20 June 2012

My Nokia Blog

My Nokia Blog

Nokia 808 PureView Night Time Long Exposure

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 05:21 PM PDT

We’ve previously seen some long exposures from the 808 PureView in daylight with the ND filter.

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/05/22/nokia-808-pureview-creative-long-exposure-nd-filter-photos/

At night when light levels are very low, taking long exposure snaps (sans ND filter) can create some really creative light streaks, as well as making night look like day.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/77173783@N00/with/7397635058/#photo_7397635058

You would normally need to set up the camera on a tripod as long exposures requires the frame to be dead still. I’m not sure how long the 808′s long exposure mode is but generally people can work all the way up to 30s or more.

During this time the sensor is gathering in all the light, a bit like a venusaur gathering light for solarbeam (I don’t know why I made that comparison). The longer the time allowed, the brighter the picture. Normally for really long exposures, you would tweak the settings to get a lower ISO and smaller aperture. This reduces the amount of light going to the sensor to prevent over exposure and a wash of white if you have too much light.

I’ve been wishing for long exposures on Nokias for a while. During the N900 hacks scene, a group did modify the Nokia N900 so that people could draw with light and the N900′s long exposure mode could record all of that into one picture.

It seems in the above picture you can achieve some long exposure but not quite long enough to produce that single slight stream.

You can create other effects too, such as ghosting (where someone goes into a picture and moves away producing a transparent ghost). You can play about with motion in this.

Not long exposure but a nice shot with the 808

Cheers Ahmed for the tip!

Video: 1 hour with Linus Torvalds at Aalto University

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 04:38 PM PDT

Whilst not strictly Nokia related, this video that I came across through Reddit (amongst several other places) is indirectly what with Nokia’s history of Linux and the interest in the Nokia community about linux related projects.

Linus Torvalds, regarded as the Father of Linux, is a Finnish guy and here he is speaking at Aalto University in Helsinki. It’s just over an hour long but it’s a good place to start learning about Linux and its Finnish roots.

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One Hour first impressions review of the Nokia Lumia 900

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 04:00 PM PDT

 

 

My regular DHL man arrived late in the afternoon with a package. I knew what it was but I was against the clock to pack the house away before the removals people came to bring it to storage. Anyway, come late evening I manage to unbox the Nokia Lumia 900.

 

Now being a Nokia Lumia 800 user, I thought the experience would be pretty much the same, nothing too different or exciting, right? Well, for me, the answer was surprisingly NO. I’m really liking using the Nokia Lumia 900. The more I personalise and set things up and download my apps, the more I’m realising it’s going to be hard giving this thing back :/.

Screen:

Well, the first thing that strikes me is the display. That wonderful 4.3″ display that just pops. It’s even more markedly different when compared to the non-batman-lumia 800 that I have as it seems to have a problem with brightness being too low in auto and the colours looking a little off (batman one is ok)

My first experience of Windows Phone was on an Omnia 7. It had a real nice 4″ display. I noted previously that the bigger display there helped in typing as the keyboard was bigger. The WP keyboard was, fortunately, excellent, so I never really had a problem with it on a 3.7″ display. It’s just that on 4″ and now 4.3″ it’s just soo much nicer to use.

For some, 3.7-3.9″ may already be the sweetspot, but I like having bigger screens and this is the biggest yet for the current Nokia line up. It’s amazing that I already used to have a huge 4.13″ monster in my N800 but this doesn’t feel as unwieldy.

Apps look great in this 4.3″ AMOLED CBD display.

Responsiveness:


Lumias are really fast, and really responsive. But some more than others. We’ve noted before how the accelerometer in the 710 felt faster than the 800. It’s noticeably faster on rotation and to me that makes a difference. When I’m rotating a web page or an email, it rotates pretty much as soon as i begin to turn – none of that waiting. I’d say most will hardly notice it but when you get accustomed to his speed, it’s hard to go back.

Internet on mobile data seems oddly faster.

Set up:


Putting the MicroSIM in was really annoying. I dislike the fact that you need a tool (provided key) to get the SIM out before placing it in. This should be removed when  you first have the 900 and then let the user place their card in. Allow them to find out at a later time how to remove it (assuming they won’t be removing their SIMs too often). I’ve already got a little scuff mark on the hole for the SIM port and the key is already slightly bent.

