If you're in the 'why can't Nokia do a camera phone with 18 megapixels and 10x optical zoom?' camp then Nokia imaging supremo Damian Dinning (the guy behind the N73, N82 and N86) waxes lyrical here on the impracticalities of fitting such optics, sensor and supporting elements into a phone form factor. These things, as you'll see, are always a lot more complicated than meets the eye!
In the run up to their Q1 2010 earnings call, Nokia are getting a number of firmware updates out the door. The Nokia E51 has now had a big update, from v300.34.56 to v410.34.001 firmware, available as a 80MB download through Nokia Software Update or Ovi Suite. A full backup and restore is needed for the E51, since it's old enough not to have User Data Preservation.
No, not a cheap attempt at Google search traffic on male enhancements, but another serious look at the ever changing, ever growing statistic that is phone screen size. Steve Litchfield looks at devices and use cases past and present, from Psion Series 5 to Apple Newton to Dell Axim to Nokia 7710 and through to the Samsung i8910 HD in the current day. Initially cautious over whether phones might get too big, Steve points out that a 4" display is more a 1995 phenomenon than a 2010 one....
In All About Symbian Insight 114 Ewan, Steve and Rafe share their thoughts on Nokia's announcement of the Nokia C6 and Nokia E6. We also shares news of Sony Ericsson's Q1 2010 results, the renewal of Sports Tracker, firmware updates for various phones and Numo Solution's Ovi Store success. You can listen to AAS Insight 114 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
In a late-breaking(!) addition to his extended Camera Nitty Gritty series, Steve Litchfield looks at the EDoF cameras in some of Nokia's S60 smartphones, explains how the Extended Depth of Field technology works and compares performance to traditional focussing units. With photographic examples, he shows how choosing EDoF for the upcoming E5 was a very smart move indeed for the (skill level of) target users.
Arguably the last firmware date for the Nokia N86 8MP, but extremely welcome anyway, version 30.009 firmware mainly features the latest Ovi Maps client and is now available via Nokia Software Update (142MB) and soon Over The Air as well in most regions. The usual caveats about network-branded phones getting this at a later date apply, as do taking precautions by backing up first - just in case. More details and screens below.
David Gilson looks at Nokia's new C6 and E5 smartphones in the light of the models they either replace or will be compared to. What's outstanding is, naturally enough, the prices, though David goes into significant technical detail in justifying the comparisons and conclusion.
As if any more proof was needed of Symbian OS's multitasking prowess (following the 62 apps on the i8910 HD last week), Jay spotted this YouTube video, embedded below, showing 66 full apps running at the same time on an unmodified Nokia N82. It was going to be 65, but there was still 11MB of RAM left and the videographer spotted an app that he had installed which wasn't running yet 8-) If a few more apps had been physically installed, surely we could have been up to 70 or more? And, impressively, the interface still seemed to be running smoothly. So.... any advance on 66?
In an editorial double header from Steve and Ewan, we put today's C3, C6 and E5 announcements in their context. Steve explains how they fit into the rising trend of QWERTY-phillia and also set new pricing ground. Ewan argues that today's announcement makes a 'strong statement of how Nokia read the market for people communicating on the move' and how the messaging emphasis underlines the trend that 'you don't just buy the phone, you buy a solution'. Read on for the full editorials.
Nokia today announced a new addition to its Eseries line up. The Nokia E5, which runs S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2, is a mid-range device in a QWERTY slab form factor, with a 5 megapixel EDoF camera, comprehensive connectivity (tri-band 3G, WiFi), integrated GPS and 256MB of RAM, the first of the new raft of Nokia Symbian-powered phones to have this. It has a comprehensive social messaging software suite, with support for email, instant messaging and social networks. The Nokia E5, which can be considered a successor to the E63, will be available in Q3 2010 at a price of EUR 180 before taxes and subsidies. Read on for specs, photos and our thoughts.
Let's try and work out two end points on the line of support for hardware. If you bought a new Nokia phone yesterday, you would expect the Finnish company to support it with the latest products and updates. But you wouldn't expect Nokia to be supporting the very first S60 phone, the 7650 in 2010? Agreed? Now read on, because that thought is important.
Tim Salmon and I (in Phones Show Chat) often remark that if the perfect smartphone came along then we'd have nothing to debate and nothing to write about - but the current situation in terms of what I've tried and rejected is starting to get ridiculous. Am I too fussy in wanting something that's remotely close to perfect? Having seen, tried and rejected 101 smartphones, what the heck do I recommend to others?
In All About Symbian Insight podcast no. 112, Ewan returns with a bang and, together with Steve and Rafe, brings you up to date with developments in the Symbian world. We start with news of the WordPress Symbian client, the beta release of Nokia Bots and the recent upgrades to Nokia's Ovi Store. In the second half of the podcast there are hardware thoughts on the Sony Ericsson Vivaz (Steve) and Nokia 5230 (Ewan). You can listen to AAS Insight 112 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
It's true that the accessory title rather gives the game away and isn't inspiring, but this is an accessory that's much needed in the smartphone (and general camera phone) world. Steve Litchfield muses on a predecessor and and reviews the latest product that claims to be able to hold your phone while it snaps or videos away.
Over on his own blog this time, our own David Gilson has been reviewing the latest idea for charging your 'spare' smartphone batteries - the SBC, or "Smart Battery Charger". With spacers to fit most Nokia batteries, this does seem a great way to charge your spares without having to cycle them through the actual phone(s).