23 April 2012

My Nokia Blog

My Nokia Blog

Video: Tuli’s tales, reminiscing Nokia 3310 and Zombie Apocalypses.

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 04:40 PM PDT

 

As a Nokia fan, we all love to reminisce about Nokia. I especially love hearing people reminisce about Nokia who aren’t geeks and Nokia fans. Here is , a professional dancer and dance tutor who talks fondly about her first ever phone, the Nokia 3310.

She tells us an interesting story about how a cellphone was the must have thing and that having the 3310 at 14 made it feel like it was the best day of her life. Unfortunately, whilst collecting lady bugs, she lost her phone. On Day 1. However, happy ending – she finds at the place she was hunting for lady bugs, as 14 year olds do…

Tuli then laughs and jokes about the meme of the indestructable Nokia and how it would be a weapon of choice in a Zombie Apocalypse. She currently uses an express music phone (points for correct naming of this model!) which has saved her life in her current job when her demo discs won’t play at dance auditions.

What phone would you bring should a Zombie Apocalypse break out?

video by 

 

Reader Generated: N97 and Symbian^3 in hindsight

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 04:30 PM PDT

Here’s another interesting comment from one of our readers, snowflake.  It was to the post:

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/04/20/slashgear-elop-a-genius/comment-page-2/#comment-558902

Though that comment above was a reply to a very specific mini discussion that evolved from that post.  It suggests that the N97′s failure might be more significant than what some might consider, destroying people’s faith in what Symbian had once accomplished. It reiterates again that the problem isn’t Symbian, but S60 and Nokia’s execution. What would have happened if Nokia picked Hildon UI?  What about UIQ? Did you know how good Symbian was for touch already before S60 5th?

BTW, before you go on to read the comment, here’s a piece from the Register, highlighted later by Steve Litchfield.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/21/nokia_hildon_the_great_lost_platform/

http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/13669_Nokias_Great_Lost_Platform.php

There comes a time when Nokia could have chosen not to play safe, break away from what was then the traditional phone UI to this strange touch based experience. But they stuck it out with Series 60 which turned into a ‘time bomb’ as some have mentioned in comments.

Here’s another comment and another whole thread more inline with this post. You guys shared what you would like to change at Nokia. npo4 left some interesting here:

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/03/22/what-would-you-change-at-nokia-if-you-could-go-back-to-any-point-in-nokias-history/comment-page-4/#comment-540126

Anyway, the original comment that started off this post:

_____________________

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/04/20/slashgear-elop-a-genius/comment-page-2/#comment-558902

I wrote at AAS during 2009 and 2010 that all the Nokia fans were hugely underestimating the damage being done by these devices to Nokia's reputation particularly the top end purchasers who simply weren't prepared to put up with chronically unreliable devices having been exposed to the example of iOS devices.

…Whereas (owing to the number of times I had to take my N97 back in for repair during 1st 3 months of ownership) I got to know the staff at my local West London Carphone Warehouse (nearest Nokia Service Point) pretty well and in this largish store they had had every N97 bar one that they had sold returned by customers – I'll just repeat that so it sinks in for the fanbois EVERY SINGLE N97 except one sold by a large West London phone shop had been returned because the customers were so dissatisfied with it – and according to the store staff 9 in 10 of them went on to buy the new iPhone 3GS. So no it didn't do well and nor (in the UK at least) did the N97mini it sank without trace as did the X6 after it.

In reality only one Symbian device ever sold again in any volume at all in the UK and that was the N8 mostly to the fans and mostly to those that hadn't bought S60v5 device (as these were still locked into contracts). The promise (made at 2010 Capital Markets Day) was that major landmark Symbian release for H1 and hence the interest and pre orders in the N8 helped by it's delay into October. However by the time the N8 and more more importantly S^3 was finally released (six months late by from revised schedule and nearly a year from original Sym Foundation timetable) it was just so disappointing given the protracted wait and what else was on the market by then particularly compared to the way Android had improved (and there was the end of Symbian). So there was some demand for N8 both as it had been such a long time on pre order and carriers had probably pre signed up for it having been promised much improved OS from the year before. Hoever the reality of S^3 was so disappointing that carriers barely signed up for any more Nokia devices in UK. S^3 received broadly negative reviews and must have been a very disappointing product and far removed from what the carriers had been led to expect. So the N8 was cut some slack on account of it's remarkable imaging abilities but the general usability was broadly criticised, S^3 looked far too like S60v5, it was still unstable (tho not as bad) which was unforgivably stupid and had ridiculously obvious missing features that were going to get flamed like no portrait keyboard and rubbish browser. The E7 (which was even further delayed into Spring 2011) sold almost nothing in UK and was barely stocked in any retailers, the C6-01 I never actually saw in store and even the C7 which should have stood some chance really sold poorly.

