Inside Nokia Phones

Must-Have App: Maps Booster by Skyhook Wireless

jack — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:56:23 +0000

My Nokia phones need to find my position accurately and quickly since I use location services like geotagging photos, checking-in on Foursquare, or navigating with Ovi maps. Fortunately there’s a revolutionary app called Maps Booster that helps your Symbian phone find your location really fast no matter what other applications need it. That’s right… I said revolutionary. If you don’t believe me, watch Steve Jobs explain the awesome technology behind the app.

Video below might now be visible in some RSS readers. Head over to the blog to watch it.

Maps Booster is powered by Skyhook Wireless and implemented as a positioning method on Symbian. They’ve driven around the world to map out Wifi hotspots (similar to how Google drives around with cameras for Street View). When your phone opens an application like Maps, Gravity, or Camera that tries to find your location, Maps Booster runs in the background to compare the Wifi signals near you with their database to pinpoint where you are. That means, they can find your location quickly even if you’re indoors! Here’s their coverage map.
I’m really happy with Maps Booster and it works perfectly on the Symbian phones I’ve tested: Nokia N86 and Nokia n97 mini. I hope it gets built-in with all upcoming devices. It’s available at the Ovi Store for $2.99. It’s well worth it!

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JoikuSpot Premium for N900 1.0 available now for less than $10

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:23:51 +0000

Just a few weeks ago I wrote about the beta version of JoikuSpot for the N900 and was able to use it for downloading data when connected to my computer. I spent the last couple of weeks bouncing around with a Sprint Overdrive and Palm Pre Plus with Mobile Hotspot, but tonight when I needed a connection I ended up putting my T-Mobile SIM back into my trusty Nokia N900 and firing up Joikuspot. I then discovered that the beta version had expired and JoikuSpot graduated to a full version, called Premium, for the N900. The great news for those who are reading this site and are probably one of the early adopters is that you can buy JoikuSpot Premium Linux (N900) Edition for just 7 EUR, which is less than half the regular price. This launch price is only available to the first 1,000 people who purchase the application. BTW, this works out to about USD$9.50. I purchased the full version immediately and am actually posting this entry from my MacBook Pro connected to the N900 wirelessly. With the fast T-Mobile 3G data signal, this solution is awesome and will result in me not needing to turn on the Verizon HotSpot option on the Palm Pre Plus. If you have a Nokia N900 on T-Mobile I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you go buy this application right now.

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Video How to: Use Bookmarklets on the Nokia N900’s Browser

jack — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:23:23 +0000

Bookmarklets are bookmarks in the browser designed to add one-click functionality to a web page. On our desktops, we save bookmarklets by dragging a links to to our browser’s toolbar. It’s different on mobile devices. I checked the Nokia N900, Nexus One, iPhone, and the Nokia N97 mini and noticed only the N900 can quickly save bookmarklets.

bit.ly bookmarklet on the Nokia N900
A couple of bookmarklets I use a lot are the Bit.ly sidebar and
Wordpress Press This. Here are 100 more that you might find helpful.

You can also watch this video in HD on Youtube. Subscribe to the channel to preview the latest videos before they get published on the blog.
To save a bookmarklet on the Nokia N900, long-press on the link and add as a bookmark. You can access it later by clicking on the bookmarks button on the lower left corner. That’s it!
It’s not that easy on other devices. Saving bookmarklets on the iPhone requires syncing with a computer. There are other ways, but again, it’s not as intuitive as the N900. I also tried saving a bookmarklet on the Nexus One and the Nokia N97 mini, but failed.

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Dear Nokia, Mark should go to SXSW because… #nokiacomp

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:30:16 +0000

WOMWorld/Nokia put up 3 tickets for grabs over the weekend for an all-expenses-paid trip to SXSW in Austin, Texas. Those who wanted to participate needed to create a video entitled, “Dear Nokia, I should go to SXSW because…” I didn’t want to pass on this wonderful opportunity, so I decided to submit a video… with the help of my beautiful, loving, singing wife.

You can also view this video in HD on Vimeo. Please help me win the trip by simply pressing the green retweet button on top of this post.

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Joikuspot for Nokia N900 Now Out of Beta. Coming to Ovi Store Soon

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:03:14 +0000

Joikuspot Premium for the Nokia N900 came out of beta on Monday and is now available for sale at the Joikushop for EUR 7. When asked if we’ll be seeing it at the Ovi Store, they responded, “the Ovi Store process is already on-going. Typically it takes some days.” Joikuspot turns your Nokia N900 into a wifi hotspot.

Instructions explain you can purchase & install the JoikuSpot Linux Edition file to your Nokia N900, then reboot after installation to adjust WiFi drivers. JoikuSpot can be then found under the Nokia N900’s Applications folder.