Signing into my services/contacts etc was a breeze. Once I log into Windows Live and Facebook all my contacts are there just like before. This was all automatically, no need to set up a backup. Username + Password, DONE. No faffing around trying to get settings here there and everywhere. All my calendar appointments all neatly into place, all the pictures from my contacts and their details, all my online albums. Verry nice.

HOWEVER. I would like to be able to perform routine backups and then apply them to my next phone. Now I’ve lost all my messages, all my call history, all my apps! I can redownload them but there should be a function to restore content. At least on the upside, I have all my contacts/calendar/email etc.

I want you to save my GROUPS dammit!

You can reinstall things manually from the web, just click and select what apps you want to reinstall and it will instruct your phone (without needing it to be connected by cable, just an internet connection) to download the apps

Helpful email to help get you started…

Vibration:

The vibrations when you’re pressing the capacitive keys are more obvious, they have a little buzz sound towards the top of the device. It’s more subtle in the 800. When it vibrates, say for an incoming text message, it kinda reminds me of a cartoon character laughing.

Design usability.

I have big hands so it’s not an issue for me. Something comparable, like the SGSII with the same screen size, is shorter and slimmer.

I think there’s plenty of room for improvement regarding minimising bezel space. And that sharp corner feels more obvious now that I have to span my hand around the device more (in comparison to the 800). For something this large, it would feel more comfy if it was slimmer.

As feared, swiping off the edge meets that little bezel. It’s not that pronounced but you can feel it as opposed to the bezel free 800. However, given the size of the screen, my thumb is rarely travelling outside of the screen space anyway.

One plus of the bezel is that when placed on a table, it should reduce the hairline scratches induced by surface to surface contact, as it does on the N9/800 because the curved centre touches the table.

White gloss looks nice, but I prefer the feel of the matte polycarbonate.

Having no hinge cover does mean the microUSB seems a little unprotected but there is an unexpected convenience of just plugging in without having to push that flap down.

Speaker

Speakers are louder. You can hear it when you’re typing on the keyboard, the tapping sounds are more prominent on the 900 than the 800 (which i felt was a little muted in comparison to my Omnia 7 – though some people hate the sounds anyway).

Listening quickly to some songs, the 900 is slightly louder and just sounds better, a little richer – though both have room to improve.

Camera:


Will need to test this more and with my batman lumia as I think my regular one is faulty but already I can see pictures coming out much better than 800 (even with the plastic cover on).

Battery Life:


There’s a bigger screen to eat up more battery but a there’s a bigger battery to compensate. I’m on a fresh install too so I have less things running in the background (less live tiles, less accounts trying to sync). Right now levels that would normally indicate 2-3h remaining on my Lumia 800 correspond to 7h on the 900. This is not a reliable measure. I’ve still only just started using the 900, and most of the time of ownership is actually writing this up. (Better right sooner than never as things that end up in my drafts/to finish end up being stuck there forever)

I’ve really enjoyed using my Nokia Lumia 800 a lot but the 900 for me is even more pleasant to use.

There’s also the addition of:

  • Front Facing Camera for Skype/Tango calls. Not tried yet. I’ve managed with the main camera as all I tend to use it for is to show friends/family something I’m already looking at. I prefer to not be on camera. Might have to start getting used to it now :/
  • WiFi sharing. I’ve just bought an additional 6month wifi bundle as I was gonna need some mobile internet when I’m on the go to keep my laptop connected. This meant firing up Joikuspot on N8 but now there’s another option that means I can stick to using one device.  Though it is terribly nice having the N8 there to take nice photos and videos :)
Thanks NokiaConnects for the trial!

 

Lumiappaday #217: NY Times demoed on the Nokia Lumia 800

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 02:00 PM PDT

The New York Times app allows you to read and watch videos from the NY Times. Some articles require a subscription so if you have one, then this app will come in quite handy. If you haven’t there are still plenty of free sections available.

#217) New York Times 

Price:  Free

Link: http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/557c4997-62a3-e011-986b-78e7d1fa76f8

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q3ILjJcJsE

Developer Blurb:

 

The NYTimes app for Windows Phone has been updated with a refreshed design, improved performance and new features optimized for the Windows phone. Pin sections and blogs to live tiles, store saved content to the cloud for viewing from other devices and navigate to videos and blogs within each section. Get our Top News section for free or subscribe to unlock all the sections in the app, plus blogs, videos and slide shows. The app downloads and syncs the latest news directly to your device for online or offline reading. Share articles through Facebook, Twitter and e-mail. And, get breaking news alerts to be the first to read about events as they occur.