So far from only Lumia's doing badly and being returned, in the UK at least the greatest damages had been done by the disastrous N97 and their failure to address that or offer compensation or recall the product (in the long run it would have saved them billions).

What I can't understand about you rabid fanbois is how relaxed and tolerant you are of how much Nokia has messed up Symbian an none of you ever seem to mention the really sad missed opportunity and direction that was UIQ. Symbian was forked as a result of Nokia pressure and the path they chose to pursue was always more regressive than other variants, so it's not as if there was some technological golden age, far from it Nokia actually massively held Symbian back right up until UIQ tragically disappeared and none of it's legacy was ported into the Foundation. S60 has always been a technological dead end in my view.

Oh and by the way Nokia didn't manage to deliver on a single one of the categorical commitments made to investors at capital markets day 2010, not one. That's why OPK went.

Cheers Janne for the tip

Reader Generated: The Smartphone Definition – Symbian the smartphone

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 04:20 PM PDT

This is a comment from a reader, incognito’ on the subject of smartphone definition, in reply to the post last week about whether Symbian was a ‘smartphone’ or ‘smarterphone’. The discussion was very interesting (as it always seems to be when the comments are on topic :)  ) but this was worth highlighting.

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/04/18/staska-symbian-not-smartphone-but-smarter-phone/comment-page-1/#comment-555697

Before we get onto that, let me also insert James Whatley’s comment to warm you up for Incognito’s:

Smartphone definition has changed so much over the years, depending on what year, what region and what country you're in – the definition changes.

Back in the mid-to-late noughties, a smartphone in the UK was a phone that, very basically, could multi-task. Meanwhile, in the US, a smartphone was defined simply by any mobile phone with a full qwerty keypad.

Since then, the european way (of multi-tasking first) slowly adopted its way over and then, by rights, the original iPhone couldn't really be classed as a smartphone!

Today though? Who actually cares?

The Smartphone Definition

The smartphone definition, if it ever existed, after the iPhone became a meaningless label. What was 'smart' about the first iPhone, it had less features and was less extensible than s40 phones, yet Apple added it a title of 'smartphone' and everybody agreed on it. Since then – smartphone usually means – more expensive than a feature phone, and nothing more than that. Not to repeat myself, I'll just quote what I wrote at TMO on the subject whether the N9 is a smartphone or not, but it's applicable to the Symbian line as well:

–

I think we're long away from the clear distinction between a smartphone and a feature phone. The problem is that the term 'smartphone' never had a clear definition, instead manufacturers used it to justify steep prices and as a differentiators between their other line-ups, which is how we got to a point where everybody has his own idea of a smartphone.

Some might consider that what differs a smartphone from a feature phone is the original clear distinction – smartphone's features could be extended by 3rd party apps, wherein featurephones were locked to the features bolted-in and delivered by the manufacturer with the device itself. However, that clear distinction quickly evaporated by introducing J2ME-capable featurephones where you could add third-party apps and extend the range of features delivered with the device itself. One might say that the original distinction implied native, close-to-hardware, `first class citizen` apps, not the ones based on some limited, virtualized extension API – but if that was the case, Android and WP based devices are not smartphones.