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Nokia now has four smartphone classes; Nseries, Eseries, Xseries, and Cseries

jack — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:52:28 +0000

So now that the Nokia C5 has been announced we see that Nokia is standardizing on four series for Nokia smartphones, not their Series 40 phones. We now have the Cseries, Xseries, Eseries, and Nseries. We also learn over on the Nokia Conversations blog that each device will be numbered from 1 to 9, that signifies the range of functionality and approximate price with 1 being the lowest and 9 the highest. We see the recent devices as the X6, C5, E72, and N900 so you can see how the first numbers match the functionality. As stated on the Nokia Conversations site:

This new naming convention is designed to make things easier for users, so they can quickly and easily work out where a device sits within the series and beyond that have a clearer idea of what each series does. Nseries remains the flagship and most advanced range of products. Xseries comes next and focuses on social entertainment. Eseries remains focussed on productivity and business whilst Cseries represents the core range of products.

I am not sure how well these will appeal to consumers since it seems easier to me to have names like Motorola DROID, Nexus One, and iPhone. I am not a big fan of phones with numbers for names, but with the large selection of phones that Nokia has and the range of their four series I understand why numbering is necessary. What do you think of the four category naming scheme?

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Skype Excluded from Ovi Store in the US Because of Verizon Deal

jack — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:06:29 +0000

When I couldn’t find Skype for Symbian at the Ovi Store here in the US after the announcement, I thought there was probably a temporary delay. However, a Skype representative told Venturebeat that the app was intentionally excluded to drive more attention to a recent deal with Verizon Wireless. Read on for the quote.

“Skype has made a decision in the United States to not promote the Skype for Symbian app through the Ovi Store. We did this so that we could drive more attention to the recently announced Skype and Verizon Wireless agreement. This was a marketing decision — plain and simple.
“Skype users in the U.S can still download Symbian by going directly to Skype.com.”

The Verizon/Skype service still says “coming soon,” but more information was promised this month. If you’re looking to download Skype for your Nokia Symbian phone and you’re currently in the US, head over to their website instead of the Ovi Store.

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T-Mobile to get Nokia Nuron with 3G data support

jack — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:51:35 +0000

Back when the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic was released I wrote that this would be the perfect phone for T-Mobile USA to roll out with since they had a few XpressMusic devices, but could use a higher end one that was still available for a low price. Somebody must have been listening because T-Mobile and Nokia just announced that the Nokia 5230 Nuron is coming to T-Mobile USA with support for T-Mobile’s 3G data network (the real fastest carrier in the US). This is also the first device in the US pre-loaded with the new free Ovi Maps 3.0 software so buyers get a full GPS navigation solution on a fairly large 3.2 inch touch screen display. With a price of only $69.99 with a two-year service agreement, $50 mail-in rebate, and qualifying voice & data plan I think this may be what my oldest daughter needs to get her around town when she starts driving in a few months. BTW, the Nuron looks very similar to a 5800 XM and I will be curious to see what is physically different. The Nokia Nuron has the following specifications:

Quad-band GSM
Dual Band HSDPA
S60 5th Edition
Bluetooth 2.0
FM radio
Integrated A-GPS receiver
2 megapixel camera
3.2 inch 640

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Review: Proporta Screen Protector and Sync-Charge Cradle for Nokia N97 mini

jack — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 04:51:11 +0000

I wrote my review of the N97 mini back in early December and still think it is one of the best Nokia smartphones available today. It is a S60 5th Edition device built as stout as an Eseries device. Even though I have been trying out some of the newer smartphones for my ZDNet blog, I do keep the N97 mini close at hand for apps and rock solid performance. Proporta reached out to me to see if I wanted to evaluate a couple of accessories for the N97 mini and they ended up sending along an Advanced Screen Protector and USB Sync-Charge Cradle. Let’s take a look at my thoughts on these two accessories with an image gallery of both following my writing.

