in three parts. Click here for part one, here for part two, and here for part three.

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N-Gage

I don't play games on my phone. I just have no interest in it. The only reason for installing the full NGage app on my phone is it allows me to move the icon from the main menu screen and hide it away in a folder where I store all unused apps.

However, there are some who like to play a game or two. I've been reading about a game called Reset Generation over at All About Symbian. And I found that there is an option to put a full version of Reset Generation right here on the blog. So, here it is:

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Nokia N95 8GB
It's hard to believe the N95 8GB version has been available for a year now. Despite this, it is still one of the best featured handsets on the market, and there are some cracking deals around. Such as that at E2Save, you can buy the N95 8GB right now with 7 months half price line rental

Just in case you haven't been following the phone market in too much detail, the stand-out features of the N95 8GB include:

• 8GB Internal Memory
  
• 2.8 Inch QVGA 16 million colour screen
  
• HSDPA Mobile Broadband
  
• 5.0 Megapixel Camera
  
• Built in GPS
  
• 3.5mm Audio Output Jack
  
• TV Out option
  
• MP3 Player
  
• Stereo FM Radio

And that's just for starters, there is so much more. I would expect most people reading this blog have purchased the N95, but if you're anything like me you have more than one contract on the go, and this is a very good deal.
This deal is available to UK residents only.

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Mobile Networks

This is going to be a bit of a rant.

In the UK there are 5 networks to choose from, with most these days offering a decent data package. Although data is the main use for me, there are occasions when it's necessary to make a call. And here's the rant:

If anyone has yet to try the Three network, don't. It is an absolute waste of space. Rarely did I get 3.5G coverage, so many times I dropped calls, and even on occasions when the phone showed full signal, call quality was atrocious.
I'm so glad to be back on Vodafone.

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Music Maestro

One of the features on my phone I use regularly is the music player. The N82 is a more than capable in this regard. Normally I listen to the music via my car stereo, linking the N82 to the stereo with a simple 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead. Recently I changed jobs and sold my car, I no longer need a vehicle and I've made the lifestyle choice to use public transport more. Traveling to work on the train, I find I now use headphones to listen to the music. (I wish more people would, I don't need to hear the latest noise that the youngsters are listening to, being distorted at full volume from the tiny speakers on the latest mid-range prepay phone!)

I am not an audiophile, so I am usually satisfied with the supplied headphones that come with the phone, and that is the case with the N82. I like the convenience they offer, what with the built in controls and microphone, makes taking calls so much easier. I also take advantage of the multiple formats the N82 supports. By compressing the music files, I have much more space to store more songs. I have an 8GB card in my phone, I have more than 300 songs stored and the space used is still less than 800MB. As I said, I am not an audiophile, and the converted tracks sound fine to me. Conversion is easily done using the Nokia Music uploader found in the PC suite. It's worth keeping in mind that it can take a while to convert and transfer songs when they are done in large number.

Another music feature I've started to use more often these days is the radio. I like to listen to the radio on the way to work, to keep up to date with the latest news. The radio feature works well, and it is easy to cycle through the selected radio stations using the remote commands on the Nokia headset. Reception is usually very good with just occasional signal loss.

The N82 performs very well as a music player, and I certainly don't miss an iPod. The memory capacity is used to maximum effect when the songs have been converted and the battery life easily lasts a day on heavy usage (calls, text, web, GPS and music) and two on lighter usage.

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A New Beginning

It's been a while since I had something to write on this blog. For a while, I have considered not posting anymore. I am no longer working in the mobile industry, after 12 years I felt it was time for a break.

So, I've been thinking, if I were to resume with this blog, what shape would it take? My focus will now be on how I use my S60 device day by day. The uses I find for it, over and above the normal calls and text messages. As I use different applications I will write my opinion on them, as I find interesting snippets of news I will write about it.

Right now, I'm using a black Nokia N82, I've been a huge fan of the N82 since the first time I saw it.

Let's see how it goes.

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Back in Business

After a frustrating time in search of the N82 through retail shops, (See post below) I have finally managed to acquire an N82!

We're back in business.

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N82, N82, Where for Art Thou, N82?

I want to buy a Nokia N82. It shouldn't be that hard, should it? You wouldn't have thought so.

I used an N82 for nigh on three months, following the trip to Nokia last year, thanks to the good people at Womworld. In that time, it became abundantly clear that the N82 is simply the best phone I've owned. It took the place of the N73 as my favourite all time NSeries phone. For my style of usage, the N82 was perfect, covered all the bases and performed in every department.

After the N82 had to be returned, I purchased the N95 8GB. This handset is widely used among NSeries fans, and I've not heard a bad word said by those who use it. It also does all I could want in a phone, the reason in the end I moved the phone on was simply I didn't like the form factor. Nothing more, I don't think.

So, I want to buy a Nokia N82. It shouldn't be so hard, should it? After all, this is the latest NSeries phone, top of the range features, sure to be popular. Why, oh why, is it so hard to find? I use Vodafone for my main network, and my number has become due an upgrade. Now, working in the industry, I know subsidies on upgrades aren't the same as new connections (although why networks pay so much to gain customers only to lose them to cheaper new connection deals on rival networks when the minimum term contract ends, I'll never understand) so I am prepared to pay towards the cost of the phone, as you usually do on upgrades.

