Nokia Experts Launch Contest, week Two requires you to let me know what you need help with

ok, this is my entry for the contest. i have an N85 with an upgraded fw version. the quality of the camera pics are still not up to the likes of 5mp phones(n95, n82, etc…) can this still be fixed with future fw versions? also, there are 3 circular layers on camera lens. mine doesn’t look aligned (concentric), does this effect the photos taken?

I want to know what is the best free calendar/task/contact syncing solution for S60 phones to Google Calendar. I’m having issues with Schdule World, Goosync is rather limitted (the free one anyway). I also like know some battery saving ticks, my E66’s battery life is misserable. Should I try third-party high-capacity batteries. I found ones up to to 1800 mAh ones on eBay.

Wondering what, if any, advantages the dual core processor on the N96 has over the single core processors in the N95 and the other top of the line Nseries devices when it comes to the web browsing. Looking to buy the N96 but am not sure if the web browsing is going to be less enjoyable on it than let’s say the N95 or the N78 which I already have given that the CPU clock speed is 254MHz as opposed to 369 on the N78. I really like everything on the N78 (the design, the keypad.. yes the keypad works fantastic for me..) but am missing a larger screen and some other niceties that can improve the experience (accelerator and the TV out to name a few).

Few questions on nokia n82? 1. Can I use it as a standalone gps? If so I imagine I would have to get a third party program with maps. 2. Can I use its wifi to connect to any hotspot? Like in a cafe? 4. How can I make my Nokia device’s battery last longer?

Sorry for this stupid questions but I am newbie.

Thanks.

My first question is about the location of the gps-sensor in the different models. In my N95 classic it is located under the keypad, what we all know was not the best choice. But what about the new N-Series devices?

Second one is about RAM on N-Series devices. Again the N95 classic suffers under unsufficient RAM, what causes crashes when i open multiple applications at the same time. What about RAM in new N-Series devices (overall and available after startup)?

Thanks

Hello, I am looking for a good Twitter client which will work well with text to speech software such as Talks or Mobile Speak which are screen readers for S60 devices for the visually impaired.

My first question is about wi-fi connection. It does not work at all in my N82 and I would like to see some kind of FAQ on it. I also would like to know if you use any kind of bluetooth remote controller (like the Jabra BT3030) and would you recommend any of these. Thanks

I know this is AllAboutSymbian territory, but it would great if you compare all other smartphones/mobile OSes out there & then take the best bits that should make it to Nokia. That’s going to be a HUGE post…

Also, I was wondering how Nokia devices fair in real-life situations – no 3G, no electricity – how much can you depend on it.

Thanks!

I have an N85, is there a way to sync multiple calendars from multiple sources? Right no i sync with exchange via Mail for Exchange, but i want to also sync my personal calendar via iSync. Possible or do i need to import them into exchange?

I’ve had a S60 phone for some time now … starting with the 6630 and followed by 6120c. I’m intending to “upgrade” to a N82 soon, while my wife has recently bought a 5800. Eversince my first experience with S60 on the 6630, I’ve been hooked with the flexibility and strength of Symbian and will not look at any other phone type again. For newbies or people wanting to learn more of Symbian, more articles similar to your “Why do I enjoy using Nokia S60 devices and what could Nokia do better?” and “Favorite 3rd party applications for S60 devices” will offer a great insight into the world of Symbian.

I have an old Nokia 3600 that has series 60 software. Is there anyway to upgrade the software in this phone and to add applications to it. Seems like it only supports Bluetooth file transfers.

couple of questions 1.Is is possible to connect to nokia phoes through WiFi and share files? 2.It would be great if u could list out some really good freewares (apps/games) available for Symbian.

How can I reset the file type association on a Series 60 phone (Nokia N96)?

I’ve installed Opera Mobile on a Nokia N96 phone. Opera Mobile has changed the file type association on the whole phone – when I click on a .htm(l)-File, Opera Mobile ist launched. However, Opera Mobile does not display the .htm(l)-File, but keeps showing it’s start page. I often receive e-mails with .htm(l)-files as attachments. Before I installed Opera Mobile, I just had to click on the attachment and the file would be opened and displayed with the pre-installed browser. Since I’ve installed Opera Mobile, a click on such an attachment starts Opera Mobile – but, as I said, I never get to see the file. Somehow, either the operating system or Opera Mobile are not able to correctly deal with this. So I would like to reset/change the file type association, so that I can view .htm(l)-Files with the pre-installed browser. I’ve called the Nokia support hotline, but that experience was not good at all. TNX for any suggestions!

