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12 items tagged "Gadgetimoja"
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21:12
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
Working as an external consultant, I really needed to reorganize my planer / timer and put it in a much more effective combination.
my old personal organiser
Imagine I’ve been using this traditional filofax (”file of facts”) system for the last 10 years and often didn’t have enough space to keep my notes. Plus, I am one of those folks who write down every little idea and try to keep the rest in my head.
Computers? PDAs? Mobile Phones? Well…as long as there’s no perfect solution that will synchronise any mobile phone with any adress book & notes and any corporate-restricted MS-Exchange Server and other services (= no common standard, sigh), I’ll keep on using paper - and besides: it’s faster and will never run out of batteries.
Having said that, what I am actually looking for is a system that a) provides enough room for my extra notes (e.g. a clamp somewhere where I can just attach them) and b) provides the maximum space without keeping me from writing on the left page because of a stupid six-ring loose-leaf binder system as seen on my old filofax above.
Proper time management certainly does not only depend on the perfect personal organiser, but for me, it starts with it.
And fancy Moleskine notebooks?
No. They just don’t do it for me even though they are quiet sexy, slim and have enough followers who love them. Moleskine notebooks are a 1-year solution to me. And yes, I know that some ppl just like it that way and keep their Moleskin archives on their shelves or hidden in drawers.
As far as I am informed, there are currently three different products available on the German market that offer a solution to my problem:
1. Fellow blogger Christian already recommended a very nice product from Germany which is sold under the brand name “Roter Faden” (~ red line) and which uses aluminium clamps on both sides to fix up to three special books inside:
Their website is unfortunately only available in German and with around 50,- EUR for an empty planer (special booklets containing a weekly calendar, address book & empty paper is sold seperately), it’s one of those solutions you’ll only go for once you’re sure it works for you.
There are only two official dealers for this system in Frankfurt and I am yet to see it in live action. I already like the mechanism that allows a quick removal of the content and - the biggest and most important advantage over to the traditional filofax solution: you can actually use all space as there’s no stupid ring binder in the middle. Sweet!
Another advantage is that you have an extra pouch for important papers, although rather rudimentary. Any disadvantages? Well…the more you stick inside it, the bigger it grows. Do I want my organiser to look like Dan Eldon’s sketchbooks? Well…. :-)
2. Then there’s the X47 system developed by another German who initially built his first prototype way back in the 1980s as a student and some years later on recycled his idea and improved it.
If I had enough money, I’d probably go for one of the X47 solutions as they are the most beautiful planers I’ve ever seen.
This so-called book-by-book system also uses a special spring mechanism (”spring loaded spine rail”) that holds these extra booklets in place and replaces the usual ring mechanism. While there are different sizes available (even some inside a wallet!), I’ve figured that I should switch to an A5 format which provides enough room for my extra notes that I still want to clip into this planer. Contrary to conventional filofax systems or even the RoterFaden solution above, these timers will not grow in size. Nice! The name X47 actually comes from the fact that the missing ring mechanism provides 47% more paper space.
If you’re seriously interested in getting a perfect GTD-solution, this could be your personal organiser (albeit prices are somewhere between 100,- - 300,- EUR!).
3. The same guy who invented the X47 system knew that his system is a bit too expensive for the average customer (heck, I could even get a Netbook for that price!), so he tried to look for another, cheaper solution based on…. rubbers!
Instead of an expensive spring loaded mechanism, these rather simple organisers are held together by a set of rubbers. The inventor actually patented the system and got a patent on “a half hole” - which are required at the side of the organisers to keep everything in place. Check out their website for more info on this simple setup. Obviously, this is one sweet Eurogadget :-) solution I’ll like!
So I bought it.
I actually just bought the papers inside and these special rubbers (which are normally used as gaskets in the automobile sector, so they are quite durable) because they didn’t have the cheap cover edition I was actually longing for and because I had already made up plans on how to modify this solution according to my needs. Since there doesn’t seem to be *the* perfect solution, I’ll have to create my own.
Welcome to my first prototype!
use some stronger paper from a calendar and cut out the desired size
(in case you’re wondering: that’s an image of natural Liquorice on the cover - as mentioned, I’d taken a page from an office calendar :-)
Yeah ok, this is what I want it to feature. Left: a clip for extra notes in A5 format, in the middle the four booklets (empty notes, address book, calendar 2009, 1st & 2nd part), and to the right: a small pouch for loose content and some business/credit/customer cards + a pen holder.
last page on the papered prototype (./. pen holder)
And look, even a CD fits in there!
old vs. new
I’ve actually ordered the cheapest cover from X17 because my next step is to modify it according to the papered prototype above and add these little extras using the fabric I normally use (green canvas material from Kenya + some leftover parts from my grandmothers ball gown - aii, sijui about the latter one…).
Is there any other system you can recommend that fits into this scheme? Comments, please!
Thengiu muno.
  
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11:56
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
The Nokia N95 has been on the market for quite some time now (March 2007?) and if there’s anything I always wanted to change about it, then it clearly is the inappropriate headset it came shipped with (pictured below).
The HS-45 headset with its AD-43 remote control unit failed to work after 4-5 months in use, so I went out and bought a few ofter solutions that never really performed the way I wanted it. Also, Nokia never really delivered a better solution, but instead kept on producing other unsatifying headsets.
While reviewing the Nokia E71 business phone that came shipped with the HS-47 headset as well as the state-of-the-art BH-903 Bluetooth Stereo Headset (for review), I quickly realized that I would want to have something similar to the HS-47.
What I needed to do was to merge my Sony MDR-818 earphones with the HS-43 headset I had bought via eBay some time ago. After all, what I need in a working wired headset are the following features:
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shaped earphones (like on the MDR-818 or the BH-903)
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an angled 3,5mm plug because the audio/video jack is on the side of the N95 (contrary to many other current Nokia phones who have it on top)
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a microphone located at the mouth and not on the chest
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some sort of volume control
So there I went, cutting the 10,- EUR Sony earphones into pieces and opening up the control unit on the HS-43…
some of the tools: a soldering iron (maybe not this Weller as it takes ages to heat up), old Sony MDR-818 earphones, Nokia HS-43 headset
HS-43 control unit opened up
unsolder L+ / L- and R+ / R- to remove the existing earphones + also remove the brass clip on the cable
trim the “new” earphones to the desired length and solder them onto the PCB, refix the brass clip to provide a strain relief on the cable (important!)
Et voilá - JKE’s own headset for the N95 that fulfills all the open issues I ever had with other headsets. Nice!
@ Nokia: PLEASE change your headset policy and - if you don’t want to equip your shipped handsets with decent headsets due to marketing reasons - at least provide us with better alternatives. Headsets are a commodity, and will as such always brake at one point.
  
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22:18
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
Obviously, one of those WTH? moments.
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AOB: How-to-tease-your-wife-with-LOTs-of-noise a.k.a. “Bicycle Propelling Aid Fricycle”.
Fricycle. The Chinese. Lovely.
  
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20:01
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
The E71 is a business phone.