But, even being prepared to pay for the phone doesn't help! First of all, Vodafone do not sell the N82. They sell the N81 8GB, the N95 8GB (both good phones, both slide phones) but no N82. Phones4U are part owned by Vodafone, can do Vodafone upgrades but do not sell the N82! Carphone Warehouse, the largest retailer of mobile phones in the UK, do not sell new Vodafone connections, but *do* sell Vodafone upgrades *and* they sell the N82. But they can't sell the N82 on Vodafone, apparently it is not on the Vodafone approved handset list! And that's it, choice ends here. On the high st the other mobile phone retailers are network stores, Orange, O2, T-Mobile, Three. The independent mobile phone shop appears to have disappeared, so the option of getting a Vodafone upgrade indirectly and getting the phone I want isn't, really.

Moving networks is not an option, Orange I've used before, they rival Vodafone on network coverage but don't even come close on customer service. O2 suck, their 3G coverage is virtually non existant, let's not even mention HSDPA! Three and T-Mobile offer poor network coverage, so don't enter the equation.

The N82 has been available for less than 6 months, and has already disappeared!

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Wot, No NSeries?

It’s been quite a while since I last posted here. With Lent, Easter and some other things going on, my attention has been taken away from the mobile phone market and from the latest happenings in the NSeries range.

Also, for the first time in a very long time, I actually currently do not own a Nokia NSeries handset. Nothing much has changed, I still consider the NSeries range to be the finest set of handsets produced by any handset manufacturer, combining great looking handsets with such a wide variety of media options, I just find myself in a ‘transition’ moment.

Very recently, I was using the Nokia N95 8GB. This is a top class handset, it looks good, is easy to use with the excellent S60 UI and is packed full of all the latest handset features and options. The N95 8GB and N95 Classic deserve their place at the top of the tree. But in the back of my mind, I had a nagging doubt, and it is nothing to do with functionality or usability, it is a simple design issue. I do not like slide phones. My favoured design choice is standard candybar; that is a main reason why the N73 always rated as my all-time favourite handset, and why my all-time favourite now is the N82. It matches the N95 pair feature for feature, but the design is just right. Having recently spent a good three months using the N82, it is easily my favourite handset, I have finally made up my mind, no more chasing the ultimate phone, the N82 does it for me. If I were to look at something to improve the phone, it would be maybe making the phone a bit thinner, and a bit lighter.

So, I found myself without phone, after passing the N95 8GB on. I needed something that will fulfil my current usage requirements, fast data transfer, preferably smartphone, even more preferably S60. I wanted something slim, with a good battery. A decent keypad would help, as would expandable memory (although it is hard to buy a phone these days that doesn’t offer that option)

I looked around the market, and settled on a straight out choice between the Nokia 6120 and the Nokia E51. And the E51 took it for me, for one (personally) important reason. It is something I have bleated on about for ages now. The Active Standby plugins. Yup, that old chestnut, again. Ever since I used the E65 a year or so ago, and found this feature when browsing through the menu, I have loved it. I adore the fact that I can simply remove the calendar from the main screen! I use the calendar to remind me what I have to do, so I don’t double commit to things. I don’t need reminders two weeks in advance that an upcoming appointment is pending, I also don’t need to be showing to anyone who looks at the screen of my phone what my upcoming appointments are. I’m sure this could be done better, by setting appointments to private or public, and setting the notification required, but as it stands the calendar on S60 phones can’t handle it. So, next best option is to remove it from the screen altogether. With the plugins option on ESeries phones that is so simple, so straight forward, and so effective! I also like the way ESeries phones handle message notification and the different way messages can be shown. This whole side of S60 operability is so much better on ESeries phones than on NSeries, and I still fail to be convinced why this should be. Maybe one day I will be offered an adequate explanation, but I don’t hold much hope.

Aside from this, the Nokia E51 also covers the basic requirements I have from my phone. Size? Check. Battery? Check. Data transfer? Check. Here, also, the E51 outscores the 6120 with the option of WiFi as well as HSDPA.

The keypad layout on the E51 is also well thought out and well designed. The 12 main keys are very well sized, and offer great feedback, texting and emailing and the four shortcut keys are a great bonus. As well as having the 6 on-screen shortcuts, two soft key shortcuts you also have four shortcut keys around the centre D-Pad. The first has a house on it, the one under it has a calendar icon, the third has a contacts icon and the one underneath that has a messaging envelope icon.

