MobileDan’s Weblog

Ok, A lot has happened in the… 7 and a half months since my last post!

A few things I would like to talk about…

The Nokia N97 Mini, tried and true, been through a lot with this device, Putting it simply, it ROCKS!

Ovi Maps!  Free, and AMAZING!

Apps I’ve been using and cannot live without!

So, I purchased an N97 Mini for my brother, to replace his worn out N78…

I couldn’t afford it, but he was paying me back… He changed his mind… Leaving me stuck with it… I had a phone, and like I said, couldn’t afford a new device… I tried to sell it on facebook and through twitter, but no luck…

The night before my Gf and I were flying to Wales for 12 days… I needed this phone… so, I cracked…

First thing, the camera was my main reason for needing it… the second, Ovi maps is just amazing on it!

I went over to Wales in January with my Gf, and used another N97 and swear, I would have been lost without it.

Again, her father put me on the car insurance, and all was great, aside from getting used to driving on the wrong side of the road (we in the states, and elsewhere in Europe drive on the right… the other side being the wrong… ) Took no time at all, I LOVE the roundabouts!  So much better!

I put about 300 miles on the first trip, and i would have to say about 800 miles this second trip.

Each time I would set up the address and let it do it’s thing… I kinda liked the surfer dude voice, but it started to get on me.

Important things for an American driver to know, driving in the UK; Speed cameras!  Ovi maps helped me to know where they were, what the speed limit was wherever I was, and when I was speeding (which was pretty frequent…)

Then, Ovi released Own Voice, which I haven’t used yet, but would let all of the 54 voice memos (turn left, turn right… etc… ) be in a voice that you record…

I really would have been lost without Ovi Maps… literally! I used to use Google maps for everything, but it didn’t have turn by turn… I just set the location, put it on the dashboard and drive!

If you haven’t tried this FREE app yet, What are you waiting for???

WomworldNokia just completed a really cool campaign for #NokiaNav Check out some highlights here!

Apps:

These are some of the main “cannot live without apps” I have been using…

Gravity

I purchased Gravity for this device, I loved gravity before, but now… I can check in to foursquare, facebook AND keep up with Twitter!  Amazing job on this need to have app!  I NEVER purchase apps, this is the exception! Do yourself a favor, GET THIS APP!

IM and Skype

Palringo is on the phone, but has been phased out by Nimbuzz… mostly for the twitter functionality…

Joikuspot I used so that I could be a WiFi hotspot for my Gf who was roaming with her iPhone.

The new Sportstracker app is much nicer to look at, and seems to run a lot smoother!

Nokia Bots has been an interesting app as well, I suggest you check that one out!

I will be returing to blogging as much as I can, and would love to hear your imput!

I am also debating getting an android phone, thinking the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10… any thoughts on that as well?

Ttfn,

MD

So, when I decided to write my last post on emoze I had to break out the only phone I have for now, being Jonathan Greene’s N78 that I still need to get back to him, AND think of an appropriate gift, seeing as I’ve been borrowing it for… oh… 6 months! (Please leave ideas for things if you have any)

BACK to the story!

So, emoze is in the process of releasing a version for the 5800, but for now, I don’t have one, so I had to fire up the N78…

Buttons… Wow…

I don’t think I was really expecting to like the Nokia 5800, I was kinda iffy on the whole touch screen thing, being that I drive and text so much, but I had already known that I HATED QWERTY, although I did kinda like the E71, It was QWERTY and that was a deal breaker for me… (that, and the pink hue on the photos…)

So, Yeah, I LOVE this phone… I am reassured every time I pick up the iPhone, every time I have to show my father how to do something on his N75, and every time that I use any other phone…

But the funny thing was that using the N78, which is a SOLID device I must add… I really felt like using a rotary dial phone… after using Touch tone for so long…

That’s how archaic it felt to my hands…

Sitting here at my computer, phone on lap, I just touch the screen on the 5800 to wake it up to see if I missed anything… I did it 3 times to the N78, after catching myself doing it the first time, calling myself stupid, I still managed to do it 2 more times!