Having said that, it is also suited for those users who actually have to cough up some savings and are looking for a decent mobile workhorse. As opposed to an iPhone (no tactile feedback) or another QWERTY-equipped Windows Mobile phone, the E71 comes with the perfect mixture of (a) usability, (b) design, (c) built quality and (d) connectivity.
However, it still has some flaws that need to be mentioned here and may partly be changed by upcoming firmware upgrades.
Coming from a Nokia N95, I am of course already spoiled in terms of multimedia functionality. And this although I am one of those users who prefer the business functions over to the multimedia capability. I primarily use my N95 for reading e-mails on the train, listening to some music and taking a few snapshots from time to time (even in macro mode, which is quite decent on the N95). Reasons enough to allow a direct comparison of the E71 with my N95. But mind you - the following observations aren’t meant to be a comparison alone!
Size/handling/design: The E71 is one sexy phone, comes with a perfect form factor (not too small, not too big), is VERY slim, has decent weight, a perfect build quality and a nice QWERTY keyboard. I’ve never had a sexier phone, actually.
The N95? Compared to the rest of Nokia phones, the N95 appears to be some prototype. Whoever invented that double slider mechanism and allowed the screen to be lower than the surrounding frame should go back to school.
It may be a bit exaggerated, but the E71 actually has this special aura I call the iPhone factor: you see it on your table and just enjoy looking at it.
The Navi key alone (D-pad, joypad, scroll key) - that silver, squared ring below the display- is actually reason enough to switch from an N95. As you can see from the picture below, the N95 seems to have a slightly larger Navi key - and still the one on the E71 is much better. And there’s much more to it than just four directions and a button in the middle: new e-mails/missed phone calls, etc are indicated by a illumination behind the key that flashes up in regular intervals. Neat!
E71 vs. N95-1
The keboard is small but so was the keypad on the N95 when I first used it. As Steve Litchfield already pointed out on his in-depth review of the E71: “you need to perform even more finger gymnastics in order to type on the (45mm from q to p) tiny thumb keyboard”. Right.
Being used to a German QWERTZ keyboard layout, I’d actually like to test it under different (localized) conditions though.
Also, some characters are hidden under the bottom right “Chr” (characters) key. Why? Only God and Nokia engineers know..
the keyboard on the E71
Keypress is actually quite nice. Plus you’ll be faster typing with both hands/more than one finger - but well, aren’t we used to that from the iPhone? ^^ Nokia’s philosophy of producing phones that can be operated with only one hand holds true for the E71 - it is doable (alas with some gymnastics).
Oh, and about those number keys: once you’re on the stand-by (home) screen, you can just press the number keys and they will appear as a telephone number to dial or save (as opposed to the assumption that you’d have to press that tiny grey arrow key on the bottom left first to activate number input).
Screen size: with 2,36″ (~2,4″) about 0,2″ smaller than the N95, but still big enough for pleasant working, same screen resolution of 320×240. While the one on the E71 is only horizontally orientated, the one on the N95 may be switched, either on the press of a button or - since the latest firmware upgrade - also automatically. There’s a motion control sensor inside that controls the screen display on the N95 and which also provides lots of interesting software gimmicks (e.g. software that automatically silences the N95 once you turn it around, or racing simulator that allows a steering by moving the display around). Both screen sizes provide a similar browsing experience.
Battery runtime: 1500mAh on the E71 vs. 950mAh on the N95-1. Actually, I’ve expected an even longer runtime on the E71. With an average usage between 6-8hrs/d, the phone needs to be recharged after 2-3 days. Still much better than the N95-1 for which I’d bought a desk cradle via eBay - you’ll have to recharge the N95-1 on a daily (!) basis. Now compare that with the old Nokia 6310i which came with an active standby time of about 8-12 days (LiPo accu).
BP-4L (E71) vs. BL-5F (N95-1) - the bigger, the better?
Camera:
E71: What a horrible camera sensor! Point the camera into a slightly darker corner and it a) won’t focus and b) also gives lot of image noise. Bah!
It also doesn’t have a decent flash. Why not? Why??
Default mode is fixed focus, auto focus may be added while pressing the “T” key. Why didn’t they put this in the middle of the Navi key? Because it doesnt provide enough sensitivity. Nokia could improve on that and remap the key to a dedicated camera button on the side. But they didn’t.
If the camera is THAT important to you, you may be interested in another phone.
Macro mode is quite nice though - see Steve Litchfield’s dedicated review on this. For an underperforming camera (sensor?) that comes shipped with the E71, it’s rather astonishing that the macro mode is so good.
Definitely lots of room for an improvement here, partly solvable by an upcoming firmware update (the current firmware version is 100.07.76 - go figure…100!).
N95: the queen. I’ve taken most of my photos on Flickr since August 2007 with the N95 ONLY. A camera phone will of course never be as good as a dedicated camera, but the N95 comes quite close to achieving that (and in my case, it just did that - substituting my digicam for some time).
Still, both cameras are good enough for snapshots (and to be honest, I’ve seen quite a few images on Flickr lately that have been taken with an expensive DSLR and were horribly out of focus. So it’s not about the equipment alone, but rather about how to take good pictures).
Multimedia: There are different players on both the E71 and the N95 for audio and video content, and while the N95 comes with a better audio player, both just do the job.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the only difference, as the N95 has a 3,5mm headphones jack while the E71 only has the 2,5mm one. 3,5mm is what you’re probably used to from other equipment, meaning: you could also use the mic that comes with your daughter’s “My first Sony”-babyphone together with the N95, while the E71 only accepts the 2.5mm plugs. Why? Maybe because of design and marketing reasons.
The HS-47 headphone set that comes shipped with the E71 is almost as bad the one that came with the N95. Remember that issue I had experienced with the AD-43 control unit before? Well… a cheap battery inside killed the wired remote control unit after 4-5 months in use. Took me some time to figure that out, bought another control unit via eBay from China and am currently only using a 10,- EUR SONY headset with no additional functions.
The HS-47 apparently doesnt need a battery, as it only has a small switch and a microphone. So why is it only “almost” as bad? Because Nokia - EVENTUALLY! - did what I had anticipated for a long time: moving the microphone closer to the left headphone. If you’re a SonyErisson user, you’ll know what I mean: a microphone at the height of your mouth - where it’s supposed to be, and not somewhere on the chest.
the left headphone on the BH-903 Bluetooth headset (extra!)
Needless to say that Nokia wouldn’t know how to generate some extra income - which is why those kind folks from WomWorld/Nokia also provided a BH-903 Bluetooth headset (partly pictured above) which I’ll cover in a following post. The most important difference between the standard (HS-47) and the extra Bluetooth (BH-903) headset: the earphones on the BH-903 are conically shaped, much like those 10,- EUR SONY earphones. Round vs. conical is a big difference because the standard, round ones will at one point just fall out of your ears, especially while walking. Trust me, this is an issue.
Firmware/CPU: as mentioned, users are waiting for a firmware update. It took about a year for Nokia to supply it’s users with a decent firmware for the N95 (20.xx.xx & above), but the E71 still has some issues that could/should be solved by a firmware update.
