Download! additions

[slitchfield]

Download! has been significantly recorganised by Nokia for some devices, with increased use of folders and many new games (N95 8GB screenshots shown below). It's still a mile away from how comprehensive Apple's iPhone AppStore is going to be though. Can Nokia use its headstart to improve Download! across the board in time? Comments welcome. Also, do please comment if you've spotted similarly interesting Download! additions on any device.

Read on in the full article.

[junchao8]

Well, Steve, lets just say that iphone and nokia's existing users segment not exactly the same, nokia having more user not knowing that their 'multimedia computer' can install applications, at the same time, small group of power users exists, who are more likely to know alot about their devices and already have all the apps they need. Where as for the iphone, some literally worships it, and the same group would eventrully know their devices can install apps and use the itune market place properply, and somesome show off with it (and the app store will allow them to do just that); face it, when you can get n95 8gb or n82 for free on pay monthly, there are still many paying £269 for just the iphone.

I don't think Download is really a competiting directly with apple's app store, IMO, most buyers of nokia just use their device as a phone, and apple comes along, offering user friendly UI and intergration into itune (not that I like it), it's certainly a better run for people's money, consider that apps manager and Download is relatively weak on both s60 and PC suite side, and nokia's s60 just doesn't feel like a commerical platform..

[neilhoskins]

What happens if you buy something using this method, paying by premium sms, for example, then update your firmware? You've no reg code or installation file to re-install. Your money's lost.

Ive got an n95 8gb but Im based in the Middle East and Ive got no extra stuff. So "it seems" that if you are out here then Download is still crap.

why cant i get them on my n95 8gb in Turkey? Are they just for UK?

Hi Steve:

What Theme is shown in the pictures for your n95 8gb, and where can I download it, please?

[slitchfield]

@Neil: Yes, good point. I only tend to make very trivial purchases this way. The sums are normally quite small, etc.

@Unregistered: Sunrise, my own (kind of) - http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/sunrise.htm

Steve

I'm in North America and no change in Download!. But thats to be expected.

Instead of trying to fix Download! They should just tie it together with the Nokia Music Store. And same with the Maps too.

[neilhoskins]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Instead of trying to fix Download! They should just tie it together with the Nokia Music Store. And same with the Maps too.

Bloody Hell. What a good idea. You've got my vote.

[eccleshill]

No difference on my N95 8GB either. After 'refresh', still the same boring stuff as before. It it because I'm with 3 in the UK? Still waiting for the last firmware update...

IM IN THE U.S. AND HAVE THE N95-4 and yes i have the new folders and updates.

[RogerPodacter]

number 1, the download app should be identical on every n series across the entire planet. number 2, there should be a pop up window that occurs on brand new handsets, that alerts the beginner users that "Did you know there are thousands of applications that you can install on your phone? many are free. visit the download app in your phone."

then there should be links to all the freeware apps in the download section of the phone. or tie in the music store and nokia maps, ngage and how about ovi too. oh wait, i'm sorry, nokia music store still isnt working in the USA. you know, cause the music store is soooo complicated, that how could nokia ever release it here too? /sarcasm

In response to a few points raised here;

Download! is territory specific because it's sponsored content made available by providers i.e film studios and gameshouses so *of course* it's going to vary depended on where you are in the world - not everything is globally licensed to everyone

In terms of actual applications then Nokia Software Market or Applications on the N-Series website or mobile site is probably what you should be talking about... and that's a community with an SDK so how much is available is mostly dedpendent on the developers (of which there are already thousands)

If you downloaded an application to your N-Series then you ought really to download to your memory card or your on-board flash memory/ hard drive and not to your phone memory otherwise, yes, you will lose it if you flash your firmware...

True - Applications for download isn't exactly signposted with a pop-up window but then you'd have to do that with all features with N-Series / S60... and there's too many. Bookmarks to N-Series Applications and the N-Series mobile and full sites are pre-loaded though... maybe not if you've got operator specific firmware but certainly on Nokia generic versions. Plus the various welcome videos in N-series basically say 'get-online!' 'download stuff!' 'buy music!', 'upload photos!' so it can't be too hard to discover new applications for your phone, surely?

Ovi will be the umbrella for Nokia media so yeah - as someone suggested why not lump it all in together... that's exactly what it will be... Nokia Music, Nokia Maps, N-Gage, Nokia Photos, Nokia Video etc. wrapped up in a social network...

And if Nokia Music Store's not where you are now, then it is coming - there's just a hell of a lot that needs to be put in place and tested that is country dependent...publishing deals, licensing, money handling company agreements, local music permissions... it doesn't happen by magic y'know! You can't tick a box that says 'USA' and then suddenly it's there in the morning...
There's a lot of countries and there's a big queue : )

Anyway...my 2 cents.