It’s just that smooth!

One beautiful, solid phone this 5800 is!  AND it’s just the basic model!

The N97 is going to have so much more in the way of social networking, and after just seeing this phone, I know it’s going to be AMAZING!

As I wrap up my visit from the Nokia 5800, I am again comforted in the fact that Nokia is producing quality products, with the user in mind, never really outdating a model with a newer or flashier one before the last model has seen it’s glory.  Which I must add is my #1 pet peeve with one specific company for releasing a newer version of phone or music player a step up for the same price as the last model, JUST after I have purchased mine…

Thanks…

My N73 which is a few years old can still hold its own in the wild, as well as the N78, and any other model released…

Even the N95 which was the flagship phone for many years, is still very competitive, even with the release of the N96 and the up coming release of the N97.

So, back to rotary dial for me… buttons, buttons and buttons… until I get the N97!  my only problem, and I’m sure it’s across the board, is the pricetag… but for what it’s worth, my feelings on the economy and such, is that instead of purchasing a flashy camera AND phone… get your moneys worth, Function over Form!  look into the Nokia devices, I’m sure there’s something that can fit your budget… the lowest camera resolution of 3.2 usually comes with Carl Zeiss optics which alone makes it a great camera, mixed with all the features of S60 and a solid build, and the fact that firmware updates are always coming out to help your phone keep up with the times… Nokia = sound investment

Until next time…

MD

Sorry it’s been so long, not much new has happened…

So, this Nokia 5800 XpressMusic has grown on me, but alas, It has got to start getting ready to go back…

Some of the apps that I’ve been using though, have completely made the phone, and opened my eyes for the future of S60 v.5 which is a jump from the previous v.3. I am really looking forward to how this version will react with an upper level phone such as the N97 as well as the Samsung i8910

On with the apps…

One app that totally takes advantage of the full screen resolution is Gravity, I am not much of a Twitter fan, but this app has opened my eyes. Coming from being a die hard Jaiku user, and loving the threaded conversations, it’s still a bit hard for me to try to keep up, but Gravity takes some of the headache out of it…

I can view photos taken with twitpic right in the app, and can respond and start a new tweet very easily. The app is really easy to use and is very responsive.

Shozu is a life saver. While in Colorado I was without a computer, and had to rely on this device for all of my posting and uploading of photos, Shozu made that really easy, and left me more time to enjoy my trip.

Google Maps with Latitude has also appealed to me, and now with the option of using my location to update my Google status, it’s all the more connected…
I can see where my friends currently are, and, if i’m nearby I’ll know so that I can try to meet up.
This is one of the things that I like about LBS (location based services) I can not only Call my friend, but I can text, IM them if they are on an Instant Messaging app, fire up the map and see where they are and in the future I could even video call them.

There are so many different ways that we are connected, and just think… a few years ago people didn’t think they needed voicemail, now we use it all the time, especially with SpinVox! Texting really took off as well, and people thought that would be a waste… Just wait to see how technology is going to make our lives so much easier!

Of course I’m still using sportstracker and I think you should check out all that it has to offer… especially the new package from Nokia and Polar a bluetooth Heart rate monitor for getting up to the minute Heart stats during your work-out!

Fring vs. Palringo… Hmm… I still have both installed… but I must say, that the Fring for S60v5 seems much easier for me to use… maybe it’s just me… what do you guys think? They’re both free, and both great products! if you’re looking for an IM client that ties skype into itself, try Fring… if you’re looking for an IM client that lets you use Facebook chat… go for Palringo… or, get them both!

Nokia maps… I really want to get into this app, but… I just don’t find myself needing everything that it has to offer… maybe if I was on foot… or not in a rush… But I drive almost for a living, and know my way around pretty well… the only thing I don’t know is physical addresses… and for that Google Maps helps me out so much… I will try it out now, for a bit and will try to report back…

So… That’s about it… I need to update a bit more, and I am sorry, but there really doesn’t seem to be much in the way of change, and need for me to update… and I’m not one to repost the news… I don’t feel it’s necessary to do that, it kinda bores me… Just give me the device or the app to play with and I’ll tell you if I like it, and, if by my description you want to try it, so be it!