Both the N95 and the E71 are based on Symbian S60 FP1. What does that mean? For me and you as users, this could mean anything, but then: the E71 is MUCH faster than the N95.
Well, is it really faster? What about the CPU inside? What about video mode, for instance? Doesn’t the video function on the E71 only provide 10-15 frames / second as opposed to the 30 fps @ 640×480 (”YouTube mode”)? The N95 comes with a dedicated 3D graphics chip for such special tasks while the E71 doesn’t. So how come it still feels faster? Is that due to the many applications that are running as default on my N95 and aren’t running on the E71? Could be a reason.
That is, my N95 sometimes hangs. You terminate a call and there it hangs, displaying the “Anruf beenden” (end call) message for at least some 5-10 seconds. Stupid! Sounds like a faulty “refresh routine” on the firmware to me, but hey, I am not a programmer… (and I’ve updated my N95 not only once, etc.).
So, yes, the E71 feels faster than the N95 while browsing the menu. Somehow nice, an improvement over to my N95. Could be a faulty N95 btw, as other E71 users out there aren’t that happy with the current speed and/or performance of the firmware. I’ve also noted a few “hick-ups” of the firmware on the E71which urgently need to be fixed by Nokia.
Yeah, ok…so what else isn’t that great on the E71?
1. Rubber covers on the side that conceal the USB and microSD port.
Something tells me these will come off sometime in future. Hmmm…
2. USB port: the port itself is located at the side of the phone (see picture above) and thus can not be used in an e.g. double-cradle station (USB + DC power supply). Also, it would be nice to recharge the phone via USB (like on Motorola phones), but that still isn’t possible with the E71 (upcoming/other Nokia phones may feature this though).
The port itself is a special USB variation, smaller than the Mini-5 plug on the N95. I prefer the latter version as it’s the same that comes with many external 2,5″ hdd enclosures - so if you’re at the office and forgotten your data cable, you may just as well use the one from your 2,5″ hdd. Not so with the E71… (again, marketing reasons from Nokia, I guess..).
3. OperaMini: the often needed Backspace key doesn’t work with all installations of OperaMini because Nokia is said to use a strange mapping of keys inside their firmware (~ different languages may work but still haven’t tested this). Waiting for an OperaMini update on this (OperaMini!) bug.
4. Browser: As mentioned in my previous post on mobile blogging, the phone’s internal S60 browser is ….how do I say this delicately?….”just ok”. It works, right now the only option as OperaMini has this Backspace-issue, but I’d prefer to have a better browser.
5. motion sensor: The N95 has one, the E71 doesn’t. As the screen may only be used in a horizontal mode on the E71, there’s no real need for such a sensor, but it would be nice to have it anyways for the aforementioned additional software gimmicks.
6. Icons: the default themes on the E71 suck. I am using this lovely black & simple theme on both phones, although it doesn’t come with its own icon set. So there’s a way to change the icons if you dislike them.
mono speaker (left), power button (right)
7. External speaker: the N95 has two speakers, one on each side, providing a phat stereo sound that can easily substitute your stereo system if you feel like entertaining those around you (like the kids downtown). The E71, being a business phone, only has one speaker on the top side.
Read in another review that ppl weren’t happy with the sound, but in all honesty: it just works fine for me. Hands-free speaking is sawasawa…
8. E-Mail: Now, for those of you who complained about the missing PUSH e-mail client (also known as BlackBerry Connect), Nokia - of course - tried to come up with their own solution: Nokia Email.
Still have to test that one as well as other external services such as Seven and Emoze, but I am also only using the PULL client, as I am an old-fashioned & rather conservative user who likes to be in control of such things as e-mail. I’ve set up one single e-mail box for all my addresses on the net and pull the subject lines via IMAP.
The E71 also comes with an e-mail setup client that will help you set it up for you, but in my case, with my provider they automatically set it to POP3 instead of IMAP which is why I had to cheat the software in order to manually enter all desired settings (for some reasons, it only offered the automatic setup. stupid?).
9. Speech synthesis: press the top left soft key on the E71 and all your unread e-mails will be read to you by the speech synthesis processor inside the phone. Haiaaa! Reminds me of that lovely speech.tos proggy I used to have on my Atari STF 1040 back in the days. Works just fine!
Problems? Well…could be a bit better and I still need to figure out how to properly use all these speech things on the E71. Speech recognition / speech commands used to be great on other phones (like my old Nokia 6230i), but since Nokia messed it up on the N95, i am still frightened to even try it on the E71!
Also, there are different language packs available from Nokia via the Download! application on the phone. I’ve installed both Englisch versions (UK & USA), Indian English :-), German and have currently activated the Japanese version (”muschi muschiiii..”). Funilly enough, the German male voice is called “Jürgen” - like me!
10. The clock screensaver. It just rocks! (this isn’t a problem actually, but I like numbered lists :-)
11. wrong screenshots: both manuals (short and long version) and even the Nokia maps brochure come with vertically aligned screenshots that clearly come from another S60 device. No problem to me, but maybe irritating to new S60 customers.
12. high SAR value & antenna position: the (maximum) specific absorption rate on the E71-1 is 1,33 W/kg - much more than the 0,58 W/kg on the N95-1. Well, what do you expect from a device that’s almost completely covered with metal?
The GSM antenna is located at the bottom of the device, just below the keyboard, next to the microphone. To improve Rx/Tx in rural areas (= less base stations), you may want to perfom some acrobatics with the phone. If in doubt, use a headset and keep the phone away from your body and other sensitive parts and hold it upside down :-) Maximum allowed SAR is 2,0 W/kg.
13. Firmware: as mentioned, the current firmware needs to be improved. Details like the purple haze issue on the camera may be irritating, but I think what this phone really needs is an improved overall stability. It shouldn’t restart while having some “hick-ups” and should never “swallow” sounds which it sometimes does. It seems as if there are still some open issues on the communication data bus (?) & dependancies between running applications and the firmware itself. Going by the current firmware version 100.xx.xx, it apparently took them quite some time to release a final deployable version. Add the fact that the phone is FP1 only (instead of other current Nokias that are FP2), it must have been in the developement pipeline for quite some time. I’d say since the end of 2006 or maybe even earlier.
Also, there’s no firmware version available online. So if you feel like reflashing your phone with a brand new firmware, you’re probably forced to return it to a Nokia Service Center where this is normally done free of charge within the first year if you have a plausible reason. Other than that, you could try to find an unauthorized dealer who has the necessary flash files. Customers won’t need to know this though - most just want it to perform and not to fail.
14. weight: the E71 is a bit too heavy and sometimes it just glides away. However, you only realize this while comparing it to other phones. On the other hand, it shouldn’t be lighter!
15. calculator: the calculator that currently comes shipped with S60 FP1 is pure horror. It’s the same as found on the N95, so if you’re in need of a decent calculator, try Calcium or other freeware versions.
16. LED: as mentioned, the camera is only equipped with an LED light but no real flash light. For the camera itself, the LED may just be enough, but a better camera and some flash light would be better.