That was even further diluted by the introduction of the original iPhone which was touted to be a `smartphone` (and even a new term was coined – a superphone) yet it couldn't run 3rd party apps at all. And out of box – it had less features than any $20 Chinese NokLa knock-off. That was in the same year when the N95 was advertised with 'what computers have become', had more features than today's iPhones (or pretty much everything else), bar the touchscreen, had native 3rd party apps execution, had true multitasking, had OS-wide copy/paste, MMS support, had a rudimentary 'app store' (the Download app), had a good camera, had FFC (w/ video call), GPS, GPU, accelerometer, microSD slot, USB interface, TV-out… In pretty much every aspect it was a computer in the sea of abacuses… Still, while being one of the greatest successes of Nokia, your average Joe would look at the `shiny one` and say it was a smartphone and N95 was merely a featurephone. Feature-packed to the brim, but a featurephone nonetheless. The smartphone paradigm changed that year. Apple stole it and through the wonders of marketing they redefined the term.

After the 2007 I don't think it's even wise to separate devices in those two categories as the line has become so blurred that you can't say with any credibility what a smartphone is and what isn't. Even by the old, Apple-unaltered term. The N9 is as much of a smartphone as the iPhone 4S, SGSII, N8, N900 or the HTC Titan are. Can it do all the things those can? For the most part, yes. Can those devices do what the N9 can? For the most part, yes. So, what's the difference? Heck, even the latest Asha lineup can fit easily into that list as well. Apart from certain HW aspects (hardware keyboard, big advanced camera module, Xenon flash, display resolution, HDMI out… which none of those covers completely), everything else is implemented in the software. So, technically, there's no difference.

Nothing, and absolutely nothing stops you from having, to quote you: "3G video calls, SyncML support, (custom) profiles, USB OTG, flash in the browser, desktops with shortcuts and widgets, bookmark management in the browser, sub-folders for the application icons, voice dialling and voice commands, text2speech for messages/incoming calls, full nokia maps with navigation, upload files from browser, access file system in standard "save file" operation (let alone "open file"), etc." on the N9 as well (except maybe USB-OTG). Or on any of the aforementioned devices as well. In fact, the N9 is at advantage here given that it's running a proper GNU/Linux and has either hooks or full OSS stacks you can tap in to add all those features, whereas other platforms are either way too closed or designed in such a way that adding such features would require a complete OS rewrite. Therefore, the N9 is a smartphone – feature lacking, but smartphone nonetheless. Features can be added. On the N9 quite easily as well.

In an ideal world, you'd be able to install any OS you want on any device you like. I had hoped we'll reach that state by now, but the device manufacturers don't want to let their cash cow slip until they milk it completely.

To me, a smartphone is a hardware device with phone capabilities onto which you can put whatever software you desire, with enough oomph to run software that can fully exploit its hardware. A smartphone OS is the one which lets you use all of the hardware its installed on in any manner you please, which can be extended by 3rd party apps, allows you to multitask and doesn't impose artificial restrictions. It doesn't even need to have a file manager, or a browser for that matter as long as I can install one. It doesn't even need to have 'contacts app' and 'dialer' built-in as long as you can acquire it from another channel, or write it yourself. Both, the N900 and the N9, are closer to that than pretty much any other device touted as a smartphone.

P.S. Arguing about whether something is or isn't a smartphone is quite like arguing if there is or isn't a god – you first need to define one in order to have any kind of sensible discussion.

–

So – I call bullcrap on the 'smarter phone' moniker attached to Symbian in the linked article. Symbian is as much of a smartphone as any of the devices I mentioned in the above quote

Skype for Windows Phone at Marketplace for your Lumia

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 04:10 PM PDT

 

I’ve been using this since day 1 of release on my Lumia 800 (the beta version) and it’s been rather good. Now why would I use this for a phone with no front facing camera? Well, to show someone something I’m looking at. Surprisingly it’s had a number of uses, from finding something neat at the shop to showing someone around the new house or new city. I’d love to use this on the 900. Also, Skype also has Skype Chat, to which you don’t need cameras at all.

Right now it is a stand alone feature, but we should expect this to be integrated eventually into our Lumias.

http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/c3f8e570-68b3-4d6a-bdbb-c0a3f4360a51

Video quality is good, though when on 3G, you have to have a very good connection. Not yet capable of running in the background, unlike say Tango, which can receive a call even without the app specifically running.

Via WPCentral

Cheers Meh for the tip

Nokia 808 Pre-Order, Expansys USA.

