Nokia "Tube" 5800 XpressMusic Pics Leaked!

Nokia's latest touch-screen handset which is dubbed "the Tube" is their attempt at creating a touch screen interface handset aimed at the masses. Although they already have released Nokia devices which use the touch interface, but none of those were aimed at the masses, all were aimed at their Tablet models running on their Maemo platform. If anything, this is what's going to take on the iPhone!

From the looks of it, the OS is the same Symbian OS running on current S60 3rd Edition devices, except it will the first in a new line of S60 5th Edition and with the obvious touch optimized icons and menu systems. What's disappointing is that it's the same OS and that's what' not going to cut it with me, I want something new, something to entice to want it, the current S60 interface and icons are just plain fugly!

Oh and btw, if you saw the Dark Night, you might have spotted it in the movie, now where was the PR for this?

Pictures and specs below:

• Measurements: 111 × 52 × 14.5 mm, and weighs only 104 grams.
• 16 million color TFT LCD
• 640 × 360 pixel resolution
• 16:9 display mode
• Fifth edition of Symbian S60.
• Finger touch operation will provide vibration feedback function.
• 3.2 megapixel Carl Zeiss optical lens with autofocus
• Dual LED flash
• Built-in GPS
• 140 MB RAM
• GSM / GPRS / EDGE / WCDMA / HSDPA / WLAN wireless networking and Bluetooth technology.
• 3.5 mm Headset interface
• TV-out interface
• BL-5J 1150mah Battery

via [TheNokiaBlog]

Nokia 8800 Arte Sapphire Gets Pimped

The Nokia 8800 Arte Sapphire is about to get pimped! Knalihs Arthem, a Swiss luxury designer and jeweller will pimp 20 of these Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte phones. Each phone will have 1000 diamonds encrusted on it with the option of having other modifications added, i.e. your name, initials, logo etc, whatever takes your fancy.

Nokia 8800 Sapphire Arte, a harmony of sensual and sensory experience.
Each detail reflecting the creative inspiration behind this modern masterpiece. Limited Edition, only 20 will be created worldwide.

• Tap into your senses - A light tap reveals the time, a simple turn facedown sliences the ring, while an effortless slide on the top of the bluetooth headset adjusts the volume.
• The living light - The ambient light sensor responds according to its surroundings. The living wall paper continues to glow and grow intuitively.
• Defining Luxury - Enjoy exclusive video ringing tone composed by master producers Kruder and Dorfmeister with visuals by Frtiz Fitzke.

via [Slashphone]

Nokia Chat Released

Nokia Beta Labs have just released their own version of Instant Messaging software for some of their Nokia S60 handsets. The application let's you chat to your friends, show them where you are using Nokia Maps and arrange to meet them.

Initial impressions are it is very much beta, slightly buggy, but the potential is there to finally integrate many aspects of socialising into one converged application, IF Nokia can pull it off.

Go over to the Nokia Chat website to download and try on the application yourself. The compatible list of handsets are:

Tested with:
Nokia N95 8GB, N95, N82, N81 8GB, N81, N76, E71, E66, E51, 6290, 6120 Classic, 6110 Navigator

Should work with:
Nokia E90 Communicator, 6124 classic, 6121 Classic, 5700 XpressMusic

Diablo Released

Nokia has just released the latest update for Nokia N810 and N800 Internet Tablets - Diablo. This is a significant update for a few reasons:

• Seamless Updates without the need for flashing your device - This was not an easy process before, it is much easier and quicker now.
• Future OS upgrades OTA (over the air) via WLAN - hopefully it actually gets some updates unlike some Nokia handset's which have the option but never get any.
• New automated notification on home screen of new updates to OS and apps - I like this!
• New updated integrated mail system based on Modest and tinymail.
• More stability and speed improvements and enhancements - can already feel it is faster and more stable.

The updates can be found for the N810 and N800 respectively. For more info visit the ITT and Maemo websites.