The house key takes you to the menu. A long press of the key takes you to any open applications; if you have installed Handy Taskman (pretty much a must have app, in my mind) then the long press will bring that up. A quick press on the calendar key brings up the main calendar, which opens up in month view, a long press takes you to the add new meeting screen. A quick press of the contact key takes you to the address book, a long press takes you to the add new contact page. With the messaging icon, I have set mine to a quick press taking you to the main messaging menu; a long press takes me to the write new email screen. All of the keys can be changed, so if you want something else to be associated with those keys you can set it in the main settings menu

Other shortcuts from the keypad include holding down # to enter silent profile, and holding down 0 to launch the web browser which is standard on most Nokia’s. A useful shortcut addition is a long press of the * key activates Bluetooth. Perfect. The pencil key is no longer part of the keypad layout, but the functionality of the pencil key is now dealt with by the # key. This is ok, but it makes use of Screenshot programs very hard, in fact nigh on impossible. I found this on the N82, now the pencil (edit) key is part of the # key; I found the only setting that worked was to use the C key for screenshots. Which is fine until you forget the app is still open, go to use the C key for its natural purpose and you end up taking a screenshot! Screenshot is the only app I can get to work with the new setup, using the C key (on the E51 the C key is the backspace key, with what looks similar to a pencil design icon on it just to confuse things a little more)

How do others deal with this issue? I like to take screenshots for use on the blog, and also it can be fun to take screenshots of something you see on the web and email them or MMS them to a friend, and losing the pencil key makes it more hassle than it needs to be.

Apart from that little gripe, I’m loving the E51, it is a quality handset, well built and put together, with a solid feature set and easy to use. I expect it will easily cover my mobile needs until I either get a black N82, or maybe I will hold on for the next generation NSeries phones that are going to be released in the coming months.

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Quiet Time

Things have been a bit quiet on the blog recently, what with Lent and other commitments I've not had much time to think about posting here.

Now we enter Holy Week, with Easter in sight. I'm hoping things will get back to normal after then.

Have a great Easter, all.

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How Good is the Nokia N95 8GB?

For the past few weeks I’ve been considering what is going to be the best phone for me, long term. Personally I feel I have reached the level of where I want my communication device to be. I’ve been a regular mobile user for many years, and have used a high number of handsets. Living in the UK, it is so easy to get a contract phone making ownership, initially at least, very low cost. I’ve been at a period where I’ve had over 17 mobile contracts running, allowing me to upgrade more than once a month, to get the latest mobile handset. These days I’m running around 6 contracts, allowing me to get a new phone every two months or so, but I find that I no longer need that, and slowly those contract options are disappearing. The reason is, there isn’t the ‘next best thing’ in handsets anymore. The next handset tends more often than not to be a redesign, or a new colour variant, rather than a complete overhaul of features, and that isn’t always a compelling reason to change. And I'm finding the handsets around now, offer me all I want in a phone, I no longer desire to chase the next best thing.

I have had a few favourite handsets over the years, and when the NSeries range initially launched, I was a happy user of the N70, then a very happy N73 owner. More recently, I’ve used the N82 and now the N95 8GB. It is specifically my experience with these handsets that make me think I’ve reached the level I want from my device.

The device I want to use these days needs to have a good battery. There’s no point otherwise. The three best NSeries handsets to date have also had the best battery life.

The phone needs to be simple to use, and well laid out. The benefit of the S60 UI is the high level of customisation available. You can pretty much make the menu layout your own, by creating new folders, hiding icons of less used applications, moving shortcuts from folder to folder, and so on.

I use the camera on my phone sparingly, the video recorder even less so, but if I do use them I want good results. When I put the pictures online, I want the quality to show through, I don’t want grainy results.

Communication is the ultimate point of a mobile phone, and I want a decent text messaging layout, good language options, and an email client. Connectivity is also a main focus, and I want my phone to offer multiple connection options, from Bluetooth, to WiFi, with 3G and even better be HSDPA compatible.

The last critical option on my phone is memory. There must be high memory capacity, anything from 4GB upwards is ideal.

And that is it. Those are my basic requirements for my mobile device. Anything else is an added bonus.

For a lot of that the N73 gave me all I need, the N82 and N95 8GB give me everything.

Aside from features, people put stock on is how the phone looks. I don’t put too much stock on this personally, but it can’t be denied the N95 8GB is one sexy looking piece of hardware.

So, in conclusion, it ticks all the boxes. It has the features, it has the software, it has the design, and it has the looks.

The N95 8GB offers all I need for my mobile usage.

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Geotagging Integrated into N82 on Next Firmware Update

According to S60 Blogs, the next firmware update of the N82 should include Geotagging integrated into the camera settings. No firm date was offered, but the update is on course to be released during Q1.

The post also says:

Work on Location Tagging is progressing well, some other new features are also being added (that I can't talk about yet).

I wonder what those features will be?

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Get Together in London

WOMWorld is a website where you can find listed in one place chat about NSeries phones. They scour the internet and link to discussions on forums, posts on blogs and general news stories about specifically the Nokia NSeries range. I've found many an interesting post and blog via their site.

The guys from WOMWorld, friendly bunch that they are, have decided to get together in London one evening early next month, to share with like minded NSeries freaks (I mean that term in the nicest way, including myself under that description) to share a chat over a beer about the greatest mobile products in the industry.

Also, during that evening, Ryan Gallagher from Camera Toss is going to be passing through as part of his excursion on the Nokia NSeries Urbanista diaries, and he will give a demo of 'Camera Toss' (Something I could *never* see myself doing!). I hope everyone is keeping up to date with the excellent Urbanista Diaries project, you can find more detail here.