Wow, I really didn’t give this phone a chance… Every time I saw it, i played with it for about a minute, then passed it on…

Not impressed I’d say…
Now, I want one of my own, and I hear that Amazon and Dell are both selling them pretty cheap…

On with my actual writing, and not my babbling about it…

This device is solid, lots of internal memory for applications and storage
I could definitely see my brothers and friends and even my parents using this phone, It’s very straight forward, the camera is amazing in good light outside for taking quick snap shots, and it’s got everything that I have come to love with S60!

Currently I have installed on the device:

Palringo, Fring, Photo Browser, ScreenSnap, Sports Tracker, Gmail, Google Maps, Qik, JoikuSpot, Shozu.

I took the phone with me on my trip to Denver and up the mountain and the only problem I had with the phone, I had corrected before I left

First off,

I thought the battery life was short before I left… I think that I just use the phone too much… in the last 3 weeks of having the phone I have used 19hours talk, and over 500MB of data transferred, so… maybe I just need a bigger battery…

using the touch screen with gloves on was simple, and uploading via Shozu to my blog, my Ovi account as well as searching through the Facebook site on the huge screen made it really easy to go a whole week without using a computer.

This is what I look for in a device, something that can keep me on the go, and also keep me in the know!

I would recommend this device for anyone who is looking into a new device, is interested in listening to music with the included 8gig micro SD card, and anyone who would like to view the web in a really nice size screen that can also fit in their pocket!

The camera is a 3.2Mp Carl Zeiss optics lens which takes amazing photos in daylight, and decent up close shots with the led flash…

there are a few things that took some getting used to, like only having 4 items on my standby screen, but for people who talk a lot you could substitute that with people you call frequently.

searching for a number was pretty easy, just select contacts, then tap the type screen, and choose the first letter, then it automatically gives you the next available second letter and so forth and so on… or, you could just scroll down till you find the name you are looking for…

you can also easily manually enter the phone number of course.

by losing the other options on the standby screen, you also gained some other media shortcuts… By tapping just off the screen on the top right, you are given your media options: Music, Photographs, Share Online, Video and Internet browser.

Tapping the time you can set your alarm and access connectivity options such as network, LAN, Bluetooth amongst other connectivity options.

I really like this device, and at the price point of under $350 I don’t see why you would get any other touch screen device at all! Or at least not pick up this sweet device!

So, I found this website, 48 hours in Denmark which is offering:

“… a free trip to Denmark, with all expenses paid. Plane, hotel, food and fun.

What’s the catch? We want you to show us how you use digital media when you travel as a tourist. We want you to tell us how you’ve researched the trip, how you use digital media while you are here, and how you share your experiences when you get home.

Anything goes, as long as it has got something to do with digital media. We expect blogging, twittering, lifestreaming and flickring to come together – maybe even some services we haven’t heard about…”

I really think that this is something that I can do…

Something that I am very interested in, as I am very interested in how social online media is and can be a more effective part in daily life, and where else to start, but tourism.

And, I think I would enjoy it very much!

So I applied!

Watch my video application (Daniel Silvers) and the others here:

After recently watching CNN’’s race to 1,000,000 followers on Twitter, I cannot help but feel sorry that Google has let Jaiku go to the wayside…

I believe the way that I heard it said… And I wish I could remember who it was (it seems that every time I cannot think of who said something, Stefan comes to mind… So, until told otherwise, he gets the credit…)

Twitter is like yelling out the window to strangers, Jaiku is like walking downstairs to talk to them…

I think that with Jaiku A trip like this could be more fun, people could comment in real threaded time to your updates on things you are doing, and wherever you may be, and maybe even tell you things nearby… Then again, there’s Dodgeball but, oh, Google bought and shut that down too… Just signed up for four square and will try to cross post to there as well…