Well, we all know that Nokia E series multimedia capabilites are really limited (picture browser doesn’t know anything about folder structure (in E51 anyways), same thing with music player). So, how about writing about apps that will turn our E series phones into really good multimedia phones to match their excelent business side? Apps like, picture browsers, mp3 players, video players, podcasting apps, browsers and so on.

My question is this: I’ve have never upgraded my N95-3 firmware, because of the risk of losing all my data. I don’t trust the backup to memory card the phone has built in, and I haven’t found an app, that works the way it’s supposed to work, by making a backup of my whole device, including third party apps. This is the time when I most miss my Palm Treo 650. Great site by the way.

I’ve been a long time Windows Mobile user from way back, but i am growing sooo tired of how WM seems to not have matured a whole lot from the old CE days, and it is certainly time to switch. I know when i would purchase a new WM6 device, i would instantly install a slew of little useful tweak and aps to make it the way i like. My question is this; what are the little aps, and tweak that you (and the other S60 users here) use when you are setting up your new toys. Be they commercial, free, or just an OS setting, i know from experience that even the smallest things can make a world of difference in the behavior of your new device.

Great idea Matt! I bet a few other webmasters are busy writing down these ideas as well, but we’ll all know where they were posted first! My suggestion is more of a general one than a specific issue or question: What draws me to this site is that it fills the gap between a personal blog and a Nokia news site. Articles such as “Where do I find the time? On the go of course” are rare on other sites. Seeing how you actually use 3rd party apps in “real life” is more informative than a traditional review that lists “pros and cons”. Another example: I read about 20+ reviews of the Nokia E71, but it wasn’t until I read yours that I clicked the “Buy” button. Your review gave an actual sense of what it was like to live with the device for a few weeks. It was at that point that I said, “Yeah, this device really IS for a user like me” and I passed on the iPhone. Future posts? 1) What software and phone features come in handy when traveling? 2) The best weather app for a S30 device? 3) What accessories that you own do you actually get use out of?

My question is regarding windows media streaming formats (a la mms:// types of urls). In iphone, you can install a free application like FStream to listen commercial radios using windows media streaming (most of commercial radios in Latin America streams using wm) but I could not find any free application for S60 until now. I have a E71 and is one of the best phones ever have.

I have an n93i. Is there a way to get the firmware updates and install them over WiFi to the phone (i.e. over the air) or via the 2g mini SD chip? I sent the whole question via the comment form. You can attatch it here as well. My device supposedly has malfunctioned according to windows, but when connected to the pc the n93i recognizes the connection while windows doesn’t. Yes I have re-installed EVERYTHING! on the phone and on the pc! I even took the phone to a Nokia care point! They said it was broke and made no repairs. Help.

Is there any (free) way to connect my phone with my PC as a network drive (webdav protocol, or something like it, I think) over Wi-Fi? That would relieve me from using the USB cable…

Very useful to hear your “how I use it for everday tasks” approach.

1) Can S60 2nd gen devices operate successfully via WIFI without a SIM (store contacts and so on OK elsewhere)? I don’t use a phone much, and mostly would use an S60 device as a PDA and mobile computer, alongside my tiny and rarely used but oh so inexpensive pay-as-you go phone, to avoid the high monthly charges.

Numero Two-O) It doesn’t appear that S60 software has near the depth nor range nor sophistication of the old Palm, WM, or the iPhone. I can’t find a single Tides Forecast program, for example. Is this likely to change, do you think, in the next year or two? Or is S60 just too difficult a platform and not captured enough developer interest?

I would like to know if there is any way to get the VOIP functionality from FP1 devices back into FP2 or S60V5 devices. I kind of miss that.

And perhaps you could cover “Media Conversion” in a small guide: “Use Media Coder to transcode your videos to mp4 files for your phone (maybe provide xml preferences)” and “use an id3 tag editor to tag mp3 audiobooks as podcasts, so that they do not appear in the usual music library and mix up with real music”

I would really like to know potential release dates for Nokia phones in the US. I know Nokia is planning to finally release their great line of N and E phones but I would really like to know an estimate of when.

Ok Here’s my question: I’ve always really liked the build and feel of nokia smartphones but because I am on verizon and use a blackberry I have never really experienced one. How well does the current blackberry connect client work on nokias and are there any other good push email solutions?

I have the E71. Looking for remote desktop solutions available?

Also, would love to have a comparison of the different EAS solutions available.

As Windows Mobile user I would ike to know how the newer nokia smartphone devices could be a positive transition from what I use now. Some of the devices that are coming are designed very well and as many have said wm is getting tired.