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 04:00 PM PDT

 

For folks in the USA, here’s the pre-order listing from Expansys for the Nokia 808 PureView. This is priced at $854.99 – that’s around 650 EUR or 530GBP.

No date yet for release.

http://www.expansys-usa.com/nokia-808-pureview-unlocked-white-230048/

Thanks for the tip, Dave!

MS and new back screen moulded e-ink display; in Nokia Lumia in distant future?

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 11:06 AM PDT

Microsoft has applied for a patent to have a low powered secondary display that would appear on the back of the phone.

Perhaps not too unlike the Nokia GEM concept?

What I like is that the second screen might be ‘e-ink’ basing information from the main screen. Now why would you want a screen everywhere?

There could be many reasons. If it’s E-Ink and can stay on the back with little or no power then it could be a nice added customisation that could be left there or it might be easier to read in super bright sunlight.

  • Skins/Tattoo’s are already given as sugestions
  • If it could, it might be useful for self portraits.
  • It could be, however, like the Nokia always on screens. A clock with quick info on your incoming messages, calendar appointments, temp, weather , widgets etc. The status bar is already on show there at a glance.
  • Low power display may be powered by its own low powered processor but use the high power when necessary. With the low power back display, it might help save battery apparently, by taking tasks from the main display.
  • Can be moulded onto the contours of the device surface, so the e-ink display is all around the corners or edges of the device. Device areas otherwise unused would be a display.
  • Could be a lock screen if touch enabled. Back display like interactions that old Moto and now the new PSP?
  • Filed October 2010

These phones would of course eventually be Windows Phones so something the Nokia Lumias may have in the distant future.

Video from November 2011

 

Source: USPTO

Via Patent Bolt via Engadget

Thanks Simrat for the tip!

Lumiappaday #159: Rupix demoed on the Nokia Lumia 800

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 03:28 AM PDT

 Rupix is a Rubik’s Cube style game with a twist. Instead of a block of colours for each face, you have a design, the default one at the start being an impressive animated one.

The controls are very intuitive, just touch and rotate each portion of the Rupix cube, single finger to rotate or you can use two fingers to rotate and pinch to zoom. It’s very responsive.

You can choose various designs, even the classic colour blocks or make your own. Your blocks can also range from 2×2, 3×3 to 4×4.

This is a free game, and a nice twist on the classic. There’s a progress bar at the top to show how far you’ve come along.

#159) Rupix

Price:  Free

Link:  http://www.windowsphone.com/en-US/apps/040a060b-a1a2-4509-a265-81b1333e4f51

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6774zquq-w

Developer Blurb:

 

Mastered the Rubik’s cube? Looking for something challenging? Try Rupix.

Sticking an image on each face means that the rotation of the inner face now matters. For those who like a simpler game, the game can be configured to provide a 2x2x2 cube, insead of the default 3x3x3, or for advanced users, try the 4x4x4 cube.

Update 1.1: Fixed a bug causing cubes to only shuffle 2ce, leading to very easy to solve cubes. They now shuffle 10 times. Also fixed a bug where tapping the top left would attempt to solve the cube (and possibly freeze or crash)

Rating:

Design: 8

Usability: 9

Performance: 10

Price: 10

Weekend Watch: Nokia 808 PureView Hands on (FW 2012-04-14)

Posted: 22 Apr 2012 01:58 AM PDT

Here’s a recent hands on of the Nokia 808 PureView. Note the firmware date is very fresh, April 12, uploaded on Thursday.

Check out that indoor shot with the 808, zooming in there’s so much clarity and detail. The 808 is the perfect any time, any where, camera.

With such an insanely huge sensor, PureView and Xenon flash, I’m expecting this to be beyond awesome at parties, nights out to clubs etc. No additional camera to look after or be a pocket filler.

From 2:10 you can see the 8.2 browser demoed.

 

by 

Thanks NeNoRmAl for the tip!

Stormtrooper White Lumia 900 Unboxing

Posted: 21 Apr 2012 09:08 PM PDT

About to head out to class but I thought I’d share this real quick since everyone on twitter seems to be teasing me about it- yes it’s the long awaited Stormtrooper unboxing, nothing more to it except that it’s so damn beautiful.  I want.
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