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Despite of all these details, the E71 is a very nice phone and I am really tempted not to keep it after the 2 weeks trial. I’ve used it together with my N95 and haven’t really missed anything from the N95 so far. Sure, the camera on the N95 is much better, but then again, taking a fast & inconspicuous snapshot (something I loved on my Nokia 6230i) is by far easier and faster on the E71.
If I had to decide for a current Nokia phone, I’d either take the E71, the N82 or the Nokia 6220 Classic. But I am stuck with the N95 which - after 14 months of daily use - is slowly wearing off. The N95 also reminds me of my precious 7110 I’d bought in 1999: “I will never get a slider phone again!”, I’d told myself back then. Well…
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Ok - that’s it for today. I will continue testing the E71 and will also talk about the BH-903 Bluetooth headset as well as the “special trial software” that came pre-installed on the E71 during my next posts as part of this review. So stay tuned! :-)
  
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20:32
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
“I just hope it doesn’t arrive when I’m around”, she said. “…coz you’d spend more time with it than with me”.
Well…
Donna of WomWorld/Nokia contacted me the other day, asking if I’d be interested in testing the Nokia E71 business phone as a blogger. What a rhetorical question…
[disclaimer: this post is REALLY long! You've been warned! :-)]
From a Nokia N95 to an E71?
What she probably didn’t know is that I’d been playing with the idea of changing my Nokia N95 for an E71, mainly because I’d been longing for a phone with a true QWERTY/Z keyboard.
My N95 isn’t that bad, especially since I’ve changed the silver cover into a black & cheap one earlier this year, but I really miss a decent keyboard for longer text input and if there’s one thing I still can’t stand about my N95 , then it’s the slider mechanism. While the first row of N95s still had some issues with the slider mechanism itself (which I’d fixed myself already by adjusting the tiny slider rails), the really bad product design on the N95 is that it also opens to both sides. Nice for marketing purposes and for creating the “WOW!” effect way back in early 2007, but when it comes to putting the phone into the pockets of your trousers, your only thought is: “Oh..maaaan”. Put the N95 into a monoblock cover, add a decent keyboard and I’m your next customer (the Nokia 6220 classic actually comes close to this, but lacks WLAN …and the N82 isn’t much better even though it basically is a N95 in monoblock format - N79 maybe?).
The E71 promised to be a welcome change on the horizon, keeping in mind that the Nokia E series stands for the businEss line, while the N series stands for eNtertainment. Confusing? Indeed!
As a consequence of that, comparing the E71 with an N95 is almost as wrong as comparing the N95 with an iPhone. And due to the lack of the (precessor model) E61 and E61i (E62 in the US), I can only judge the E71 through the lens of someone who a) has been using Nokia phones since 1998, b) has some experience with the downsides of the S60 operating system and c) is still trying to see it as a phone. After all, it’s just a mobile phone!
Talking about the downsides to the E71 - there are of course quite a few issues I’d like to mention here. After all, a review is imho meant to also focus on the stuff customers can only tell you about once they’ve used the phone for some time. On the other hand, most customers of a business phone are those that just want to have a working phone which enables them to check their mail without hassle and surf the net. The main reason for getting an E71 - as opposed to an N95 or even a much simpler phone - is that you want to have a QWERTY keyboard with some tactile feedback. If you don’t need a QWERTY keyboard on your phone, there are hundreds of other phones that probably suite your needs. But still, the E71 is great phone with an extremely great battery runtime for such a phone and probably also one of the best QWERTY phones out there that covers so many different aspects.
Since the E71 has already been on the market for at least 2 months, others already did a great job of compiling great reviews on the E71 that just have to be mentioned here, here, here, here, here, here and here. These reviews will also be able to give you some feedback on whether you should upgrade from an existing QWERTY phone and whether it can compete with Blackberries and other business phones.
With all these great reviews out there on the internet, I thought about focusing on my favourite subject: mobile blogging. I’ll also have a closer look at the extra applications the E71 came shipped with, so this will not remain my only E71 review*.
As mentioned earlier in my previous series on mobile blogging, I had come to the assumption that mobile blogging a) depends on a well-integrated software package and b) requires a decent QWERTY keyboard for text input. Entering text via the (T9) keypad or even via an external Bluetooth keyboard isn’t that sexy. And while the best solution for true mobile blogging currently seems to be the combination of a (low cost) Netbook with a (simpler) 3G-capable phone , blogging directly from the phone is what needs to be explored here.
How well does the Nokia E71 perfom in mobile blogging?
Take a snapshot with the built-in camera or even shoot a simple video (at reduced frame rate due to the lack of a dedicated graphics cpu in the phone), add some text and upload it onto your website.
Obviously, mobile blogging is much more than the tumblr-stlyed Twitter service and it’s clones. While Twitter provides the same experience either from the web, from a dedicated app and the phone (via Twibble or SMS) - true mobile blogging would include the creation of content on a restricted device on one hand, and on the other hand the correct rendering of multimedia content within a given layout on a much more flexible and bigger website space.
So, let’s use the E71 together with the WordPress installation on my blog. Is it compatible? Am I able to feed my blog with content directly from the phone? And why WordPress and not any other blogging platform?
Yes, why WordPress and not a dedicated mobile blogging site?
Well…because I see mobile blogging as an addition to the blogging I normally do from a browser running on a PC-based operating system (Win, OSX, GNU/Linux distro, etc.). If I wanted to only do mobile blogging, there’d sure be other systems available that do a much better job on a different scale. And WordPress, because it’s my choice. :-)
A) WP WPhone mobile plugin
Anyways, if you happen to run a selfhosted WordPress blog, try to get your hands on the WP mobile plugin which provides a much simpler WP backend interface. Activate it and access your backend from the phone.
[screenshots: using the WP dashboard via WP mobile plugin]
What you’ll see here is the basic S60 browser that comes shipped with the phone’s (internal) firmware and which just provides a rather simple access to the backend of our WordPress installation. Using this method to edit your posts, mobile blogging is reduced to a rather primitive (but pure) method of entering text. Formatting is done via HTML-tags and provides basic layout options, completely depending on your HTML-skills.
And obviously, it’s much smarter to preformat your text offline and then copy&paste it (ha! try that with an iPhone…muahahaha :-) into your blog editor while you’re online. Users with an unstable or expensive Internet connection will definitely appreciate this method.
The WPhone Admin Plugin has been around for quite some time now, the latest version was released in Nov. 2007 and those who created it dropped its further development due to the official WordPress-iPhone app . Sad.
You know what? The WPhone Plugin + Opera Mini browser is my #1 choice when it comes to mobile blogging. Why? Because it just works. Which goes to show that the phone’s internal S60 browser still isn’t that great (even though it’s based on WebKit which also provides the basis to Google’s Chrome, Safari or the wonderful Midori browser on my Ubuntu platform).
