In All About Symbian Insight 99 (AAS Podcast 163), we discuss recent news including Nokia's presence at MWC, Ewan's Le Web trip and recent Apple legal activity. Then there's discussion of the Nokia Booklet 3G and the future direction of such mobile devices and software platforms. Finally there some special Christmas related content making for a longer-then-usual podcast. You can listen to AAS Insight 99 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
One would assume that with the Nokia N95, N96 and N97 having sequential product numbers, there would be a common aim for their use in the minds of Nokia's design team, along with a clear technical evolution. To be fair, you can see the former, in their focus on multimedia in conjunction with a decent camera. However, the latter isn't that easy to demonstrate, as I found when comparing the three Nokia flagships (from 2007, 2008 and 2009) head to head - it seems there are plenty of attributes for which the N95 wins and still more for which the N96 wins....
In this, part 2 of my Nokia E72 review, I look at its camera functions, multimedia handling and general applications, before rounding it up. Is it fully useable and does it measure up to the 2009 competition? See also part 1 of the E72 review, looking at its hardware and performance.
In All About Symbian Insight 98 (AAS Podcast 162), we discuss the weeks news including closing Nokia Flagship Stores, Skype for Symbian Beta and Nimbuzz's Twitter integration. We also discuss some of the information that came out of Nokia's Capital Market Day, Steve's interview with Lee Williams (Executive Director of the Symbian Foundation) and offer insight into future Ovi Store developments. You can listen to AAS Insight 98 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
It's tempting to look at the Nokia E72 as just a variation on the popular E71, but looking at it in detail, there are a surprising number of detailed improvements. With only a couple of software gotchas, and despite its necessarily-small screen, the E72 looks to be one of the most desirable candybar smartphones for 2010. Here's part 1 of my Nokia E72 review.
In All About Symbian Insight 97 (AAS Podcast 161), we discuss the release of Qt 4.6 and why it is important (Symbian and Maemo support, Qt Mobility APIs). We answer a range of user questions ranging from Ovi Suite for Mac, through N86 firmware and E72 software, to discussing what's the best current imaging phone. You can listen to AAS Insight 97 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
Returning to a familiar theme but with a new twist, I caught myself doing something rather silly and rather telling. Reprising the pros and cons of touchscreen phones in the face of almost universal acceptance, seemingly, it does rather seem as though a tipping point has been reached. Read on for my Dec 2009 thoughts on 'Touch vs non-Touch'...
It has been a long time coming, but the Nokia E75 has now had its first major firmware update, to v201.12.01 (from v110.x). There are new features and a mountain of bug fixes and optimisations - it's an impressive update and I've included a summarised changelog below. It's a 153MB update via NSU and isn't available yet 'over the air' in the UK, possibly because it involves so many changes. Comments welcome on availability in your country.
As I observed almost a year ago, the pairing of a Symbian smartphone and an Apple iPod Touch makes a huge amount of sense in terms of their complimentary strengths. And now Mike Macias is rightly making similar observations, pointing out that the Nokia E71 armed with JoikuSpot (for sharing its data connection via Wi-Fi) makes a perfect partner for the latest 2G iPod Touch. The best of both worlds? Food for thought, at least!
Nokia has released a new firmware update for the Nokia E71. The new version, 400.21.013, adds improved support for Nokia Email / Messaging and a pre-installed version of Ovi Contacts, contains numerous stability and bug fixes, and includes small updates for Internet radio, Quickoffice, Ovi Store, Email Setup Wizard, and Mail for Exchange. The update can be downloaded and installed using Nokia Software Updater, which is a module of PC Suite.
It may be ancient by 2009 standards, but it's still a very powerful beast. I'm talking about the Nokia N82, with accelerated graphics and Xenon flash. And it's the subject of a lengthy and passionate essay by Eric of Eric's Corner. Well worth a read - it's a classic phone in many ways, even if it has been eclipsed in recent times by the equally camera-centric N86 (which was, incidentally, conceived by the N82's designer). (via WOM)
In All About Symbian Insight 96 (AAS Podcast 160), we discuss recent rumour around Nseries in 2012 and the related Symbian / Maemo debate. Then there's news coverage of the Nokia 6700 Slide and Spotify on Symbian. We finish with a number of reader questions ranging from the web as a platform to buggy firmware and augmented reality. You can listen to AAS Insight 96 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
Nokia today announced a new mid-tier S60 handset - the Nokia 6700 Slide. A key characteristic of the phone is its sleek design and aluminum finish. It will be available in six colours (pink, red, petrol blue, aluminum, lime and purple), in Q1 2010, at a cost of €160 (before taxes and subsidies). The phone runs S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2, features a 5 megapixel camera (with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash), 2.2 inch QVGA screen, FM radio, tri-band WCDMA (HSDPA and HSUPA) and an emphasisis on the ability to share media to friends and the web.
Following on from the E52 thread, and in a clarion call for higher build quality among Symbian OS-powered smartphones, I've pooled my own and other people's comments, to produce a Top Dozen Best Built devices. With the current E52, E55 and N97 perhaps near the top of a 'Worst built' list, I think it's fair to say that terrific build quality is something to be cherished in models of all vintages. Read on.
Cherry picking Flickr photos taken on a particular phone has been a popular pastime for a while, but Nokia's official 'Conversations' team has been so impressed by results from their N86 on the popular photo-sharing site that they've started a weekly 'best of' roundup. No idea whether the ecosystem will be able to keep up this sort of quality, but check out the first photo set and be prepared to view the N86 in a new light.