Rating:

Design: 8

Usability: 8

Performance: 8

Price: 10

Update: Nokia 808 PureView works fine on T-Mobile too – NOT 2G only speeds.

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 10:29 AM PDT

Folks got pretty annoyed with the news this morning that the Nokia 808 PureView for USA would only have 2G speeds when on T-Mobile.

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/06/19/nokconv-unique-nokia-808-pureview-coming-to-america/

That is no longer the case, and NokConv cites this was due to a typo.

UPDATE: We incorrectly stated that the Nokia 808 PureView would only work with T-Mobile at 2G speeds. This was caused by an error in the spec sheet. We're sorry about any confusion. The Nokia 808 PureView works just fine with T-Mobile in the United States.

Cheers Mariano for the tip!

Video: The Dark Knight Rises – Exclusive Nokia Trailer Debut

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 04:29 AM PDT

 

Nokia has just uploaded what they call an exclusive Nokia Trailer debut for the Dark Knight Rises movie.

This looks AWESOME! I can’t wait to see it.

Did anyone see any Nokia appearances? What handsets do you expect appearing in the movie? Any future phones like the 5800 back in the first part of Nolan’s masterpiece?

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Oh, on Nokia’s facebook page yesterday. He that falls must rise again.

Will Nokia rise again?

Video: Microsoft Surface Tablet Keynote – some lessons for Nokia.

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 03:13 AM PDT

 

So, we’ve had a couple of posts now regarding the new Microsoft Surface Tablet. For those looking for more information about this, you can watch the keynote.

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/06/19/video-microsoft-surface-tablet-magnetic-type-covers-hands-on/

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/06/19/microsoft-unveils-new-surface-tablet-line-running-windows-rt-win-8/

I haven’t paid much attention to the other Windows 8 tablets, ultrabooks and other devices. This however is quite significant as it’s a PC straight from Microsoft. In a way it competes with Nokia who are expected to produce a tablet, but also acts as a guide on how the Windows 8 software and hardware experience should be.

This video is about 50 minutes long, and the focus of this post is more on the delivery of the keynote.

I like that this non-Apple keynote is becoming much more Apple like in terms of the clarity of delivery of a message. It’s not yet quite there, we can see fluffing of lines etc but it was a very good presentation. I like the guy at the end who seemed so passionate about the attention to detail, about making the very littlest things matter, about getting users to emotionally connect with your products.

This is a significant learning point for Nokia who, pretty much all of the time, fail their products by having really poor keynotes, resulting in much confusion about the products themselves.

Here’s a post I wrote a couple of years back on what Nokia can pick up in their keynotes:

What Nokia needs to learn from apple keynotes – pointers from steve jobs and iPhone 4 announcement

  • Good start on history of achievements, showing evidence on success, validating that they have history, that they know what they’re doing and thus you can expect the same from whatever is announced.
  • Good elaboration on the features…detailing the pen/touch input or the type cover pressure sensitivity.
  • Constructive words/phrases reinforcing some perception on the device…perfect is used a lot. ‘best experience possible…
Some bits I found funny. Like making it a point that there is no add on regarding the stand and how its build in and having no extra weight…but then straight afterwards showing an add on that gives extra weight and thickness in the cover :/. But they presented it well enough so that the mismatch of ideals isn’t jarring. They controlled the message well and how they want aspects of their products to be perceived.

As for this tablet, some key things are possibly:

  • Design
  • VaporMg
  • Dual WiFi antenna
Missing:
  • Availability dates
  • Price
When speaking about the hardware partners for Windows PCs, Ballmer rattled off many names of traditional manufacturers. Nokia wasn’t mentioned, though it is much expected that they too will produce their own tablet. Actually, it is expected that Nokia step up to the plate and produce the BEST Windows 8 tablet. Can they? I’m not to sure.
I have no experience with either RT or W8 Pro. I’m a little concerned about the need for vents. I am concerned about the Pro being the only one that can handle the legacy Windows Apps. Microsoft aren’t really making this distinction clear. What happens when folks try to put Windows apps not for W8 on Intel? Will there be enough W8 apps for users?
I do like the name ‘Surface’. It’s not another ___Pad. It’s not a ___Tab. It’s not even a ___Slate. It’s something they already previously on and is related to touch screens. MS Surface. It seems to naturally come into the conversation about ‘touching the surface’ as opposed to ‘touching the screen’…there’s plays on words such as the ‘Windows Software rising to the surface’. Nokia’s own brand for their tablet is really important. As for now, the only tablet that gets called by its name is the iPad. All the other pads and tabs are either called tablets or mistaken for iPad in conversation. Maybe Nokia can also build a ‘surface’ tablet? Or does it need to be Lumia related?