[screenshots: WPhone Plugin in use with the OperaMini browser]
What I particularly don’t like about the S60 browser is the [back]-navigation - which is so much better on the OperaMini. Both browsers though still display the web as it’s also seen on a full-screened PC-based operating system (using different technologies of course). The success of the Symbian OS imho also greatly depends on a good browser. Or else ppl will jump on the Google Android + mobile Chrome browser waggon asap it becomes available. After all, the browser experience is what’s good on the iPhone…
[screenshot: navigating on the S60 browser]
B) WordPress Mobile Plugin
The WP Mobile Plugin actually isn’t used for mobile blogging, but instead bridges the gap between creating and consuming blog content. Once installed and activated, it will “detect mobile phones and show them a version better suited to a small screen”. While I haven’t tested the latest version, I’ve tested the previous one for quite some time on this blog and did not like it that much back then. I am mentioning here because it still has great potential, includes mobile ads (!!) and was created by Andy Moore who’s a certified mobile web developer and sure knows how to benefit from all of this (~ adsense revenue..).
Both plugins are interesting and should also create an awareness for the many internet surfers out there who are fixed to a mobile phone due to the lack of a connected computer.
Our next option is to use a dedicated phone application that provides a dedicated user interface for offline editing of blog content. I currently know of two applications that I’ve tested with both the E71 and my N95 and which I’d like to introduce here:
C) Wavelog 1.0
Here’s what the developers wrote on their website: “Wavelog is a blogging client application developed for S60 phones. It allows posting of the content as text, image, audio or video, to a Web log (blog) directly from the mobile phone using any type of available network (mobile phone or Wi-Fi network). (….) Wavelog has been developed and tested on Nokia N95 mobile phones. Wavelog uses XML-RPC protocol for posting to blog publishing systems that support MetaWeblog API” (WP, Drupal, Joomla, MovableType). A trial version is available from their website, for a purchase of the software you’ll have to cough up USD 10.00…
[screenshots: using Wavelog on the E71]
Configuring Wavelog:
I’ve tested Wavelog 1.0 with a test account on my blog with both the N95 and the E71 and - while the demo version doesn’t support the uploading of media files (audio, video). Wavelog 1.0 didn’t really convince me on the E71. On the N95 it’s a bit better (should be the same, actually!).
Wavelog also runs a public (test?) blog to showcast the capabilities of the tool and forwards its users to a blog that is said to be entirely fed through the use of Wavelog 1.0. Well…
…which gets us to option:
D) SRIBE (+ Mobile Python For S60) [h/t via]
Aaahhh, Python. Thinking about the (mobile) programming language Python, I instantly have to think of Nathan Eagle and his students at University of Nairobi. For some reasons, it always comes back to folks who at one point in their life spent some time in good old Nairobi. Home, sweet home!
Besides of that, Python is beautiful way of *pimping* your S60 phone. Just think of adding another layer of multiple options that will turn your phone into a little computer (what it basically already is) that can run much more than what it had initially been designed for.
Scribe is one of those applications directly running on top of (Mobile)Python For S60 - and while those coders among my readers here certainly have a much better and more accurate explanation of what PyS60 actually is and isn’t - all we need to know at this point is that in order to use SCRIBE, you’ll also need to install the free PyS60 package
Here’s the manual from the Scribe website:
- Visit this site from your mobile browser (Optional)
- Install Python for S60 using: PythonForS60_1_4_2_3rdEd.SIS
- Install Scribe™ for S60 using: scribe_S60_3_0_v0_9_3.sis
- You’ll then find Scribe™ in your Applications folder!
Jay Fenton
, the developer of Scribe, recently commented on symbian-gure.com that a new version of Scribe is in the pipeline which will also be much easier to install and come with an image uploading feature.
[screenshots: Scribe on the N95]
[screenshots: Scribe on the E71]
E) Kablog
Tested it on the E71, works. Hasnt been updated since Sept 2006 though, so I left it out.
—
Well, whether you’re using the WPhone mobile plugin, Wavelog, Scribe or any other system I forgot to mention here, this list will maybe also explain why a blog system like WordPress and most modern mobile phones still need to come much closer. Who knows, maybe in upcoming WordPress releases we’ll also find an integrated mobile blogging backend?
Me thinks that mobile blogging has to be reviewed asap those HTC phones running Google’s Android OS will come out by the end of this year. Until then, the E71 is my choice when it comes to QWERTY phones, and I’ll also tell you why in my next post on this phone (as part of JKE’s E71 review).
Stay tuned! :-)
* part 2 & 3 will deal with some extra applications as well as with the already awesome BH-903 Bluetooth headset that came with the E71.
  
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15:04
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
Got me a new toy - a “Battery Powered Cordless Soldering Iron” from Weller:
The tip has a diameter of 0,4mm and the packaging says it reaches up to 480°C on the tip, but well….most of these little tips are just hot for a second and then the next second the heat has already dropped by 20°C…
I’ve used it on the motherboard of an HP laptop - these coils next to the Southbridge chip (big bottom chip with that sticker on top) needed some resoldering and I really hope that they were the cause for the malfunctioning of this motherboard - otherwise…sijui.
The three AA-batteries inside the Cordless Soldering Iron won’t last for ages, but this little gadget sure helps to fix a few dots on the board and also it wasn’t that expensive so I’m not really as disappointed as I was afraid to be.
Once I can afford it, I will buy this! :-)
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8:24
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
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15:23
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
A phone is a phone is a phone is a phone. Well, is it?
When it comes to Nokia’s N95 smartphone, this simple conclusion isn’t that clear. Nokia introduced their flagship model in December 2006 and started shipping it sometime around March/April this year.
I got mine some three months ago through a 24-month plan with Germany’s T-Mobile with average monthly costs of EUR 15,46, so even if I’d sell the phone now via eBay or other channels, I’d make (at least) around EUR 130,- profit (SIM card stays unused in the drawer during those 24 month). I am using it with a prepaid card on a 3G (UMTS) enabled network where I am paying EUR 0,24 per MegaByte.
Unfortunately, my current network provider does not offer 3.5G (HSDPA) connections although the phone is capable of handling those. My other (third) network provider (Vodafone Germany) does offer 3.5G but charges around EUR 20,- per MegaByte just like T-Mobile, which is completely insane and totally over-priced. The prepaid card runs on the E-Plus Network which is known for low tariffs but also for a (relatively) shitty network infrastructure so I had the choice between low tariffs & 3G or higher tariffs & 3.5G. Since I’ve been very comfy with surfing the inet via 2.5G (GPRS) with “Suffercom“ in Kenya, the theoretical network speed isn’t that important anyways. Besides - with running the phone in GSM mode instead of UMTS, battery runtime is optimized.
my Nokia N95 on top of my laptop
Three months are a good time to draw a line and have a closer look at what’s good and bad on this phone. Although I’ve already blogged some few impressions earlier here, here, here, here, here, here and here, I often thought about compiling another list of things I do not like about this phone. And while there are a few things that could be changed with a firmware update in future, other issues are hardware related and unfortunately meant to stay forever. Unless of course some Chinese “copyist” comes up with an alternative case for the N95 which could be used instead (a case modder, that is).