I would like to know if there is a good way to download, and use the maps feature in the Nokia Internet Tablets. I looked at the N810 as well as the older N770 models. I tried to configure that for a friend but ran in to problems.

How many of the Symbian applications (for S60) you run are: a) cracked (for real, it’s not like somebody reads this ) b) signed by yourself c)freeware d) donationware e) commercial

It seems that as cell phones are becoming more and more capable by adding feature after feature, many are losing their ability to perform adequately as phones. Most review sites and blogs focus on what the phones are and what they can do: construction, features, software, camera performance, etc. Few sites if any give proper and consistent attention to reception capabilities, as well as the sound quality of the device. In the field of phone reviewing, these performance areas are indeed subjective and perhaps a little difficult to test, however I personally can’t conceive of investing hundreds of dollars in a device whose mic makes my caller want to hang up from ear fatigue or whose earpiece has me thinking I’ve somehow been infected with one of Khan’s earworms. I miss the 6310i and the 6230 and even the 3650. These were good phones in their day. I am an avid Nokia fan and am looking for more detailed insight into the audio/RF performance of Nokia’s newer Symbian models. It’s rather easy to find sites and blogs that tell me how a device works and what it looks like, but more challenging to find a site that allocates a few seconds of its review toward how the device sounds. I am hoping that this new site, NokiaExperts, will consider adding these parameters into its review scope…whenever Matt buys another phone In the vast desert of review sites and blogs which ignore the performance of phones as phones, can there be an oasis indulging those of us who still use our devices…for talking…to people?

1.What are the advantages and disadvantages of symbian os compared to other os (balckberry, windows,linux)? 2.Is it possible to password certain files in the inbox?

I would like to know how to get my photos to automatically get uploaded to the internet and posted to my twitter account.

Hmmm…

1) What’s the best tool for cleaning up memory on the N95? I don’t think that I have a ton of programs on my phone, and I always install them on the memory card, which still has plenty of memory, but am realizing that every once in awhile I get error messages regarding lack of memory on the phone.

2) What’s the best Twitter Client for the N95? I currently use ShoZu, and love it, but it has its limitations.

I know that some Nokia devices are able to connect to the BlackBerry network, and then have access to reliable push-mail and so on. I wonder which are these devices and how do I do to get it to work?

PS: are the N-series doing that or only the E-series? Will the N97 will do that? (if it does I’ll get one!)

The Nokia N97 runs S60 5th edition. What did they do differently between 3rd edition and 5th edition besides a touchscreen w/widgets? Will the interface be more iPhone/Android-esque or a minor evolution of S60 (which hasn’t changed a whole lot over the years)?

Also, since Symbian is now open source, what vendors have expressed interest in it besides those who currently use it (Nokia, Sony-Ericson, etc)? When will they be releasing new devices with 5th edition?

What will the selling point be to purchasing an S60 over Android (both being open source) and what are the major differences between S60 and Android?

N-Series devices are kinda slim in the US. Is Nokia working with the major players to bring N-Series devices to them (subsidized of course) in this calendar year? Or will we still have to shell out nearly a grand for a serious N-Series?

OK. That’s it for now

I am really just a fan of smartphone technology and so I was glad to see the smartphone expert family add Nokia to its ranks. I am mostly interested in how Nokia phone enter into the larger market of smartphones.

Thanks.

Since my local cell provider (Cincinnati Bell) has sadly decided to go with the 1700/2100 T-Mobile spectrum for their new 3G network, does NE think that Nokia (or anyone for that matter) will embrace this sad, wicked step-child of 3G? Not necessarily phones that just support it but is it possible to create a phone that can operate on all 3G waves, much like phones have evolved to encompass all GSM waves (ie. Quad-Band devices)?

Hi there,where can i see the lucky winner of the first week?

I own an unlocked E65 which I’m currently using on a prepaid T-mobile (USA) plan 1) Is there any way I can get a more extensive set of web-sites to browse other than the t-zones offerings – how about full internet access using T-mobile (whilst remaining on prepaid)? 2) Battery life – what settings will best extend it? Cheers!

Which memory has generally faster read speed and acces times, the phones internal memory or a fast memorycard? I have a E61 and thought about getting a new memory card and moving all applications to it for faster startup times, since the kinda low RAM doesn’t allow for keeping everything open at the same time.

An article explaining at last how to get a VPN client to work on an S60 phone for those not expert in the matter would be great (never managed to get that to work).