The WOMWorld event will take place on the 5th March, at the Crown Pub in London which is just a three minute walk from Holborn Tube station. A map is linked here.

The WOMworld crew will be there from 6.30ish onwards, so if you are up for a lively evening and will be in the area, pop in and meet the guys.

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N78 Advertising

From AAS, this ad for the N78. It has to be said when I first saw the N78 I was far from impressed. Now I'm starting to change my mind. It could actually be even a more popular handset than the N96.

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Nokia N95 8GB - First Impressions

So, now the N82 has been returned, I've had to look across the market to see what phone I should get next. Normally, I go back to the N73, but I'm finding that is now becoming just that bit old now, despite being one of the best NSeries phones, ever.

So, not wanting the N73 again, I've looked to see what took my fancy. There's not a lot on the market right now, really. The new NSeries, N78 and N96 are still a while off, and really anything other than a smartphone just doesn't cut it. I considered the Sony Ericsson W960, and also the Nokia E51, but ultimately decided on the N95 8GB. I've owned the N95 a couple of times in the past, but this is the first time I've owned the 8GB version.

This phone just looks good. Huge screen, easy to use navigation keys, comfortable keypad, and nice black colour.

A few initial thoughts on the phone. It is sold as coming with the Spiderman 3 film, but if you want to keep it functioning don't upgrade your firmware. I backed up before upgrading last night but despite this, the film now no longer works. I can't understand why Nokia don't carry through this functionality on a firmware upgrade, is it really that difficult? A quick scan of the Nokia discussion boards shows a lot of dissatisfied users who've lost the film after upgrading their firmware, some backed up, some did not because, as a brand new handset they didn't think there was anything too back up. Surely it isn't hard to rectify this issue?

Another point, that mini USB cable is just too short. My phone barely reaches my desk from the PC, it is that short.

Minor points really, but annoying enough to mention them. Overall I'm very happy with the phone and I'm sure it will last until the Black N82 hits the market.

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Iconic Handsets

There have been some iconic mobile phones, over the years. Handsets that have really stood out, and stood the test of time. The reasons a handset becomes part of mobile folklore will usually be either because of a classic design, or outstanding features. Take the Motorola Star Tac, for example. Feature-wise nothing special but it is a real design classic of a mobile phone. Or who could forget what popularly became known as the Motorola Wings, the Motorola V3688. This handset was tiny, and just felt great to use, despite being absolutely useless for anything other than calls. The V3688 even sucked at SMS, with poor message input and early handsets had no link to the phonebook, so unless you knew the number you didn't know who messages were from. Great keypad for such a small phone though.

Moving on from the Motorola design classics, we come to another iconic handset, the Nokia 6310i. Certainly not a popular handset because of its looks, this is one of the most sold handsets Nokia have ever produced, it sold in its millions. It was such an easy phone to use, simple in layout, it had Bluetooth and GPRS back in the day when this was important and new. I know people now who still insist on their 6310i and won't swap. There is a roaring trade on 6310i refurbs on Ebay. This is one phone that will run for a few more years. A friend told me he is taken with the simplicity, whilst at the same time of course, there is the legendary 6310i battery. That thing just goes forever!

Personally, I just the iconic status of my handsets by the amount of time I buy one. It works something like this. I buy a phone, use it, like it, buy another, but the replacement doesn't cut it, either in usability, or design, or features, so I purchase another of the model I had previously. It's like my little vice, I don't drink, smoke or gamble, I do buy lots of phones! Over time phones like the V3688 and 6310i have been iconic handsets in my phone ownership history. Also the Nokia 7650, the first camera phone in the UK, the first Symbian phone, the handset that got me hooked on S60 in general, became an iconic handset. The 6600 after it, the N73, all iconic handsets.

A few months ago, I was invited to the launch of the Nokia N82, with a few other bloggers, and we were given a live handset to take away with us and put it through its every day paces. A fantastic opportunity to get real hands on with the latest S60 product, and really find out how it performs. I cannot recommend this handset enough. In the three months I've used this phone it hasn't failed me. Recently I purchased an 8GB memory card so storage was never an issue, the N82 has a great camera, WiFi, HSDPA, easy email to setup and use, an excellent web browser, the acceleromator, GPS, a handily placed 3.5mm audio jack on the top of the phone, a great bright clear screen, all in my favourite phone shape, the classic candybar.

The trial period with the N82 is now at an end, and the handset is going back. It is the only time I've ever trialed a handset that I really didn't want to give back, the N82 is that good.

I am going to by another N82. In my mind, the N82 has achieved the level of an iconic handset, to me personally. However, I am going to wait until I can get my hands on the black version, I've seen one in the flesh, so to speak, and it really is nice. In the meantime I will use an N95 8GB which I haven't owned since they came to market, but I've had the N95 previously and the N82 to me is a much better handset, even if just for the form factor.

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Hands on with the Nokia N96

At the Nokia Press event today, I also had the opportunity to get some hands on time with the Nokia N96. The first thing I noticed was the size, it was smaller than I expected. The design is similar to the N95, with the dual slider, but overall reflects more the N81 in design. Some people are not too impressed by this, for myself I like the look of the phone.