Nokia Shape Shifter Concept

Rune Larsen has designed a revolutionary concept phone, one which reacts physically to the needs of the user. The design consists of a two layered plastic, where one would morph into shapes needed to operate the handset (i.e. keyboard appears when you enter a text field).
This concept is a great idea, one which would get rid of the full qwerty keyboard and the slider qwerty keyboard, thus making devices smaller, and also having proper feedback than touch screen's could provide.



via [Tech Blog] [Tuvie]

Sony Ericsson C905 vs Nokia N95 8GB

A quick set of pictures with the new announced Sony Ericsson C905 8 Megapixel monster and the Nokia N95 8GB goliath.

One things for certain the C905 is definitely sexier.









via The Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog

Nokia E66 and E71 launched.

Nokia E66 and E71 officially launched.

Promo videos, pictures and specs below.

Enjoy!

Nokia E71 Promotional video:



Nokia E66 Promotional Video:



Nokia E71 Featured Specs:

Key Features

• Optimized mobile email and messaging experience with full QWERTY keyboard and pocket-size for one handed typing.
• Two customizable Home Screen views with active stand-by plug-ins and application shortcuts – fast and easy switching between e.g. business and personal modes.
• Quick access to applications with One-touch keys (Home, Calendar, Contacts, Email).
• Intelligent input with auto-completion, auto correction and learning capability ensuring fast and error-free typing.
• Nokia Calendar and Contacts for Eseries applications with improved features.
• Built-in A-GPS and Nokia Maps
• HSDPA data connection up to 3.6 Mbps for fast web browsing and downloading

Additional features

• 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, front camera for video calls
• Music player, Media player, Visual Radio
• Nokia MiniMap browser
• Online sharing: Share on Ovi
• Built-in mobile VPN for convenient intranet access
• Data encryption for both phone memory and microSD
• Nokia PC Internet access (via Phone as modem functionality) Email solutions
• Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email
• Mail for Exchange and other corporate server mail formats
• POP/IMAP
• 3rd party email solutions

Email solutions

• Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email
• Mail for Exchange and other corporate server mail formats
• POP/IMAP
• 3rd party email solutions

(click for high resolution images):



Nokia E66 featured Specs:

Key Features

• Excellent personal information management in modern slide design
• Two customizable Home Screen views with active stand-by plug-ins and application short-cuts – fast and easy switching between e.g. business and personal modes
• Turn-to-full view – switch from portrait to landscape by turning the device
• Quick access to applications with One-touch keys (Home, Calendar, Contacts, Email)
• Easy email set-up with settings wizard
• Nokia Calendar and Contacts for Eseries applications with improved features
• Built-in A-GPS and Nokia Maps
• HSDPA data connection up to 3.6 Mbps for fast web browsing and downloading

Additional features

• 3.2 megapixel camera with auto-focus and flash, front camera for video calls
• Music player, Media player, Visual Radio
• Nokia MiniMap browser
• Online sharing: Share on Ovi

Email solutions

• Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email
• Mail for Exchange and other corporate server mail formats
• POP/IMAP
• 3rd party email solutions

(click for high resolution images):

Video: Theme Transitions on N78

A quick video on the different theme transition effects on the N78. Another video by Zach of SiMo.


Hands on with the Nokia N78, Again from Zach Epstein on Vimeo.

Hands on with the Nokia N78

Zach over at SiMo has just posted a video hands on with the Nokia N78. Check it out!


Hands on with the Nokia N78 from Zach Epstein on Vimeo.

Nokia Tube Revealed!

With all the recent rumours of Nokia's "iPhone killer" being touted around the internet, my head was spinning. We knew the code name was Tube (for some strange reason) but now the rumours have a picture to it! Yes, Symbian-Freak has revealed pictures of the so called "Tube" phone from Nokia.


Hinting that the device's real name is something different to Tube (thank heavens), he also reveals it will not be an N Series device. This I expected as much.
The brief specs for the moment are as follows:

3"-3.5" (16:9) touch screen (No multi-touch, but has tactile feedback)
Camera with autofocus
Quad Band
Bluetooth, GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, WLAN
Built in GPS supporting Geotagging



For the full story head on over to Symbian-Freak's website.