The N95 is a so-called smartphone, and while it is released under Nokia’s N-Series where the “N” stands for eNtertainment, the phone comes with everything you can currently put in a mobile phone: a fast variety of possible network connections (GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, InfraRed); a decent 5MPx cam (CMOS sensor though); mp3/mp4/avi media player for music, videos and pictures; basic picture and video editing; SMS; MMS; e-mail; an internal browser; 240×320 px screen resolution; flash memory; mini-USB connector; video camera with good frame rate; GPS (!!); office tools for viewing MS-Office files (doc, xls, ppt); Adobe’s PDFormat viewer of up to 2mb size and all of this running on Nokia’s S60 platform which is an operating system that has its roots in the PSION PDAs from the mid 1990s if anyone still remembers them.
I have used a Nokia 6230i before which was and still is a perfect phone - except for the limited camera (1,3 mpx, no flash) and the horrible multimedia player which had problems handling bigger playlists. Since I am often using my phone as an mp3 player and taking lots of pictures, it suddenly became clear that I should eventually invest some money on a better phone.
AND THAT is actually where the trouble begins! The 6230i is a phone-phone. A phone in the first place, something for calling people and writing SMS. The N95 is a multimedia machine though, and Nokia also calls it “..what computers have become”. What they meant to say and left out was that this also includes all the downsides of a mobile computer resp. a multitasking operating system. That’s just like comparing a simple calculator to a scientific one. Or a VW Beetle to a Mercedes S320. More equipment and luxury means more problems.
I could actually stop my review here and go back to my 6230i, as I need a reliable, a working phone with enough battery power. Nokia’s competitors like SonyEricsson and/or Samsung do produce interesting alternatives, and - hey - if the N95 wasn’t available, I’d have gone for the SE K800i by now. Only: SonyEricsson for some unknown reason completely messed up the keypads of their phones! This is so sad and I am sure they lost many customers due to that strange policy. (SE, give us more phones like K800i! The successor model K810i has a horrible keypad and most others after that as well).
So I am stuck with my N95 and have to learn appreciating it the way others do. Or maybe I am just too disappointed by it as I had apparently expected it being as efficient as the 6230i.
Usability is a BIG issue for me - and this recent usability test proves that the N95 isn’t as convenient as the iPhone. The iPhone on the other hand is a design concept for me with lots of smart solutions, but it lacks even basic services such as MMS or a decent cam, and since it comes with an internal battery AND is part of Apple’s “walled gardens” concept (proprietary systems), it is a no-go for me.
the N95 after 1,5 months - a broken display which had to be exchanged
Now, Nokia is a global player with a wide range of phones available for different budgets and needs. While their low-cost, entry market phones like 1xxx and 2xxx series really convince in countries like Kenya, their middle-class / mass market phones like the above mentioned 6230i also provide a lot of usability for a set price. The top range though, where my N95 is supposed to be one of the flagship models (note: the E90 communicator model has recently been taken from the market for further improvements as it developed some hard- and software issues), clearly isn’t as performing as it could or should be.
In other words: IF you are paying something like EUR 500,- to 700,- on a state-of-the-art phone, you may want to expect certain qualities - and at least a reliable phone that provides you with some basic services.
Well…. I don’t know about other N95 users who may be overwhelmed by their phones, but my N95 is under-performing.
The recent 2nd editions of the N95 for the US market (N95-US with a better camera and support for the US 3G system) as well as the brand-new 8GB version of the N95, which is due to come out in October this year (next week!), actually proves that Nokia realized how they messed up with the initial N95 version I am stuck with.
Coming back to the phone’s usability, let me summarize the following issues:
Keypad
The keypad on the front cover (”S60 keypad”) is way too narrow and I understand it was already moved down and away from the screen to shorten the distance to the actual number keypad (Nokia calls this the “ITU keypad”). While writing text (e.g. SMS), I sometimes type in a wrong letter which needs to be corrected. Hitting the delete (”C”) button on the front panel sometimes - unfortunately - results in hitting the
a) red phone button by mistake => the phone goes back to the standby screen, or b) multimedia key by mistake => the phone comes up with a so-called multimedia menu, which by itself takes about 2-3 seconds to load.
To change this, Nokia or any 3rd party parts contributor (aka case modder from China) should redesign the keypad on the front cover (a). As for the multimedia menu: it could be deactivated or reassignable to another key once all keys are fully programmable. This could be done through a firmware update.
Front Cover
Other slider phones from Nokia such as the 6110 navigator or E65 come with a gently inclined front cover. While writing text on the N95 number keypad, my thumb often hits the edge of the front panel. This could be avoided or limited by removing this artificial border and reshaping the front cover so that the thumb may freely move between the (lower) number keypad and the keypad on the front cover.
The front video camera on the upper right corner looks like as if it has been put there at the last moment. Obviously, there should be a better way of moulding it into the front cover (as seen on the 8GB version!!). What’s that space between the display and the keypad good for anyways?
The phone also is a “slided” typed model, meaning that the front cover moves in two different directions. While this is somehow neat, I actually realize every day how much I hate slider phones and want my brick phone back.
Now imagine with Nokia’s infamous slider built quality, the slider OF COURSE developed problems over the time - although mine is still one of the better phones. There’s a workaround to stop the play level between the front cover and the main body as shown on different Youtube videos (~ untighten 3 screws on both sides and put some adhesive tape on top of the sliding rails to limit the play).
My Nokia 7110 back in 1999 (!) also head a nasty slider problem. It’s not a bug, it’s a Nokia!
Display
I “secured” the display on my N95 with some BRANDO display protector (foil) as it a) looks as if the screen actually is a bit sensitive to scratches and b) there’s a gap between the display and the frame = no seamless transition between the display and the frame as seen with other phones (= which shows that such an approach to a better design is possible and that it was just left out because someone over at Nokia didn’t pay attention).
As with other mobile devices, a display always consumes lots of energy. Maybe Nokia could implement a stricter energy saving mode for the display, although of course the display brightness as well as the duration until it goes back into a half standby mode may already be adjusted by the user. I am saying it’s a “half standby” mode, as the display on a SE K800i seems to be even more efficient (battery wise). Again, plenty of room for improvements within the firmware.
Oh and btw: just after 1,5 months usage, the display suddenly flipped the screen from left to right and then completely went out black. The flex band inside was ok, but the display had to be exchanged.
Telephony
Speech quality of course always depends on the network, and while coverage in my area isn’t always the best, callers sometimes tell me they’re having problems understanding me while using the phone. A workaround is to use a headset, but in all honesty: you wouldn’t want to use it that way while talking for half an hour.
And the headset itself is an issue as well. Oh my. It just isn’t always responding to a keypress.
Speakers
The internal stereo speakers on both sides are actually quite good. While playing stereo soud on them, the “stereo effect” comes out pretty nicely. Well done, Nokia!
As for the loudspeaker on top: well, it’s a tiny, squared speaker. No great resonance from that little thing.
