AAS Podcast #159: AAS Insight #95 - The Way We Live Next, Q&A

[slitchfield]

In a longer-than-usual Insight podcast, Rafe, Ewan and Steve cover all things Symbian, including a detailed report from The Way We Live Next, coverage of news from Gartner, Google/AdMob, discussion of Samsung dropping/not dropping Symbian, plus an extended reader/listener Q&A session. Listen here to AAS Insight number 95.

Read on in the full article.

[Steve_R]

I'm not sure why, but whenever I listen to these podcasts on various S60 devices, at some random point, they will jump back to the beginning. Listen to it via the webpage though, and all is fine.

It did it with this one to me today at 27m 48s in.

Does this just happen to me?

[slitchfield]

You mean they jump DURING playback? Or just appear to be back at the beginning when you switch back to the Podcasting app?

[Steve_R]

Yes, during playback.

I'll be quite happily listening along, then suddenly back to the beginning of the audio. However, the playback time shown on the screen will just continue as though nothing has happened.

[Nemoi]

That is a bug in the podcasting application which happens sometimes when the phone loses connection while downloading. It can happen on all podcasts and has nothing to do with the AAS one.... though I wish nokia would fix it, as it forces one to do all podcasts download via wifi.

[timsalmon]

Regarding the Android HTC Hero not offering a 'folder' structure, well this can be arranged (particularly within SenseUI) very easily - fill up a spare page with folders - 'Office' - 'GPS' - 'Telephony' - 'Media' etc and place the shortcuts inside them! Never look at the 'pull-up' huge list of Apps again. How different is this from Symbian's devices coming with most stuff in the Applications folder then having to rearrange, deleting the 'default' folders and making your own anyway? I guess they're not 'nested' but it's very usable that way.

Tim

[gemikon]

This hapenned to me once when I downloaded the podcast over 2g in a place with very bad coverage (it took me 1hr to get it). Then when I try to redownload it over 3g in an aread with good coverage it was fine. Maybe it has to do with the way you download it? If the phone struggles to get the 30mb file over the cellular network, then error can happen?

[Steve_R]

Originally Posted by Nemoi

That is a bug in the podcasting application which happens sometimes when the phone loses connection while downloading. It can happen on all podcasts and has nothing to do with the AAS one.... though I wish nokia would fix it, as it forces one to do all podcasts download via wifi.

Ahh, ok then. If it's a bug in the app, then that's ok. I'd just never experienced it in any other podcast before.... maybe that was just coincidence though.

Thanks

[buster]

I've noticed this with both AAS podcasts and Steve & Tim's Phones Show Audio Chat when listening via Podcasting. Funny thing is, I've never had the problem with any other podcast, and I subscribe to several (mainly BBC ones)...

Yes! I've noticed the exact same with both the AAS podcasts and Steve and Tim's "Phone Show" thing, I download using podcasting on an N97 over Wifi (the file downloads in on go without pausing) and when I'm listening after either 3, 5, 10 or 15 mins in it starts again. I also download the Engadget podcasts (the main one plus the mobile edition), the Into Mobile podcast plus many others exactly the same way and this NEVER happens, it's been driving me bonkers

Also in the previous podcast did anyone notice the tension between Rafe and Ewan? It's been like that for a while, Ewan will comment something and Rafe either says nothing or disagrees, in the last one it was particularly bad, it's starting to put me off..

Also Litchfield enough with the begging already!! Jeez! It's getting embarrassing.. Please paypal me 2.50, the price of a pint or a loaf of bread for my family, are you sleeping in a doorway nowadays or what?? And you're at it every chance you get... It's downright depressing..

Also when you were covering the SEE event, Litchfield goes up to this guy from Forum Nokia and asks him why Ovi Store doesn't all redownload of content, after a few seconds it was obvious that it was the wrong guy to ask but Litchfield goes on and on and on about it...

[morpheus2702]

Gotta admit, after Rafe's 17 minute discourse on 'Cognitive User Interfaces' and related phrases, it did seem that Ewan did deliver an irreverent slap in the face by referring to Joanna Lumley and the voice of HAL.

Sure, Nokia's future imagineering wasn't my cup of tea either and without ascribing opinions to Steve or Ewan, the lack of discussion thereafter could be interpreted as 'sorry Rafe, neither were me', or simply 'nuff said, moving along...'