Another frustration with S60 is getting video files to work on the phone either via the built-in RealPlayer or CorePlayer. There are loads of forum posts about converting files to a format that will work but there really is a lack of a definitive “for dummies” guide that shows you in simple steps how to easily convert your files and get the best possible quality video when played on the mobile. It would need to have a Windows and a Mac OS X version.

It’d also be great to have articles demonstrating how to develop widgets or small python applications and showing what can be done with these.

I’d like to know simple hacks that work and for what specific phones. One example is i have a n95 8gb and I’d like to change my fonts, however the guides i’ve seen online don’t work for my phone (since i don’t have a removable memory card). So if there are some hacks or tricks that you know to make the phone work faster, changing the appearance, etc. can you also specify which phones it’ll be compatible with?

Hi, I travel a bit, and want to know what your thoughts, opinions and experiences are with travelling overseas with your phone(s). How do you manage global roaming (local SIMs?), how do you change & manage access points (I use SC Connect, but I find it is a bit buggy when no access point can be found). What applications do you find indispensible when travelling?

Thanks for the website – looks like it will be one of the regulars

Hi Matthew I have two questions it will be interesting to hear the answers from such an experienced smart phone user as yourself.

1.What feature would you like to see added to Nokia devices what is not currently on any Nokia device or rival devices on the market and Why?

2.What feature would you like to see Nokia drop from all Nokia devices and why?

all the best with this new project and I hope I’m reading for year’s to come .

How easy (or difficult) is it for S60 users to scratch their own itches? That is: an introduction to creating S60 applications via either the Symbian, Open C, Java, or the Python SDKs. And finally, how does the author distribute their solution to the broader S60 userbase?

Also, I am interested in the design decisions that go into the handsets. Interviews with the engineering teams would be excellent. What was the design philosophy/inspiration? What non-obvious aspects of the handset’s design would they like to highlight? What tradeoffs had to be made?

i would like to know which nseries device would be best for me. Like a guide on here would be cool. Im looking at getting an n85 but i would like to know how easy is the interface? and is it a good phone as a whole?

please let me know. hope i win, and i look forward to reading you guys in the future.

So far all the comments I have read are great and are very specific (I guess this website is really for experts). I don’t own a Nokia phone nor a smartphone for that matter. It’s true that the name says experts but it would be great if the site provided an introductory guide to Nokia smartphone (for the newbies like me). It could include stuff like how to set up your POP mail, sync with your outlook. Basically the basic all in one easy article. It’s true that you can find much of that info on the web, but having it on this website would not be bad at all (and coming from experts!!). Giving some sort of intro course to people new to s60 would enable them to get more into it.

What is the browsing experience like compared to Windows Mobile and iPhone. Is it faster or better at rendering? Does it support more standards than these?

I’m using a E63, which uses S60. I don’t find a way how to use nick name as the name to be displayed in the phonebook. Normally it displays only first name and last name combination. But, with some people I find it hard, because I can’t remember eveyones full name. When I enter only nickname in a contacts nickname field with no first or last name it displays “no name”. I need some help with this.

Kwiromeo, don’t worry, this site is for all and my intent is to reach out to those who many not be as familiar with S60 as I am. I do intend to write articles for new Nokia and S60 owners or those thinking about these devices so stay tuned.

As a long time Windows Mobile user, I am very curious how the PIM functions in the S60 operating system compare with the PIM functions in Windows Mobile. Maybe not a tip and trick type question, but I think an interesting question nonetheless.

I work for att as a sales rep and would like to know of some really good nokia sites for either software or hardware besides your site. I can’t wait for us to start selling the E71. I have really liked the phone since the first time i saw it. I had the E72 on att and it was a really cool phone. Thanks

[...] week you entered by following @nokiaexperts on Twitter.  This week you need to leave a comment on this post at NokiaExperts which either asks a question about Nokia devices or suggests a topic for a future blog [...]

Hey there, here are my questions, mostly with quirks that I have stumbled upon on my 5800 Xpressmusic:

1. In GPS equipped Nokia S60 devices, is it possible to FULLY turn off AGPS packet data downloads (be it 3G, GPRS or EDGE), thereby aquiring positioning with data from the intergrated GPS ONLY?

Turning off AGPS from the Postioning Settings DOES make the packet data downloads smaller, but it doesn’t really turn it off in my observation. Or is that just a bug in the still buggy 5800 firmware…

1. Is there ANY possible way to make the S60 battery meter more reliable? I’ve been having too much “full 7 bars for half-a-day and then the sudden drop through 6-3 a few hours after that”. Maybe a percentage display of some sort.

