AAS Insight 115 - Nokia C5-01 and X5 and Nokia Q1 2010

I think Symbian^3 will take things to the next level, people have been harping on about the default theme but I look deeper than that and even through the limited videos the level of customisability will be fantastic. But put simply, the level of features couple with the new UI will be a very good combination.

Nokia's proposals for the Symbian^4 UI are very cool too, they mightn't look much on the surface, but when you sit and think about them with a bit objectivity what it gives developers is fantastic.

I laughed when I read the preview on the N8 today, my 2nd handset will defiantly be Nokia and Qwerty, wont need it till Q3 so it gives me time to sit back and watch what happens.

Just loved Ewan's searing insight into the new Chinese handsets - 'They look like a phone' ;-)

Hoping that the Symbian^3 handsets prove to be everything you guys hope them to be... though remember similar things being said about the N97 a year ago about it being Nokia's 'white knight'...

Lightning can't strike twice, surely?

Rafe, I'm so glad to hear that you are sooooo happy about Nokia C5-01 and X5. I wonder which of these is going to be your next handset? It is really comforting to hear that the Nokia has a strategy. Never mind, it concerns Chinese market. Hurray!

Seriously, I mostly enjoy listening to your podcasts, but whenever I hear "new firmware does this, new firmware for that" I feel like scratching my eyes out! I don't know whose a$$ I have to kiss, or where to sign up, to even find out what are these "firmware updates". So far, in my experience with more than a dozen Nokia phones, firmware updates only concern select few, and completely ignore the rest! My n97 mini (pc0591930) is an UNBRANDED, NAM handset, and there hasn't been any updates for it, and I doubt there ever will. Latest firmware for my E51 is still v100, even though the "chosen ones" have access to v400!

I'm just tired... I asked this multiple times, both to you guys and to Nokia directly, but everyone's best strategy is just to ignore...

Not sure if you guys know how I feel, as it seems like you have bought into the "chosen" club and get updates, but it really is quite irritating!

We mentioned the firmware lottery many times to various people at Nokia. A lot of this is down to operator approval, but Nokia should take some of the blame too. I think they're aware of it... and it will improve, especially as FoTA becomes more and more common. It helps that the platform is becoming more modular too...

There's a balance as to whether to mention this stuff on the podcast - yes limited interest, but people do like hearing about it.

Rafe, I'm sure a number people do enjoy hearing about the mid-tier handsets but just witness the hot topics of the past two days and the number of responses you've had back on the N8 compared to the Chinese handset announcements. Surely that gives you an indication of where the majority of interest lies for the typical AAS visitor?

morpheus2702 - absolutely. That's why there are multiple N8 stories / content items on the site. But we do like to be comprehensive too.

However also remember that the commenting audience is only a fraction of the overall audience (0.1% or less)... I suspect the commenting audience is bias towards the high end too. But yes I do recognise some things are more popular than others and the content flow is adjusted accordingly.

nokia's disappointing. the n97 was supposed to be a hot phone but they had to go and put it out there with buggy software. then you update it with firmware 2.1 and it gets better but then you have to struggle to get it charged up cos the mini usb port is messed up. wish they had kept the charging port separate...or at least have made it better than what it is now. and then you take in in to the retailer where you got it and you have to wait for three weeks for it to get repaired... and they don even give you a replacement phone in the meantime...after spending all that money on this phone i'm sorry i ever bought it. seriously.