The screen is large, and dominates the handset when closed. Open, and you see a good keypad, well laid out and very easy to use. There will be no problems with text input on this phone.

A lot of the innovation on the N96 is inside. Firstly there is support for DVB-H which is basically support for digital television. I'm not sure how this affects us in the UK, the last time there was a Nokia phone with DVB-H support it didn't release in the UK as our digital signal is not compatible. For more technical detail, see here, here and here.

The N96 is endowed with an impressive 16GB of internal memory and there is also support for Micro SD cards, so in theory you could increase capacity to an amazing 32GB. For now you will have to make do with 24GB as 16GB cards will not likely be on the market until towards the end of 2008 (My guess, not based on any concrete info)

The N96 has a mini 'kick stand' at the back. In place it sits flush around the camera lens, opened out it allows the phone to stand for watching video. The N96 will support WMV videos and it is expected to also support DivX video during the handsets lifecycle.

Overall I was again impressed with the Nokia N96, the build quality was solid, the slide worked well, and the screen is very bright and clear. One thing I did like, thanks to the FP2 support, is using the phone theme you can finally remove the Nokia calendar from the front screen. Well, kind of. What actually happens is the theme will remove the standby icons from there normal position across the main screen, and list them down the left handside. You can choose which icons appear, so if you decide not to include the calendar, then obviously it won't appear. If you do choose the calendar, then appointments are only shown if you highlight the calendar icon, a mini screen pops up. Much better than the way all appointments are shown on the main screen right now, but not quite as good as the ESeries plugins.

Tomorrow I am flying out to Barcelona to attend the MWC, I will try and get some more info on the new phones, and some more pictures.

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Hands on with the Nokia N78

Earlier on today I attended the Nokia Press Conference in the new flagship store in Regents St in London, as Nokia presented live from Barcelona their new handsets. In all four handsets were announced, the Nokia 6210 Navigator, Nokia 6220 Classic, Nokia N78 and Nokia N96. Here, I'm interested in the two NSeries handsets.

First, the N78. The N78 is a direct replacement for the very popular Nokia N73. The N73 is probably one of my favourite ever handsets, it matched a good feature set, for its time along with a very good battery life. Overall Nokia sold over 50 million N73 handsets. But, as with all things in the mobile industry, we move forward.

I saw an N78 a few months ago, and to be honest, I was not impressed. It is always hard to judge what is clearly a prototype handset, however I didn't like the look, I didn't like the feel and neither the design. And that keypad, it was awful! So of the new handsets to be seen, the N78 was the one I wasn't really to bothered about.

Well, I'm happy to say those initial impressions have been shown to be misplaced. The N78 I saw today, whilst still a prototype, was way ahead of the model I saw just a short while ago. The keypad seems to have been changed slightly, in the numeric keys are more aligned than I remember. And, whilst it does still look uncomfortable, it actually isn't. Three months of using the N82 and you soon get used to using those slim keys. The keys on the N78 are slightly different, they are not separate but one long line. In fact, none of the keys are cut out separately, but part of one whole plastic design. You can get an idea of this from the pictures below. Just click on the image to see them in full size.

The N78 is equipped with an FM transmitter. This is the first time that a mobile phone has included an FM transmitter built in. I need to try the feature out, but it works in much the same way as those add on modules do for music players. The transmitter will scan for an available FM signal and you can transmit your music via the transmitter to your car or home stereo.

The N78 has HSDPA, and WiFi, and support for Bluetooth 2.0. There is also GPS support, and this includes support for geotagging, which will capture information when you take a picture, so when you upload the picture details are stored of when and where the picture was taken.

Overall the N78 did impress me, and I imagine that in two years or so, we will be looking back and seeing that the N78 has achieved similar sales figures to the N73.

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N78 and N96 Live Pictures

I've been down to London this morning, to attend the Nokia Press event. I got some hands on time with the N96 and N78. They also had the 6210 Navigator phone and 6220 Classic. I will be back shortly to add some detail about the handsets, but in the meantime here are some pictures (click the image to view full size)

Don't forget to click on the ticket in the post below to go to the online Nokia NSeries event.

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Take Your Seats for NSeries at the Mobile World Congress

Most recently Nokia have had a few online events when they are launching new products. Tomorrow is the first day of the Mobile World Congress and once again there will be a virtual online launch event.

This will offer you the opportunity to talk online with product managers who have been involved with the latest releases, and there will also be chat rooms where you can discuss the new releases with bloggers and other NSeries fans.

To access the online site, click on the ticket at the top of this post. It all kicks off tomorrow, at around 10.20 CET.

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N96 Spec Leaked

Intomobile is always a good read, and one of my daily visits. This time they have come up with a great scoop, the confirmed spec list for the N96:

• Quadband EDGE
• Dualband HSDPA 850/2100 MHz
• DVB-H Class C
• 92 cc volume
• 125 gram weight
• 103 x 55 x 18 mm
• 16 GB internal memory AND a microSD slot;
• 950 mAh battery
• 6.1 cm (2.8 inch) 320×240 display with 16 million colors
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• WiFi (802.11b/g)
• AGPS
• 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens that also does VGA video recording at 30 FPS, Dual LED flash that can also be used when video recording!
• S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 (Flash Lite 3 enabled web browser included)
• microUSB

I'm glad to say the spec list includes the rumoured stuff I posted about here. I think you can also take as confirmed the spec of the N78 from that list, too.