Media Player
The internal media player ist nice although it’s usability could be a bit better. Sound is good enough for me, but using it with the headsets has given me some headaches lately. You see, whenever I removed the headsets on my Nokia 6230i, the player would just stop playing (which is good as you wouldnt want to have it playback through the speakers if, by accident, the plug comes out of the socket (which is 3,5mm - a blessing, as you can actually use ANY other headset and aren’t forced to use any proprietary system from Nokia)). On a SE K800i, the phone ask you whether you would want to have it continue playing through the speakers. Well…on the N95, the phone just redirects the sound to the speakers without asking me! And this although the S60 platform offers many other situations where it will ask the user twice if e.g. it shall *really* go online or *really* download that e-mail I just clicked on. Hell, yeah! Just do it, you ***** phone! *NARF*
The media player is also directly related to the:
Multimedia Menu
The multimedia menu. Oh my. WHAT kind of IDIOT designed this stupid menu???! It is SOOOOO USELESS! I NEVER NEED IT…and consequently put this as a *wish* on S60’s feature wishlist.
There are two ways to access this menu: either by pressing (or often accidently hitting) the multimedia key to the right of the joypad, or by switching the display from portrait into landscape view.
landscape view on the N95
Let’s say you are in standby mode and portrait view and want to switch into landscape view (as shown above) to access the (blue iluminated) multimedia keys on the left to e.g. stop the media player. BEFORE the phone actually reacts to the keypress, it first of all loads this ****** multimedia menu which takes 2-3 seconds alone.
I had this argument in a mobile phone shop with another dude who was SO convinced of the S60 platform and really loved his N95. I then asked him: “ok, how do you stop the media player if the phone is locked?” - “Simple”, he replied, “just slide it the other way open and press the media keys”. - “And what about that multimedia menu that pops up in between?” - “Oh…..”. Yeah. Stupid.
Nokia, in case you are reading this: pls disable the multimedia menu, or at least (if it belongs to your marketing strategy) give us a function to reassign the keys on the front cover and the side. Thank You!
SMS
Sending SMS, MMS, E-Mails & Co from the phone is dead simple. Only: once you hit the wrong key (again due to the narrow keypad), it will return to standby mode and move your written piece into the DRAFTS folder. On the 6230i, which btw runs on an older version of the S40 platform, an SMS is left in the editor, so once you return to the editor, you’ll find your draft there ready for editing.
Gallery
The gallery is just nice and also doesn’t take too long to load. It creates thumbnail versions of your images which are loaded for preview. If you stumble across a video in your gallery, it automatically loads the REAL PLAYER to playback videos. There’s another add-on for the phone that provides a DivX player, so playback of those files is also possible.
VoIP & Wi-Fi
I am using FRING on the phone which is a neat little all-in-one messenger tool for chatting and using VoIP with configured services such as Skype, ICQ, Google Talk, MSN Messgenger, Twitter (!) and SIP. I have my SIPGATE number configured with the phone as well as Gizmo (which I haven’t used for a while). VoIP works but you’ll sure need a strong WLAN / Wi-Fi connection for this to work fine. Also used it through my UMTS connection (fortunately, the port is open for that service) and it just works. WLAN/WiFi connectivity is a bit tricky. The phone is said to having some problems with certain routers. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes the connection brakes off all the time. Annoying.
So, in theory: services work. When it comes to actually using everything the time you need it, something like network coverage may be a problem, so my take on this is that Wi-Fi was just added for the US-american market (due to the availability of hotspots there) or for home usage where many ppl nowadays are having their own Wi-Fi routers hooked up to a cable or DSL modem.
Germany’s famous Fritz!Box WiFi router by AVM actually works much better for VoIP - I had my fixed line phone directly connected to the router and so I wonder why I should use VoIP at home through my mobile if instead I could use it much better through a fixed phone.
Battery
The battery. Well well well. The 950mAh battery inside the phone is nothing but a joke. It lasts for a day with limited usage. That’s why the two new versions of the N95 will come with a slightly improved battery, but honestly: WHY only now? Why couldn’t they come up with a better battery life and power management in the first place?
And why Li-On instead of the Li-Polymer battery as seen with older Nokias?
The battery is why I’ve been looking out for external power supplies (like that solar charger below) that will help me recharge the phone while travelling, far away from any power socket. The charger that comes shipped with the phone is very small and light (good!), but only because you’ll always have to carry it around with you. Clearly, the N95 isn’t a phone I’d take out on a Safari in the bush!
I bought a 2nd battery (4,- EUR fake from China) and another desktop charger so that the phone at least stands up straight in a cradle while recharging.
Battery life clearly affects many other parts of the phone: pure mp3 playback WITH THE TRANSMITTER SET INTO OFFLINE MODE! (to enhance playback time) gives me about 2-3 hrs which is just ridiculaaaas! The phone also comes with a Video-Out cable so that you can hook it up to your TV/multimedia system and use it as a game console. LOL! This drains the batteries quite quickly.
The limited energy provided by the small battery is actually reason enough to return this phone to the shop and go for any other - better - phone. What’s it all worth with all these gadgets if the battery only last for half a day?!
the camera module on the back
Cam
The internal digital camera has a 5mpx resolution achieved through a CMOS chip, which is what you’ll know from other phones and better webcams. PROPER LIGHTING is the KEY to decent pictures with such a technology, so during daylight, pictures turn out fine. The cam is good, and for most of my needs it actually is sufficient enough. Only, and yeah, even though it is good enough, the autofocus on SonyEricsson’s K800i cam is FASTER. Focusing with the N95 takes a while. Well….no hurry in Africa.
And then of course the shutter sound may not be disabled. I am used to taking secret shots with my 6230i with no sounds and lights emitted from the phone, but the N95 always flashes up a small LED to autofocus (ok, this can not be changed) and sometimes even comes with the flash LED which is SO extremely bright that you can quickly be hated by all your friends if you’re into taking a snap shot of them during night time + using the flash. This LED flash is not as a convenient as the Xenon flash on the K800i.
To activate the camera, you can either select it from the menu, and / or slide open the protectice cover on the back of the phone. There’s a small contact inside that automatically starts up the camera once the cover is opened.
Browser
The default browser that comes shipped with the S60 platform is somewhat okay, but it lacks the comfort of OperaMini. Especially the “BACK” function only reloads the previous page instead of loading it from the phone’s cache. Why? Stupid.
And then of course there’s no way of setting a default browser on the firmware. The EU actually sues Microsoft for shipping WindowsXP with a fixed browser? Well, Nokia does the same with us.
Nokia PCSuite
Nokia’s PCSuite, the software to sync the phone with a Windows system is just crap. And besides: I am still looking for a decent (!) way to edit the phone book. The directory on M$ Outlook sucks, all free XML sync services (as mentioned the other day) just provide the editing for names & numbers (but no snail mail addresses) and Nokia’s own PC Suite doesn’t provide any editing function. Why not?
Speaking of syncing the phone with another computer: the N95 has a nice USB mini-B connector, so basically most other USB cables you’ll know from your digital camera will work with the phone as well. There’s no stupid & proprietary Nokia PopPort connector any more so this is a GREAT improvement. We’ll also see a change in this in near future as the mobile phone industry is said to have teamed up for a single connector standard which would be a blessing for most users. One cable type for all gadgets! Only: charging - as seen with the famous Motorola V3 series - isn’t yet possible through the USB port. A brilliant example for Nokia’s marketing on accessories…
RAM
Random Access Memory on the N95 is limited to 20 MBs once the machine is fully loaded. The 8GB version comes with 80 MBs so multitasking failures due to a limited RAM capacity are less likely to happen with the improved version.