2. Is it possible to refresh the RAM in S60 devices WITHOUT a reboot (through software or through the power button)?

As S60 is always sucking RAM in one way or another, is there a program or a method that can stop everything BUT the core programs from running – thereby returning the RAM to the original “after-reboot” state? Maybe a one program solution like what BTSwitch does for BT off-on.

1. Are there any Voice-to-Text Input solutions for S60? Would be useful to message people with while driving or anything (not that this is advisable). I mean, all modern S60 devices ALREADY have speech recognition built in, right?

2. Are there any jotting (by that I mean handwritten notes) programs for S60v5? Right now I’m subsisting on Mobile Paint for this purpose, although it is not optimised and thus quite slow (it lags too badly sometimes to provide a good place to jot down notes).

The Handwriting Calculator in Beta Labs seems to be a good start for this type of program (very little handwriting lag), although I’m not much of a programmer to suggest that it is doable.

Just that for now…

I am aware as well that some of the questions would probably be answered by third party devs and/or even Nokia themselves in a few more months leading to the launch of the N97.

Thanks. Will be following your blog intently from now on (not just for the prize of course – but that’s what they all say, right?).

Sorry about the formatting up top, maybe you can help clean it up later…

Hi Matthew,

I have never owned any S60 device so far but I am looking to buy a smartphone in future.The dilemma is of choice between S60 and Android.I am a webaholic.I don’t care for multimedia capabilities except for gaming.My priorities are web and productivity.I am a lot confused on what to choose.Should I buy a S60 device or go for an Android device? Can you convince me and come up with some suggestions? I would be much gratified for your arguments and explanations.

ok , help me with this , i have owned S60 before , but in the E71 , people say there is a profile changer , like one for business and one for fun , you know , like the little kid you have inside that big business man , so , can we time the profile , i mean , if i work 6 days a week , i enter to work at 8:00am and leave at 4:00pm , can i schedule the profile to go to business profile on the workdays and at some time?

you know , like the tipical alarm that S60 haves , that you can set workdays and stuff , thanks!

Is there a way to add proper Hebrew support to an N810? That means reading AND writing (using the kbd).

I want to know what’s the deal with getting personal certificates on a e63. And also I would like a solution to the well known problem of authentication errors on e series devices when trying to connect to a secure wlan 802.1x/wap/wap2 with peap authentication and eap-mschapv2.

A series on utilities/apps that add missing functionality to S60. For example, Swim adds scheduled SyncML syncs. There must be others of which I am unaware. Also, head-to-head reviews of apps that perform the same function would be nice — i.e. what’s the best Facebook client, comparison of T9Nav v. SkyeQuiKey, etc.

A good compairson would be the benefits of locked vs unlocked (or branded versus unbranded) mobiles, seeing that Nokia (in the US) tends to get more sales away from the carrier – it seems.

Also, something like a getting started guide would be nice. Most Nokia devices have an inital setup wizard, but other than that, what tips/tools could the casual user look towards once getting a Symbian/Maemo device.

Hi Matt, I’m not trying to enter twice, but I didn’t see my comment after 24 hours, so I’ll try again.

I would like to see feature articles about how to migrate from Windows Mobile to S60. What are equivalent applications to those I’m used to (e.g., eWallet, ListPro, Pocket Informant, etc.)

Great site – thanks! James

Hello, I have an E71 and ussualy i`m using the default broswser. Lately i started to notice that flash is rendered in the browser. I can play movies streamed in flash player (i even have the option to play in full screen or to turn on/off the sound of the video), regular flash parts are rendered and i can interact with them (like on E71 page i can change the colors o the prone and also to rotate the phone). Since when this is possible? As far as i knew this wasnot possible in the default browser

Personally I would quite like to see a “Getting Started with your new phone” type index with instructions on how to migrate contacts, must have apps and information on free Nokia Maps trials and other great stuff that people might not know comes with their phone.

I have a N95 8BG that I love but it is not an email device. have a bluetooth keyboard but I never use it. I am considering getting an E71 but it seems huge to me. I know several people have more than one device. I want to know from people who own more than one device or have tried to use more than one device how much of a pain it is and in what situations you switch. Does switching the sim card regularly get old?

hello, I was just curious if you ever use video calls with your nokia device in the US, and how would one go about initiating one? Also, if possible, are there any applications that allow video conferencing via wifi or at&t 3g to say for instance someone else on a chat application on a computer? Thank you, and I love the Site!

i’m always such a big admirer of Nokia phones and even resisted the temptation to get an iphone and went with Nokia E71 and become to love it. since i want to make it my only portable device thus avoiding need to haul around an ipod and a phone. how can i improve the music playing, syncing capabilities with itunes complete with ratings etc.. if any ?

thanks

I’d like to see a review of various browsers for S60 devices and advantages/disadvantages of each. For example the built-in browser, Opera mini, Opera Mobile, Bolt, etc.