The N96 is most likely to be confirmed, with a release date, at the Mobile World Congress which starts next week

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N82 Available in Black

The Black N82 is now official, as spotted by Stefan, over at IntoMobile. We'd always imagined that a black version would be available, and now we have confirmation.

I did actually get to see a live handset just last week, but I wasn't allowed to say anything. You don't know how tempting it was, and how hard to keep quiet!

The N82 looks as good, if not actually better, in the flesh, so to speak, than it does in the pictures. Like a lot of people I've always had a preference for phones in black, I think they just look very classy. The N95 8GB looks way better than the N95 Classic, the N73 Music Edition is way better than the original N73.

I can't find any confirmed details on a release of the Black N82 in the UK, but I would imagine the release is imminent. Network take up of the original N82 has been poor, with only O2 officially taking it on. Hopefully that will change with the black version.

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Turning Your Mobile Into a Live GPS Sports Tracking Tool

I receive an interesting email yesterday evening, about a new Java app called Map My Tracks, that offers real time GPS tracking, focusing on soprts enthusiasts. The app will work with handsets that have an internal GPS unit and also to handsets that connect to an external GPS unit via Bluetooth.

Here's the press release:

Launched today, Map My Tracks is a new Java mobile application that uses GPS technology to accurately track a sportsman's position in real time, displaying useful live information including pace, time and elapsed distance. A selection of screenshots of the service in action is available at http://www.mapmytracks.com/about/screenshots.

Once back home sportsmen can replay and analyse tracks to see where performances can be improved, as well as review useful information like average speed, maximum speed and distance covered. As Map My Tracks shows the sportsman's position live on the internet, friends and relatives can watch progress from the comfort of home too.

The Map My Tracks phone application is a Java Midlet built using Sun Microsystem's Java Micro Edition (J2ME). It is intended to work on any phone which supports Java and has access to the internet. For GPS positioning the Java Bluetooth API (JSR 82) is used to support internal GPS devices, while external GPS devices are supportred by Java Location API (JSR 179).

Find out more at http://www.mapmytracks.com/

Here is a YouTube Video of Map My Tracks:



The app looks good from what I've seen in demo so far, I'm hoping to give it a try out over the next few days. There is a monthly subscription to the service, more details of which can be found on the sign up page here. There is a free option so you can give the app a try out first.

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Killer N95 deal - For Today Only

This offer comes thanks to the guys at E2Save. For today only, they are offering an N95 on a 12 month contract with 12 months half price line rental, on the O2 network. The tariff is O2 600, which offers 600 minutes and 500 text per month for what will effectively be £20 per month!

As with all cashback deals, make sure you check how to claim your money back. E2Save are one of the largest online retailers and part of the Carphone Warehouse Group of companies.

This offer is only open to UK residents over the age of 18, and is subject to a credit check, as per all UK contracts.

Click here for more

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Turn Your Symbian Smartphone into a Mini Wi-Fi Hotspots

Finland based software house, Joikusoft says that it has developed an application for Symbian Series 60 based smartphones which converts them into a Wi-Fi hotspot, using 3G cellular for the backhaul connection. When turned on, external WLAN devices can discover the open JoikuSpot and establish internet connection wirelessly using the mobile phone's 3G internet connection.

Joikusoft says that their software application also presents a new type of a business opportunity for network operators, saying that JoikuSpot encourages its users to upgrade their mobile data plans to faster and fixed monthly plans, and usage of JoikuSpot sizeably improves the user data ARPU.

Reading the instruction manual for the software though makes no mention of encrypted usage via conventional WEP/WPA or the ability to restrict users by computer MAC address. That means anyone in range can connect to the Wi-Fi hotspot and use the internet access. As the software is still in Beta, we can presume that this necessary feature would be added in the near future.

JoikuSpot is based on Joikusoft's patent pending technology, and the limited beta version for Symbian OS unveiled today is called JoikuSpot Light.

Source

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Mobile World Congress 2008

It used to be called 3GSM. Now known as the Mobile World Congress (that name sucks) it all kicks off next week, 11th February. I am lucky enough to be attending the event, but due to other commitments I will only be there for one day!

I am flying out to Barcelona on the 12th February, at 6am, and flying back later the same evening. I think a lot of the announcements will happen next Monday, for Nokia at least, so my main focus will be getting live pictures and video of the new NSeries devices. I hope the N78 will be officially announced and also the N96. Who knows if there will be anything else?

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Rock N Scroll

This is excellent, from AAS



See the Keynetik website for more

Edit: The original source for this is over at Symbian Freaks :)

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Last few days

I posted a few days ago about a promotion we have running at the NSeries Mobile NSeries shop. Here is a reminder on what is on offer:

The first title is Psiloc's IR Remote. IR Remote from Psiloc allows you to control multimedia devices such as TV, HiFi set, CD, VCR, and DVD players with your mobile phone. I suppose it's worth mentioning you actually need an IR port on your phone for it to work....