Q&A was by far the best bit of the podcast guys, especially trying to nail down when the great unwashed may see a Symbian Foundation handset.

[slitchfield]

>>"Phone Show" thing, I download using podcasting on an N97 over Wifi (the file downloads in on go without pausing) and when I'm listening after either 3, 5, 10 or 15 mins in it starts again.

I'm completely at a loss to explain this. Podcasting works fine here with our podcasts. Which device are you listening on?

>>Also in the previous podcast did anyone notice the tension between Rafe and Ewan?

Heh. They're just coming at everything from different directions. Rafe is the insider, Ewan the irreverent main in the street etc.

>>Also Litchfield enough with the begging already!! Jeez! It's getting embarrassing.. Please paypal me 2.50, the price of a pint or a loaf of bread for my family, are you sleeping in a doorway nowadays or what??

Sorry if it offends you. But in the absence of official sponsors or advertisers, I've got to raise money somehow. I'm presuming you have a regular, full-time job? I don't, AAS is a part-time job. I make ends meet by researching and reporting on smartphone stuff for people like you to enjoy and be informed by. A year or two ago, Nokia and Symbian were semi-regular sponsors and I didn't have to 'beg' at all 8-)

>>Also when you were covering the SEE event, Litchfield goes up to this guy from Forum Nokia and asks him why Ovi Store doesn't all redownload of content, after a few seconds it was obvious that it was the wrong guy to ask but Litchfield

He was the MOST senior guy on the stand and one who admitted he was the Ovi Store rep at the time.

You guys REALLY like to moan, sometimes, you know....? 8-)

[slitchfield]

My theory on the 'MP3 repeating' issue is that Podcasting and the MP3s are 100% fine.

The problem is that every time a user connects their phone to their desktop, the mass memory/memory card gets mounted on the desktop and any open files get closed - including any playing/paused podcasts.

Thus, the next time you switch back to Podcasting, to resume playback, the file's back at the start.

Does sound like a plausible theory? Are you guys even using Podcasting, or are you trying to play these podcasts from within Music player? I'd love to get to the bottom of this....

[Steve_R]

Originally Posted by slitchfield

My theory on the 'MP3 repeating' issue is that Podcasting and the MP3s are 100% fine.

The problem is that every time a user connects their phone to their desktop, the mass memory/memory card gets mounted on the desktop and any open files get closed - including any playing/paused podcasts.

Thus, the next time you switch back to Podcasting, to resume playback, the file's back at the start.

Does sound like a plausible theory? Are you guys even using Podcasting, or are you trying to play these podcasts from within Music player? I'd love to get to the bottom of this....

I'm not too sure about that theory, as I didn't connect my N86 via USB at any point yesterday during or after downloading/playing the podcast.

I would go with the theory of the losing WiFi/network signal whilst downloading, but for some reason with the AAS podcasts, the S60 App can't pick up the download from where it left off, so therfore just goes back to the beginning.

Interestingly, yesterday, I deleted the troublesome download, then re-downloaded it. I kept an eye on it downloading, and it went all the way up to 148% before it finished, which was very bizarre. I deleted yet again, and downloaded and now it seem to be fine. Who knows....weird....

With regard to the actual content of these podcasts, I am an avid listener to Insight, Phones Show, and the 'chat' and I love them all. Granted I may not be 100% interested in every single one of the subjects being discussed, but I wouldn't fell the need to complain about it. Some peoples interests are going to be different to mine.

So please just keep doing as you are doing, because your views/news/opinions make my 2 hour commute to work across the Cotswold's so much more bearable.

[buster]

My theory on the 'MP3 repeating' issue is that Podcasting and the MP3s are 100% fine.

The problem is that every time a user connects their phone to their desktop, the mass memory/memory card gets mounted on the desktop and any open files get closed - including any playing/paused podcasts.

Thus, the next time you switch back to Podcasting, to resume playback, the file's back at the start.

Does sound like a plausible theory? Are you guys even using Podcasting, or are you trying to play these podcasts from within Music player? I'd love to get to the bottom of this....

Unfortunately, your theory doesn't apply to me. I listened to Insight 94 last week, and had the playback problem; the intro played about 3 times before settling down. However, I have just downloaded it again, and it seems to play fine. As it downloaded in one go, I suspect your earlier theory about interrupted downloads may be more accurate, as I occasionally suffer connection problems, particularly when updating AAS and Phones Show (Chat) podcasts (Hosting problems??).