Back to it… I believe that using Google Maps on the phone, I can find where it is I want to go, and can use SportsTracker, or NokiaviNe to keep track of my trip… As well as using Shozu to upload photos and video, as well as updating my blog on my way… that way, I can keep my friends and followers updated in real time…

Although I love being on a computer, I have really come to enjoy the freedom that using a smartphone, (such as the Nokias that I use) affords me, I can stay in touch with the online world, and not be tied down to a computer, at a coffee shop, in a cubicle or anywhere… And, If I need a bit more then the phone can offer me, I can just break out the N800 Internet Tablet…

So, what do you say? interested? stop by, see the entries, and if you feel so inclined, apply by April 27th!

I feel that all the current applicants are all doing different things, and all of which are very exciting for social media!

I really wish I had done a better video, but I was stranded in Denver International Airport, and just barely made the deadline (before it was extended…)

There was so much more I wanted to talk about, but hoping that by my blog speaking about myself and my belief in the future of Mobile Technology, I will still be able to stay afloat in the running!

Thanks for reading, now… Go Check it out!a

as a repost from the Nokia Daily News

I would like to point out that as I gathered, and I may be missing something…

Howard Forums has a running thread, and all that I was able to get out of it was from a user “sr1329″ who stated

“The one thing FP2 brings is a whole new access point management system that can switch from 3G to a known Wi-FI access point if you get close to one. Where it fails is that when you leave the range of that access point it isn’t very good about switching you back to 3G. It will just say connection dropped or something like that. The next time you access data it will ask you again for the access point you want to use. “

Let’s do a comparison for $hits and giggles…

Mobile user “A” purchases a brand new E71x from AT&T with a 2 year contract for $99 for the actual unit and the required data plan of $30 per month your total cost(leaving voice out because we’re assuming that Mobile user “A” and “B” will be getting the same voice plan) would be $819.99 ($99.99 for the unit, PLUS the additional $720 for just data alone, )

Compared to

Mobile user “B” (the smart and savvy shopper who purchased their unit “unlocked” from, say… Dell.com for $340)

Mobile user “B” purchases the unit, unlocked for $340, at a much higher price then user “A” of $240.01 but aside from the FP 2 I can’t see why there is THAT much of a difference, when the ends justify the means… Let’s examine further… Shall we?

Mobile user “B” now has to purchase a rate plan (we’re assuming the same rate plan as user “A” here, so the difference is the data plan…) user “B” can purchase the $15 data plan, for the same unlimited data as user “A” above for a total cost over the 2 years of the contract of $700 ($340 for the unit, PLUS the additional $360 for just the data alone…)

Wait! Did user “A” pay $720 over the 2 years and user “B” only paid $360 FOR THE SAME DATA? another example of why it pays to be a smart shopper… they give it to you cheap in the front, but you take it in the rear!

AT&T DOES NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THS!

Come on people, When will you wake up?  Sure, What’s a little $119.99 over 2 years when you can get FP2 on your E71?

Well, what’s to say that Nokia can’t do an OTA (Over The Air) update?

plus, you won’t have the AT&T branding of, disabled Nokia keys, un-movable (or deletable) menu items…

The device was made in such a way for a reason…

If you want it cheap, and as a knock-off, (which is how I view branded devices)

Then please buy this unit

Sincerely yours…

MobileDan

First video taken with the Nokia 5800 XM on my way in to the city this morning…

I need to work on my “um’s”

Here I discuss How I’ve come to really like everything about the unit, and how I keep finding out new things about it all the time!

OK, so last night didn’t count… I got the phone opened up and played with it, but I didn’t really leave the house with it…

Today I did…

I am on the road a lot… at least 600 miles a week, and I still need to be connected… OK, you got me again… I don’t NEED to be connected, I WANT to be connected… I’m out there trying out these devices, making sure that they can handle whatever anyone can throw at them, and being the multi-tasker that I am, who better to do it then me?

On with it!  As I mentioned before I was against touch screens… but I think it was made up for by the addition of the Alphanumeric Keypad…

One problem I found today was when I was using Palringo to talk to friends I got annoyed at the steps that I had to take just to post anything!