This is in response to Nimrod.

You can add Hebrew to the N810. Just do a search on Hebrew N800 N810.

I have seen instructions but didn’t bookmark the site.

What’s the best way to backup SMS on S60v3 (my handset’s the N95-3 if that makes a difference)?

I have a simple question: Is there any application (preferably free) that lets you expand the size of the picture that is used in the E71’s phonebook? It would be nice to see a larger picture of the person calling you if possible!

I have an N78 and would like to know when more programs will become available for it. I am especially interested in GPS applications, like Nokia Maps which is still not offered for this phone. This is my favorite phone so far. All I miss is Onenote mobile from my Windows Mobile phones.

How about a regularly updated listing of S60v3 applications fully compatible with S60 5th, or those designed specifically for the new OS? It is hard to find apps right now while developers get going with S60 5th.

It is not easy to come up with new questions, after 70+ entries. I second the questions about syncing to the cloud of PIM info (particularly to Google), how to sync best to iTunes and how to back up your data correctly for firmware upgrades.

My question though is that I would really appreciate it if you could talk a little more as well about Ovi services. For Nokia it is rather important and for us Nokia users they are nice add-ons, but I find the whole ovi thing a confusing at times. If you could spend some articles explaining and giving an overview of what’s available that would be great.

One more thing: how to best manage podcasts on the phone. I am currently using Salling Media Sync so that the podcasts get synced over from iTunes (works Ok), and have used the Nokia Podcatcher, but would love to see how to manage this best.

I would like to know why my old nokia 6210 is shutting down when i try to make a call.I have only an old nokia business model 6210 and i can receive calls without a problem, send sms and when i try to make a call after dialing the number when i press call my phone “goes out”.The battery is new, the phone was in a service and ive got the news that nothing is wrong with it.I know its old, i don`t have other phone for the moment, so what to do?If you have an answer to all this, please i would like to know.

I have a few questions to ask… 1 Can the RAM of a mobile phone be upgraded, like it can be of our pc’s…?? 2 Which is the best of the two devices..N82 and N85 in terms of Gaming+Photography..?? 3 Is there any application available for S60 3rd edition that can directly convert your voice into words, like if I want to write a blog entry through my N73, it would take a whole day to write..So if there is a any application through which I will not need to type, just speak and the app will convert my speech into words..?? 4 Lastly which of the two Symbian OS’s is the best in terms of UI and ease to operate..S60 3rd Edition or S60 5th edition..?? Vishesh

I just want to know if do you have an idea why Nokia discontinue producing phones with infrared, or do you know if they’re planning to bring it back. I mean you know, the benefit it could bring to us, like using the phone as a universal remote control (say using Psiloc irRemote).

Thanks in advance and more power to NokiaExperts!

Matt,

Thanks for keeping us current with mobile tech (The Mobile Gadgeteer, and MoTR Podcast). S60 is a great platform and your doing fantastic work with it.

Last week you posted “Why do I enjoy using Nokia S60 devices”. I would be nice to see so more tutorial-style details for some of the points, especially 11) Customization (menu folder structure and application shortcuts), or 6) VoIP Support. Also, you mentioned that Nokia includes a Podcasting utility with S60.

Thanks again.

Maybe we could see a blog comparing BB OS and Nokia’s OS? Thanks

I would like to find out more about programs for E71 and Symbian 9.3? I would like to see a preview of N97.

I know absolutely nothing about S60, but if I would consider switching from windows mobile to S60 I’d be concerned to know what “cloud” syncing options I have available, for email, contacts, calendar, notes, etc. ?

I would like to know how to download podcasts via OTA to a s60 device. The iPhone does it well as a stream, but an OTA download would be the best. Thanks.

I’ve been strictly a WM fanboy for years. I ventured briefly into RIM, Palm and iPhone territory only to beat a hasty retreat back to WM. I want to know:

1. What the draw for an S60 device is over a WM device?
2. What might make it better than a WM device?
3. What am I going to gain with S60 vs. WM?
4. What am I going to miss in WM if I make the switch?
5. Do you have some decent, basic how-to’s for S60 newbies you can point us to?
6. What’s a good S60 device to start with for an experienced WM user?