Camera Tossing Competition Winner

Now and then something miraculous happens, whether it be water turning to wine, or the red sea parting in half, miracles do happen. And now we have another one! Yes I do not win anything or have not ever!
First rewind your mind back to the 5th of March 2008, anything? No? We'll let me refresh your mind, it was the night of the WOMWorld N Series Get Together, an evening which would bring many fated bloggers, mobile enthusiasts, the WOMWorld team and Ryan Gallagher of the Camera Toss Blog and the Urbanista Diaries together under a good night of socialising, drinking, debating and Camera Phone Tossing.

The night itself was a success and very much enjoyable, personally I was going to write up about it earlier, but I have been severely hampered in my blogging due to many other issues.
From the initial getting lost getting there (even with the GPS on the N82), bumping into Rafe from AllAboutSymbian along the way, to the camera toss sessions, and also meeting the guys from WOMWorld face to face it was an enjoyable night.

My main point of blogging this now is to aim your attention to the winner of the Camera Toss competition. Getting straight to the point, yours truly somehow has managed to win the actual competition! How? (refer to my miracles do happen paragraph above) I'd say a mixture of luck, being under the influence or just the plain simple Genius that I am (there is no evidence currently to support any of those statements are true). But anyway, the winner is me, what did I win? From what Donna had said I'd be one of the first to trial a Nokia N96 production model, Sweet!

Obviously you'll have to stay tuned to catch up on the full review. I'll be doing it here and on Symbian in Motion
So until then you can marvel at the genius I claim to be. :-P
My two entries, the latter the winner.

Entry One


Entry Two


I'd like to just thank the WOMWorld guys (also a warm welcome to Amy) for a great evening and the bloggers and such that turned up, making it a great night. I'd name them all, but wouldn't wan to embarrass myself by missing someone out.

Nokia N82 Camera Comparison

The second part of my Nokia N82 review is finished and can be found on Symbian In Motion. In this part I compare the differences in the picture quality of the Nokia N82 and the N95, there is also my Casio Exilim on hand to give some sort of 3rd party alternative.
Interesting to note, it shows the difference and lack of the N95's capture capabilities even though it is a 5MP camera just like the N82.

N95-1 v21.0.016 Available Now...

Recently there have been debating on the issue of the V21 firmware for the original N95 on our favourite micro blogging social website Jaiku. Although there has been some misinformation due to some regurgitating news (see my post on the V21 firmware here), something personally I hate doing myself. But now there is some light and truth in those regurgitations it seems.

Yes the V21 firmware is available according to PseudoFinn at Nokia Users the only catch being currently only at Nokia Service Centre. This means it is still not available via the NSU (Nokia Software Updater) yet. But surely it will be available very soon.
The update is available to all generic Euro and Middle Eastern product codes, if you have any of the following product codes, it should be ready for you:
0561829
0536065
0561270
0555020
0561019
0555012
0557077
0545831
0557061
0536074
0555029

The change log for this firmware update is already available and it includes some very interesting features, including Flashlite 3 support and Widget (web runtime) as well as general stability improvements. The full list compiled by N95 Users forum can be found below:

New features

• Flash Lite 3 support added
• Widget (Web runtime) support added
• Default year changed to 2008

Improvements

• General stability improvements.
• Pre-defined access point kept after switching to different type SIM card.
• Localization improvements.
• Standby time improvements.
• Improvements to BT headset interoperability.
• Improvement to Calendar data restoring.
• Switch from landscape to portrait mode & screen rotations improvements.

Browser

• Improvement to long text writing to web page text boxes.
• Browsing from WLAN wizard improvement.

Media Player

• Localizations improvements in Music player.
• Windows Media Player recognizes device as Nokia N95.

Gallery

• Image rotation improvement in album view.
• Gallery & Slideshow performance improvements.

Messaging

• Improvement to SMS reception.

Java

• Midlet installation improvement.
• Improvement to Java application start.
• Java midlet certificate checking improvement.