I wonder if one could use the other memory instead to extend the RAM (like a swap file) but I guess that just isn’t possible.
GPS
The internal GPS runs on Nokia Maps, a free mapping software provided by Nokia with maps for different countries. You’ll only pay for the navigation. The phone also works with other free and commercial mapping software like MGMAPS (awesome!) or Route66. Also, Nokia’s “SportsTracker” software is just awesome for tracking exercises.
However - the internal GPS antenna is located beneath the lower keypad - on the bottom of the phone. In order to use the GPS and improve reception of satellite signals, you’ll always have to slide open the phone to reveal the lower keypad. The Nokia 6110 navigator though comes with Route66 software pre-installed and the GPS antenna on top of the phone, so the 6110 is a dedicated, much faster GPS device than the N95.
Again, the N95 is an all-in-one gadget, a prood-of-concept-styled phone which main purpose, I suppose, was to show to the interested masses what may actually implemented into a phone.
My list of direct criticism based on bad experiences with the phone could go on and on, but I will just leave it for now. Further plans are to wait for the next firmware update and see if any of the bugging isssues have been improved. If not, I will sell the phone and get another one with similar camera and video qualities (oh, did I mention the near DVD video recording quality? that’s just awesome for such a phone. but then again: battery runtime…*sigh*). Wi-Fi isn’t really that important although it was one of the reason for me to actually get it. Back then I didn’t know that Wi-Fi coverage would be that bad, and to actively keep it connected to a nearby Wi-Fi router for VoIP usage, the battery is just too weak.
I really really hope that Nokia will have a closer look at the current N95 model and see if there’s any improvement possible through the firmware. A stronger battery would also be nice, or at least an official case mod which would enable consumers to pimp the current N95 into a better one.
The N95 truly is “what computers have become”, and while it really only lacks the keyboard we’ve seen on the E61(i) or even the SideKick (ooooh, a hidden keyboard underneath the display in a sidekick style would be so great!) to make it become a real computer, it does not provide the most basic functions I need a phone for: being a reliable gadget in my pocket.
(is this my longest post ever?)
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18:57
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
Has anyone of you ever used this little solar charger called “Free Loader”?
Found it advertised in a magazine, a blogged review here (in German), sells for EUR 49,90 or GBP 29,99 and it comes with the cables & adapters as shown in the picture.
I am bit sceptic about these gadgets because my experience based on my own tests with solar chargers many years ago (I got my first solar set in 1988 :-) proved that these chargers (of course) aren’t as powerful as they are supposed to be (from a customer perspective), but I guess when the battery on your mobile gadget is dying out, anything that helps recharging it will do just fine.
Oh, and another reason why I should just order it no matter what: this gadgetimoja has been on Mt. Kilimanjaro! *big smile* More reviews here, here and here.
@Harry: you should blog that mobile rewinder/dynamo thing we’ve tested the other day in Nbo! What’s the current output anyways?
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19:21
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
One of the initial reasons for getting a new phone was that I wanted to have a good tool that allows me to blog “from the road”, as I had already done that last year on December 30th through my old Nokia 6230i while waiting in the lobby of a neat Hotel in Mombasa. With the Nokia N95 in my hands, this task seems to be a bit easier now, although I still have to figure out how to enter hyperlinks + the keyboard keypad is a bit disappointing. Should I switch to a Nokia E61i?
And….haiiyaaa…there’s SO much more to write about this new gadget, but then - the internet is full of interesting stories + I am horribly short in time these days, so the mobile code below actually says it all. Ama? :-)
&type=text&MODE=TEXT&a=view)
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20:40
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
My good old friend A.-M. invited me to Freiburg over the weekend, as we had to celebrate her 30th birthday. Yeah! We know each other since 17 years now, and have become really good friends some years ago. She actually is the one who “allowed” me to refurbish her bathroom - a story I blogged two years ago, and which was of particular interest to me, since I had never done that before and, having an interest for such technical issues, getting more experience by simply doing it was a great idea!
Fellow blogger Afromusing already asked for some pics, as she highlighted that Freiburg is “the model town in energy sustainability”. As I just went there for two days for a party, I didn’t take this opportunity for any sightseeing. However, Freiburg is known to be the sunniest city in Germany, and with modern districts like Vauban, lots of cyclists and other green stuff, one soon understands the sustainability approach the citizens have come up with in the past.
On to something completely different: A.-M.’s “dead” Acer TravelMate 290 notebook. One day it just stopped working and refused to restart. Pressing the power button resulted in a 2 seconds activity of the fan, a few LEDs blinking - and a blank screen. Nothing else.
As A.-M. needed a working notebook, she eventually decided to settle for a new machine and stored this one in the closet. Mzeecedric actually passed by her place the other day and helped her securing all data from the old HDD (thx, bro!). She even took the old computer to a “PC guy” at her company, who quickly advised her to buy a new computer (through his channels, of course) as he couldn’t fix this one.
Now, dear Afromusing, this is why I didn’t take any pictures of the city. Upon arrival, I imediately pulled out my Leatherman and took the old laptop apart. Is this a typical nerd geek habit? :-)
Dismantling it of course didn’t bring about any change, as I had anticipated that some cleaning with Isopropanol and fixing any loose & dry contacts would awake this machine again. Nothing happened though - after reassembling the laptop, it still refused to awake from the dead.
This morning then, I had a chance to quickly google for some keywords and one user forum suggested to try the “15 seconds trick”, which is done by removing the battery and the external power supply and pressing the power button for 15 seconds, thereby discharging all condensers on the mainboard. As I had instinctively tried that before, the machine still didn’t show any life signals. Again, a dark screen and 2-5 seconds of blinking LEDs.
Most users would give up at this stage, I guess, and since the warranty on this 3years old laptop had already expired, a sale on Ebay seemed to be the most plausible further procedure. Unless of course I would try another “trick” I had read on another user forum: there is a very tiny “jumper” (J1) on the mainboard, just underneath the RAM compartment, which actually isn’t a real jumper as we know it from desktop computers, but instead just some blank soldering points that need to be bypassed for a few seconds. This - and that’s the initial reason why the machine refused to start - resets the BIOS. After doing that, the laptop started again and loaded the operating system as if it had never been half dead.
Computers…
So in case you’re the owner of an ACER TravelMate of the 290 series, or having similar problems with another notebook, make sure to actually google for some solutions, as this Acer TM 290, for instance, is said to be having these kind of problems: a hanging BIOS that fails to reset itself whenever the battery is run down to a very low level. Anyone with a decent srewdriver can do this, and it sometimes helpes to avoid expensive expenditures…
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4:41
From: Kikuyumoja's realm
Read This Entry & More At Kikuyumoja's realm
Andrew of Kalenjin.net forwarded this to me in response to the Eimer-Kunst (”bucket-art”) I posted the other day…
as seen @ Löhr-Center, a big mall in Koblenz, Germany (thx, Andrew!)
Now you know how we describe ingenuity over here in Europe :-)
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