Source: TheVerge

Given this is called ‘Surface’ will there be any ‘MS Surface’ style apps. You know, like that big giant table where virtual objects seem to naturally move about?

 

Update for Nokia N8 Microsoft Apps (v2.01) at Nokia Suite

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 01:42 AM PDT

An update appears to be available for Nokia N8 at Nokia Suite for the Microsoft Apps.

Not quite sure what that entails.

Cheers Jens and Ivan for the tip

Impressive Macro Photography With the Lumia 900

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 01:38 AM PDT

Quite a large “Miniature” model of Chicago

The other day I stopped by the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago just to have a peek around and see what’s what in the world of science and industry (must keep on top of these things); on the first floor of the museum was a very large Model city of downtown Chicago, complete from the sears towers, to the El train, to the little pedestrians in the street; all immaculately painted and crafted onto a huge exhibit. I took a couple pictures just to remember it when I noticed that the Lumia 900 took REALLY good macro photos compared to the Lumia 800 which frankly kinda sucked and couldn’t keep in focus on anything close than the moon. The Lumia 900 however took some excellent close up photos as well as some VERY impressive video capturing (especially since the lighting was less than optimal).

Super awesome tip: When taking macro images on a Lumia phone rather than press to focus (on the screen) hold your finger on the object you want to focus AND KEEP pressing on the object until the photo is captured (don’t tap and release- keep the screen pressed)- I didn’t know about that until recently and it made a world of a difference in the resulting images.

Here’s a video sample of some super closeups plus a tour of a miniature Chicago.

And some Macro Images (I know it’s no pureview; but there are some decent shots there):

This is the only macro image I took with flash; it gives off nicer colors but the colors aren’t “true”- also the flash was reflecting off the glass barrier

I don’t know which is more impressive, the details of the model; or the fact that the Stormtrooper was able to capture them (This lady is in the lower left corner of the first image in this post)

You can practically see the individual dust particles on the car.

All the above images are seen here….

This is the design on top of the windows of the building in the image above. Looks pretty darn sweet.

Try and spot the cow that’s in the next photo (it’s in there somewhere)

This cow couldn’t have been more than 5 mm High…. (flash might have been used here I think)

 

Video: Microsoft Surface Tablet Magnetic Type Covers hands on

Posted: 19 Jun 2012 01:36 AM PDT

 

So, Microsoft went ahead and produced their own Windows 8 tablet. I’m not sure what to think of the tablet, other than a little uninspiring, but it’s early days yet. Some of the app demoes I briefly glanced at looked pretty nice though.

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/06/19/microsoft-unveils-new-surface-tablet-line-running-windows-rt-win-8/

What was intriguing was the magnetic cover thing, similar in a way to the covers popularised by iPad. But the cover isn’t just a cover. It isn’t a stand either because the Surface tablet has its own stand. No, it’s a keyboard.

There are two versions, a 3mm thin pressure sensitive multitouch keyboard. Then there’s a touch type cover which is the more traditional cover. It makes it a little bit like an ASUS transformer except the hooking together is more natural. Just clip on with magnet. On the downside, I don’t think there’s additional power sources or connections on the keyboard base, and nor can it be used independently of a table due to the nature of the stand.

OK job. I hope Nokia does better. They are pretty much the only ones without a next gen tablet, right? (I say next gen as Nokia was so hipster as to create tablets before they were popular). I say this gives Nokia something to aim for. Nothing was overly impressive so it shouldn’t be too hard to beat it, but given the way Nokia just loves to create error and compromise, it wouldn’t surprise me if  they couldn’t even match this. Sorry, but you’re yet to prove yourself wrong on that regard, Nokia.

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