Navigation

• General improvements to Maps application.
• Localization correction to Search in Maps application.
• Improvement to Navigate To -function when started from search application.

SIM

• Contact names with accents and more than 11 characters can be copied to SIM card.

Keep your ears and eyes peeled for news when this update becomes available via the NSU as yours truly will be updating and letting you know on the vital information concerning the matter.

Nokia N82 - Candy Bar in Your Hands

The first post on my Nokia N82 review is up on Symbian in Motion. As this is the initial post I go through the build quality, design and the pro's and con's of the N82.
Hope on over to read the full post and also for some pictures of the actual handset itself.

Nokia N82 Reviews - Coming Soon

Be sure to stay tuned into SiMo for my reviews on the N82. I will be posting my reviews on there mostly, some posts may find them over here if I have time.

If you have any requests for me to try out or any questions regarding features, please do ask away and I'll try to answer them for you.

Dress Up Your Handset for Valentines

As we all should be aware, (even those that hate it), February 14th is Valentines Day. Whether you love it or hate, single or taken, you will always have your handset, unless you live in a cave hundreds of feet underground. To be fair to all and share the love, this post will cover various models not only S60 handsets. Only quality themes need apply here.


First up a selection of 3 different themes for the S60 3rd Edition platform. All QVGA and very good quality. I have chosen 3 different designs for all different tastes.
From left to right:

• Pink N Series by P@sco
• Love is in the Air by Chaos Inc
• Green Love by Bishop Bacon.

Next up 3 themes created for the S40 3rd Edition range, they will also work on newer S40 5th Edition devices.
From left to right:

• Valentine by H0ckey
• Sweetheart by Popskev
• Coeur Rouge Animated by Joelke

Moving away from the Nokia models and onto Sony Ericsson, first up we have themes made for models such as k810i / k770 / k800i / k790i / w850i / w830i. These should work on models supporting QVGA resolution screens (240x320). These may also work on Sony Ericsson K850 / W580 / Z750 / W850 / W760 / W910 models depending on which Theme Creator they were created on. Although it's worth trying them out to see if they are compatible. If someone could confirm that would be great.
From left to right:
Angel Love Animated by Happylass
Pink Heart by odracir55
Valentine Red by odracir55
Valentine by Dr_Megabyte
I Love U Red by Oopsession

Nokia N-Gage First Access

Officially available for users of the Nokia N81 and N81 8GB handsets for testing and feedback. There is a hack available for other S60 3rd Edition handsets. More info and screenshots on my post at Symbian in Motion.

Worms World Party N-Gage Preview

A video has surfaced of Worms World Party on the N-Gage 2.0 platform. Worms is a major franchise in gaming and has been successful on both consoles and handsets previously with it's addictive humour and violent tactic orientated gaming. It's a winner in my eyes.

Video below courtesy of Nextgamer.



This looks pretty promising especially with the hint of being able to play online with your friends. Let loose the sheep of war!!!

N95-1 V21.0.001 Spotted

There has been recent talk about the V21.0.001 firmware for the Original Nokia N95, which is available to developers currently. This version includes the support of Flashlite 3.0 within the S60 browser, which means support for viewing video from Youtube and other similar sites within your S60 browser.
This feature is currently available for the N95 8GB running on v15.0.015 firmware.
Hopefully we will see it for public release soon.

Video below of the new firmware in action courtesy of The Nokia Blog


As soon as it is available for public release (here's hoping very soon) I'll have the details on here. So stay tuned.

Share Online 3.0 Updated

Nokia Beta Labs has updated the Share Online application to extend handset support.

Overview
Share Online makes it easy to post photos and video from your phone straight to your blog, photo sharing site, or other online community. You can control the file size and quality of your photos and video, add text to your posts, and browse to your page to see how it looks once you`re done.


The latest list of compatible handsets and features supported in different versions of Online Share can be seen below:


Supported Devices:
- Nokia N95 / N82
- Nokia N76 / N81
- Nokia N73

The application itself can be download from the Share Online Download page.