My basic needs are PIM and e-mail with occational web surfing. I have an iPod for music and podcasts. I also like the camera on my mobile phone to capture those cute moments the kids bump themselves into and I’d normally miss without my digital camera around my neck.

Thanks!

Chris Spera

while Nokia Location tagger is fine for geotagging pics i take with my n95-3, what options are out there to use my phone as a data logger so i can geotag pics i take with my DSLR?

General Nokia Symbian s60 questions:

• What is the best way to sync the built-in PIM to Thunderbird? Considering how Symbian is aiming to become fully open source in the near future, I’m surprised at the out-of-the-box lack of interoperability with open source software (OSS) like Mozilla TB. (Although I guess this is more an oversight by Nokia.)

• Is there a way to make a complete image backup of everything in the Phone memory? I thought this was how backups worked through the Nokia PC Suite, but when I did a system restore, only the settings were reverted – the set of applications remained unchanged from before I did the restore operation.

• What’s the rationale behind the staggered release of firmware updates of Nokia phones across regions? Doesn’t it make sense to make fixes to a certain model available to all users as soon as they come, regardless of geography? Or am I just missing something, for instance are most fixes/updates particular to phones released within a region?

Nokia E-Series questions:

• Support for Blackberry Connect was discontinued for the current crop of E-Series models. Is there an alternative – commercial or freeware – for users that have been left out in the cold? Supposedly Blackberry Connect will be coming back, but it isn’t clear if support for this will only be for forthcoming units, or if it will be available for the current crop as well.

What battery life can we expect from the 5800 compared to the N95-1. I use my phone for surfing the web a half hour or so a day, bluetooth is never turned off, maybe an hour of talking, GPS maybe for 15 minutes. That is the typical use I get out of my phone a day and the battery lasts about a day and a half. Second question. I know Skype supports video chat, so can two N-series devices like two N95’s video chat with each other through Fring or some other Skype enabled program? I’m asking because my N-series phones with secondary front cameras are always wasted here in the U.S.

Im interested in knowing what your favourite apps are and what would you recommend as a good IM client.

The nokia e63 has recently caught my eye. $229 for an unlocked subsidized phone, that seems very capable is a very appealing device.. (I like the look of the e71 but the lack of a 3.5mm headset jack is a deal breaker)

I’d like to know more about skinning nokia devices, to make them look more modern. One of the coolest things about blackberry devices is that there are so many themes available.. I’d like to know how you can make nokia devices more personalized…

I have a N85. Would love to know more about the Sip client and the remote drive capability of the the device. Would be interestin g to what others are using and their experience.

Would like to see some discussion on the various VOIP options possible with the Nokia phones. I have been playing with Gizmo and the built-in client lately, and have been really impressed with the voice quality and integration. Think having a built-in VOIP client is a major plus for Nokia devices. However I know other people speak highly of Fring and Trufone. Would be interesting to see a VOIP comparative review.

Hi, I am interested in asking you about the effects of a dedicated video chip on video playback in nokia devices. Does it really make a difference to have a dedicated video chip if our goal is to play videos at best possible fps? regards

How can i use Nokia 5800 as a audio monitor for infants,what i want is :when the baby wakes up or makes noise, the phone will automatically call or send a Short Message Service (SMS) message to a specific number to alert you so that you can come and check on the baby.

How Can i play Real Video h.263 files on my Nokia 5800 ?

My question for the contest:

Help me make sense of the connection (access point) management options in my N95-3’s built-in browser.

I use Devicescape so I’ve only got two access points I use for browsing. A T-Mobile USA T-Zones one and Devicescape.

In the main browser menu their is an access point setting (Options > Setting > General > Access Point) which seems like it should be the current default AP . It can be set to always ask or to a specific access point. I generally leave set to T-Zones.

Each bookmark also has an Access Point setting which I leave set to “Default” which seems like it should mean to use whatever I’ve set in the browser menu.

It doesn’t work as I’d expect.

When I switch the Access Point in the main menu from T-Mobile to Devicescape, the browser still keeps trying to use T-Zones, even if there is no signal. I have to go to the idle screen and press the red “hang up” key to close the T-Zones connection before it will actually start to use Devicescape. When I switch back to T-Zones in the menu, the same thing happens, until I close the Devicescape connection, the browser keeps using it instead of T-zones.

So my question is. Is there any easy and reliable way to switch the browser’s Access Point?

I am continually having pronblems with the Music Library on my N81. I have the latest firmware, and a Sandisk 8GB miniSD card and about a 1000 mp3 files there. The library acts weird when I want to add new files. I turn the phone off, load the files on the card via a card reader and put it back into the phone. When I run the player and manually refresh the library, the phone freezes and the player application closes down (which never happens otherwise-it’s designed to run all the time in the background). When I run it again, the library starts to refresh but it takes ages, although it does manage to find the new files. Any suggestions?