The second title is Smartmovie SmartMovie is a video player for Smartphones device, with a counterpart PC converter. With the converter, you may prepare any video clip for playback on your mobile device.

Third, we have PapyrusWith Papyrus you get a complete solution for managing your busy life. Papyrus is a complete management solution for S60 phones, offering several different smart-views and powerful tools for keeping track of a hectic schedule.

Fourth there is the excellent Profimail Profimail is a powerful e-mail client for S60 phones. It allows you to read your mail on the go and send text with attachments directly from your device. Send photos, recorded sound or simply text messages to friends from anywhere. One of my favourite applications.

And lastly, there is Handy Taskman Handy Taskman allows you to keep tabs on different applications you are running concurrently on your Symbian Smartphone.

It recognises programs that are running and checks the size of remaining memory left on the Smartphone (RAM, Phone memory and memory card). Just select the program and enter the first letter of its name to start it.

The requested program can be started from the full-screen display list of recently launched programs. With Handy Taskman one can switch back and forth between selected programs, shut them off, delete them or shut off the whole group. The program compresses the applications in the working memory of the Smartphone to do this.

Click on the software titles to be taken directly to the product page, for more information. During the cart process you will need a code to obtain your 20% discount, the code you will need is 1230065120091FD

The offer runs until 31st January

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Location Tagger

Nokia Beta labs have released a location tagger app, which I would love to write about but things are just so hectic right now. So, pop over to AllAboutSymbian to get the lowdown from Rafe.

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N82 Firmware update

The N82 has a firmware update available, latest version is now 11.0.117. A couple of other people have upgraded theirs, Rafe at AllAboutSymbian and Stefan at IntoMobile

Due to my PC being offline the last two days I only managed to update my phone last night, and it all went through fine. The N82 update was the first to offer User Data Protection, and I agree with Darla Mack UDP is a beautiful thing. UDP protects data stored in the phone memory, so you don't need to reinstall everything. It is still advisable to backup, just in case, but it is a good thing to update the firmware and find all apps working, the whole menu laid out as you have set it, etc. It used to be such a pain re-installing everything.

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Nokia N78 To Be Launched In February?

I received an email yesterday from an affiliate network, which included details of forthcoming handsets to be released in the coming months. The one that caught my eye straight away was the N78! The details suggested that the handset will be released in February 08, although as usual, release dates do change. The spec listed for the handset are:

• WiFi
• HSDPA
• 3.2 Megapixel camera
• 8GB internal memory
• Expandable Memory
• On board maps with A-GPS
• FM Transmitter

The FM transmitter is interesting, does that mean it has an FM radio, or does that mean it has one of those transmitters for sending signal to a nearby FM radio? Also, 8GB internal memory *plus* expandable memory?

The design of the phone is a standard monoblock design, similar to the N82, and is black. Keypad design wasn't clear.

The N78 is supposed to be featuring S60 FP2 but that wasn't listed in the spec, although to be fair the spec list just covers the main highlights. All very interesting, let's hope it does release in February.

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Software selection with 20% discount at the NSeries shop

We all know that in January things can be tight, money wise. Most people get paid before Christmas, and it's a long wait til payday at the end of January. Knowing this, I've managed to get a 20% discount on 5 top selling software titles for all readers of the NSeries blog, at the NSeries shop.

The first title is Psiloc's IR Remote. IR Remote from Psiloc allows you to control multimedia devices such as TV, HiFi set, CD, VCR, and DVD players with your mobile phone. I suppose it's worth mentioning you actually need an IR port on your phone for it to work....

The second title is Smartmovie SmartMovie is a video player for Smartphones device, with a counterpart PC converter. With the converter, you may prepare any video clip for playback on your mobile device.

Third, we have PapyrusWith Papyrus you get a complete solution for managing your busy life. Papyrus is a complete management solution for S60 phones, offering several different smart-views and powerful tools for keeping track of a hectic schedule.

Fourth there is the excellent Profimail Profimail is a powerful e-mail client for S60 phones. It allows you to read your mail on the go and send text with attachments directly from your device. Send photos, recorded sound or simply text messages to friends from anywhere. One of my favourite applications.

And lastly, there is Handy Taskman Handy Taskman allows you to keep tabs on different applications you are running concurrently on your Symbian Smartphone.

It recognises programs that are running and checks the size of remaining memory left on the Smartphone (RAM, Phone memory and memory card). Just select the program and enter the first letter of its name to start it.

The requested program can be started from the full-screen display list of recently launched programs. With Handy Taskman one can switch back and forth between selected programs, shut them off, delete them or shut off the whole group. The program compresses the applications in the working memory of the Smartphone to do this.