Advanced Screen Protector

I switch devices almost as often as fast as I change my underwear and thus the first thing I do with my devices is purchase and install screen protectors on them. This way, my device displays remain in mint condition so they retain their resale value when I decide to switch to another device and so I can throw my device in my pocket without worrying about scratching. I was curious to see how much of the front of the N97 mini the Proporta Advanced Screen Protector would cover since the BodyGuardz I installed on my N97 covered the entire front with openings for the buttons, camera, and proximity sensor. The Proporta protector covers just the display area itself, which is really the most important part to protect. Inside the slim packaging you will find the screen protector, fiber cleaning cloth, bubble removal/application card, and directions on the inside of the packaging. There are only three steps to installing the Proporta Advanced Screen Protector and unlike some recent skins I have tried there is no liquid used or drying period. You simply peel off the backing with the yellow tab and slowly place the protector on the N97 mini as you then slide the protector on and continue peeling back the covering. I was able to clean the display and install the protector within less than a couple of minutes. I understand that Proporta uses some kind of adhesive material to secure the protector to the display, but it doesn’t leave any residue or anything and can actually be washed and reused if needed. I am seeing no impact on the clarity of the display and it actually reduces glare from sunlight and bright indoor lighting a bit too and I prefer it over the glossy finish the device already has. It does give a slightly rougher feel to the display, but nothing that affects the usability of the device. It is supposed to improve the “feel” during stylus use, but I have never used a stylus on the N97 mini so that is not a benefit I personally care about. The Proporta Advanced Screen Protector sells for just $6.95 and if you are looking for a way to protect your display, then this is a good product to consider.

Ratings (out of 5)

Value: 4.5
Ease of Use: 5
Quality: 5

Overall: 4.5/5

Pros

Offers durable protection
Easy to install and reusable
Fairly low price

Cons

Doesn’t cover the entire N97 mini front

Proporta Mini USB Sync-Charge Cradle

I recently read an article about cradles for smartphones and with more and more devices lying on old mousepads on my desk I admit I do miss having a cradle to rest the devices on when not in use. Google has the Nexus One cradle, but there are very few that actually come with or have cradle options. Proporta solves this with their 3rd party options and sent along the Propota Mini USB Sync-Charge Cradle for me to evaluate. The USB Sync-Charge Cradle comes in a retail box just with the cradle an no extra cables or AC power supply. You are expected to have your own power supply (I think it uses a standard old school Nokia charger, but all I have now is the smaller 2mm variant). You can also use a miniUSB cable to connect to your computer or wall outlet to provide power to the cradle and that is how I tested out the unit. Ports for these two power sources are found on the back of the cradle. There are four soft felt pieces on the bottom corners of the cradle to protect your desktop. On the front of the cradle you will see a small switch to choose between Sync and Charge. You may think that you can just place your N97 mini on the cradle and have it connected to sync and charge, but then you would be wrong. You see, you need to use the short (approximately 4 inches) cable with the microUSB end to connect to your N97 mini. The N97 mini slides into the clear plastic guide piece mounted on the top of the cradle and it holds it quite securely. The cradle is also weighted so that it doesn’t tip when the N97 mini is cradled. A Blue LED, on the bottom left located next to a flash icon, is present on the cradle and lights up when power is supplied to the cradle. When in Charge mode your N97 mini will just charge and will not require you to even make a selection on your device. If you have the cradle in Sync mode then the pop-up appears on your N97 mini for PC Suite, Mass storage, Image transfer, and Media Transfer options. You cannot switch the front button between modes and have the N97 mini switch to the other option unless you unplug and then plug back in the microUSB cable. BTW, the microUSB connection cable lays down into a groove on the top of the cradle and stays secure. The Proporta Mini USB Sync-Charge Cradle sells for $20.95, which seems like a fairly reasonable price for a solid cradle. I like having my device in a cradle since it offers a secure method of keeping my device safe and sound on a desk.

Ratings (out of 5)

Features: 4
Build Quality: 5

Overall: 4.5/5

Pros

High quality, stable cradle
microUSB cable secures well

Cons

Limited to N97 mini only
No AC power source provided

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Skype for Symbian Now Available at Nokia’s Ovi Store

admin — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:10:01 +0000

Skype for Symbian is now downloadable for free from the Ovi Store according to the joint announcement on Wednesday. It will allow Nokia users worldwide to make free Skype-to-Skype calls and save money on calls and SMS to phones abroad. This is great for those who have an unlimited data plan.

I didn’t know how cheap Skype was until I heard about the announcement. For example, it’s only $2.95 per month for unlimited calls in the US and Canada and $30 per year for a telephone number so non-Skype callers can reach you from any phone. If you find a provider that offers affordable and reliable data-only service, it could be a smart idea to ditch the cellular voice plan.
The initial Skype for Symbian application is compatible with the following Nokia touchscreen models: Nokia N97, Nokia N97 mini, Nokia X6, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and Nokia 5530 and the following non-touch devices: Nokia E72, Nokia E71, Nokia E90, Nokia E63, Nokia E66, Nokia E51, Nokia N96, Nokia N95, Nokia N95 8Gb, Nokia N85, Nokia N82, Nokia N81, Nokia N81 8 Gb, Nokia N79, Nokia N78, Nokia 6220 classic, Nokia 6210 Navigator, Nokia 5320.
If you have the Nokia N900, Skype is already built-in.

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