Since I do not currently own a Nokia device but like to stay advised of what is available, I would love to see a nice easy to read comparison chart of currently available models and features.

1. What would you recommend as a software suite to an S60 user?

2. What tips can you provide to someone new to the S60 operating system?

I’ve been holding on to my trusty ol’ tungsten E2 because I use an old Desktop PIM called ECCO that only syncs with Palm devices. Now Access has a Palm OS emulator for Nokia N8xx series. But I’d be better served with an E71 type device (I like the Nxx slide-out keyboard in landscape mode though). Is there a Palm OS emulator for S60 phones?

My suggestion is some more focus on reviews\tips\suggestions of software for the Symbian OS – I know that this is a Nokia-themed blog, but Symbian has become almost synonymous to Nokia. Personally I have a Nokia 5329 Xpressmusic but I feel that the music player software is a bit lacking, particularly in the music library management, so I would like to see some suggestions or tips for dealing with relatively large music libraries on the phone or maybe alternative music players. Thanks.

1.Which type of touchscreen is good Capacitive or Resistive.2. Do these Organic Light Emitting Diodes in OLEDs start degrading after long periods of use. i have these doubts.

Does the speed of a device is affected if its memory is extended beyond specified. Eg 16gb micro SDHC card is used in n96 to make its memory 32 gb as against 24gb specified

My suggestion is some more focus on reviews and tips for software for the Symbian OS – I know that this is a Nokia-themed blog, but Symbian has become almost synonymous to Nokia. Personally I have a Nokia 5329 Xpressmusic but I feel that the music player software is a bit lacking, particularly in the music library management, so I would like to see some suggestions or tips for dealing with relatively large music libraries on the phone or maybe alternative music players. Thanks.

What is the best model mobile with almost all features between price range $200-$250?

Is there any free application for switching profiles automatically? Is it possible to do it in mShell using custom code?

What is the best way to get multiple Google Calendars to sync with S60?

I know that some Nokia devices are able to connect to the BlackBerry network, and then have access to push-mail. I was wondering which devices are capable of this and how would I go about getting this to work?

I have some programming background but I’m new to phones. Is there a way to code and compile on the phone itself? The Symbian SDK’s that I’ve read about are all written for desktops and use software phone emulators for testing. But does anyone make something that runs under Symbian itself? Obviously it wouldn’t be very productive to do serious development this way. I’m more thinking for quick hacks and general tinkering to learn more about how the phone works. Also how do you “peel back” the UI to see the real Symbian file system, task management etc. Is there a Unix/Linux style shell under there? Does somebody make one?

I have some programming background but I’m new to phones. Is there a way to code and compile on the phone itself? The Symbian SDK’s that I’ve read about are all written for desktops and use software phone emulators for testing. But does anyone make something that runs under Symbian itself? Obviously it wouldn’t be very productive to do serious development this way. I’m more thinking for quick hacks and general tinkering to learn more about how the phone works.

Also how do you “peel back” the UI to see the real Symbian file system, task management etc. Is there a Unix/Linux style shell under there? Does somebody make one?

This is my official entry… I know a lot about winmo and android… But not so much with Nokia… I am curious as to how customizable it is compared to the android or a winmo phone

Would like to see some head-to-head vs windows mobile devices for those looking to switch from WM or Blackberry to something different and how to do the same everyday sort of tasks on a Nokia and how they compare with WM.

I am looking for a really great social aggregator for the e71 that offers speech to text like Vlingo for Blackberry. Entry

I have a 5800XM that i love, however i’ve been looking to find a VOiP app to use and can’t anywhere. On top of which, it seems like there are so many different sites to go to but was just curious which sites you go to for you apps?

My main question about Nokia smartphones, these higher end models in particular, is how does the community look? From an outsiders point of view (IE living in the USA where Nokia is not pushed a lot AND not having used Symbian before) when you look at these other phones (blackberry, etc etc) you see not just a dev team sitting around writing strict regulated apps for it, but all sorts of input being thrown at these systems. If Nokia (and Symbian for that matter) is going to make its stake in places where its popularity is fairly small, do you think that creativity in this area will out trump efforts in general advertising?

I have a question on the N95 8GB. The N95 8GB lacks a lens cover and due to this mine is a bit scratched. But isn’t the actuial lens beneath this plastic cover? Will Nokia Services Centres replace it for me?

Thanks