Click on the software titles to be taken directly to the product page, for more information. During the cart process you will need a code to obtain your 20% discount, the code you will need is 1230065120091FD

The offer runs until 31st January

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Nokia N95 8GB, the first DLNA certified mobile

Press Release:

Nokia today announced that the Nokia N95 8GB had the distinction of being the first ever mobile phone to receive Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certification. The DLNA is a body advocating the interoperability of wired and wireless consumer devices. For the consumer, this accolade translates into convenient and intuitive connectivity between your DLNA Certified home electronics devices, personal computers, and your Nokia N95 8GB.

DLNA technology enables multi-vendor home ecosystems of consumer devices by building a common connectivity platform for a variety of multimedia experiences. This vision is fully in line with the Nokia's aspiration for openness and seamless interoperability between devices and services from different brands.

DLNA has certified the Nokia N95 8GB as a Mobile Digital Media Server, an acknowledgment that taps into the genius of this multimedia computer. The extensive connectivity and cutting-edge media capabilities of the Nokia N95 8GB are ideal for enjoying content, such as music, photos or videos, wirelessly on other devices in the home environment.

"We are thrilled to receive this tribute from the DLNA. The Nokia N95 8GB is truly a masterpiece of a multimedia computer, and a prime example of the direction mobility is taking - it's personal, powerful and fits seamlessly into your life inside and outside the home," said Anssi Vanjoki, executive vice president, Markets, Nokia.

DLNA has already certified over 1800 products in the personal computer and consumer electronic categories, but this is the first time the stringent guidelines for interoperability set by the DLNA have been met by a mobile phone. Mobile devices were included in the DLNA Networked Device Interoperability Guidelines that were published in early 2006, and are now part of the recently launched DLNA certification program. The Nokia N95 8GB passed DLNA's rigorous testing process to receive the green DLNA Certified logo, a marker of its leading position in the mobile domain of the digital home.

With up to eight gigabytes of built-in memory, the Nokia N95 8GB can hold a vast selection of your favorite media content, like those ski vacation photos and your music collection. You can share these with your friends and family on a DLNA Certified home entertainment system and enjoy your photos on a full-sized TV screen or jam to those tunes on your home stereo system. All you need to do is share the content wirelessly from your Nokia N95 8GB.

Nokia is an active member of the DLNA and has been driving interoperability of mobile, PC, and consumer electronics devices at and beyond home. As mobile phones have converted into diverse multimedia computers, they serve as the primary gateway to the Internet, services and content for millions of people around the world. Nokia is mobilizing home multimedia content and enabling remote access to home content using your Nokia mobile devices.

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Nokia Urbanista Diaries

An excellent idea, this. Four intrepid bloggers sent round the world with a Nokia N82, recording their journey. Fantastic.

The whole project is a Nokia sponsored global relay race, where each contestant is placed 'somewhere in the world' and will encounter situations and challenges where they can use the N82 to document and share their experiences, as well as locate the next blogger to pass the baton/phone on to.

The four brave explorers taking part in this adventure are Devin Balentina from the Nokia Guide, Ryan Gallagher from CameraToss, Ms Jen from Black Phoebe and Jose R.A.M from MyNokiaBlog

There is a dedicated site here where you can follow their progress, plus I have installed a widget at top right of my blog where you can also keep track of the Urbanista's progress.

And finally, in conjunction with the Urbanista project, there is an opportunity to win an N82 every week for eight weeks starting from the 18th January.

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An interview - with me!

One of the great things about running a blog is getting to know other bloggers who run similar sites along similar themes. A short while ago, Norman John from Symbian World asked if I would answer a few questions about myself and my interest in S60 in general, the answers to which he has posted on his blog. Check it out, here.

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Back to Business

So, after a long Christmas and New Year break we're back to business. Coming up in a few weeks we have the 3GSM conference in Barcelona, which I am fortunate enough to be attending, and I'm hoping we'll have some NSeries handsets confirmed, like the N78 and N96 to go along with the leaked news of the new ESeries phones due.

Right now, I've got my hands full of phones. As well as the N82 which I continue to use every day, I have a Nokia N81 to play around with, thanks to the guys at Womworld, I have a Nokia E51 to look over supplied by Nokia and curiosly the other day I came across a Nokia 6600. Back in the day the 6600 was one of my favourite handsets. So I'll be looking to see how well the N81 does, looking at how a top ESeries phone compares to NSeries, and looking at how far we've progressed since the days of the 6600. Plenty to be getting on with. I've taken a few comparison photos of the N81, E51 and 6600, which you can see below.

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Add Nokia Sports Tracker to Facebook

I noticed a post on the S60 blogs here that there is now a facebook plugin for use with the Nokia Sports Tracker, so you can keep your friends on Facebook up to date with your tracks and images, in real time, too. Neat idea.

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Avvenu Available Again

I wrote back before Christmas how Nokia had purchased Avvenu, the program that lets you access your PC remotely. The downside to this was the service became suspended to all but those in the US There are alternative options for remote PC access, such as Orb but I've never liked the PC interface for Orb since they upgraded a while back, although the phone interface works well.

Good news, I received an email this morning the Avvenu service is available again. Click here for a list of countries where the service can be used. I'm expecting accessing the PC from my phone to be a lot easier in the coming months as Nokia develop the Avvenu service further.

I'm off now to upgrade the Avvenu software on my PC.

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