I have organized some screenshots (Oh, before I forget, there is a really sweet app for that http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/features/item/How_to_take_screenshots_on_the_Nokia_5800_XpressMusic.php)

On with the screenshots… with my commentary…

The first thing to realize when entering any information on this phone, is that there are 4 different ways of entering text!

Handwriting

Mini QWERTY keyboard

Alphanumeric Keypad

And of course Full Screen QWERTY, which I could not show because the screenshot I am using apparently does not do so well in rotation mode…

K, now that that’s out of the way…

Here is my main buddy list, I’ll go ahead and select Ping.fm, Lets now update my status…

Now that I clicked that buddy, I want to type to it, I tap the part that says “Type Message Here” and it brings me to the screen below me… (I know the top part is hard to see, I am sorry…)

Next I am brought to this screen, this makes no sense to me, because I cannot DO anything with it, since I don’t actually have a keyboard… So, again I am forced to tap it again… I think it does this by default, thinking that I might use the Handwriting, but when It’s not in that mode, I really wish it could cut this step out…

After tapping the screen I am brought to my last used setting, the Alphanumeric Keypad

NOW I can finally type out my message…

finish typing, tap the green check mark and…

Back to this screen, this redundant screen… this damn stupid screen…

I next have to tap the options button

And hit Ok…

Which brings me back to the actual Palringo application screen with my text entered…

I next tap the screen where it says “Send”

And Voila!

My status is updated!

Versus on the N78 I would have been able to type in the fields and just hit send…

I don’t mind a few extra steps, but I really wish I could take out the Handwriting screen… or at least not have it be default…

I also have this problem when sending texts…

I’ve gotten it down though, and am pretty quick about it.

The learning curve was very short, and I definatly prefer this over QWERTY, and I fear that I am alone on this one…

UPDATE:

As per Ricky Symbian-Guru suggested below, I went and downloaded the native Palringo app

So much better using the right tool for the right job, here you see how much better and more efficiently this works!

Off the bat, this application makes better use of the screen.  I can’t believe that when I went to download the app, it gave me the other one…

Here, we can use the plecturm or our finger to scroll around, and hold on the contact we wish to talk to…

sending a message, from this screen…

…will take you to your default text entrly

leaving more room for typing, reading and less room for extra, unnecessary buttons

There you have it, Palringo v.99 for Symbian S60v5

Keeping up with what the users want and need, even as they themselves find something new that they MUST use!

First impressions…

I like buttons… I like T9 buttons to be more precise… I don’t hate QWERTY, I just don’t like it very much…

for the same reason that I don’t like most other 2 handed devices… or things that really distract me, or my eyes from the road…

I think I’ve become a master at driving and T9 typing… My Perry Farrell vision is amazing…

Anyway…

The package arrived… turns out it’s a 5800 XM NAM!

I get home, sync the phone from the N78, seems to have taken a bit longer then usual, and I think it was because it was also syncing all my music from the 4 gig card over to the 8 gig card…

I walked around the supermarket in a daze, checking out all the neat things that could be done to change the experience of the phone… the home screen theme of contacts bar, having 4 main easy to touch and call contacts, seems cool, if I had more then my GF that I called on a regular basis… maybe more like 12, fill up the whole screen… but 4 is better then none…

I really like the feel of the screen, if that makes any sense, since it’s the screen that feels me… It reminds me very much of the screen on my N800 Internet Tablet, responsive enough for handwriting, I think I could get to like this phone!

Texting has proven to take a bit, when sitting down, I can easily turn the device to use the full screen QWERTY, but this is not so handy when driving, which I do a lot of… the mini QWERTY keyboard makes me feel like I should be using the included guitar pic or stylus, or keep going back and forth deleting my errors… there is also handwriting, but I haven’t set it up yet… but wait…. there is also the option for an Alphanumeric keypad… that is about as close to T9 as I am going to get… well, it is, but it does not have actual buttons, but… it is T9!  I am very very happy.

downfalls… no sportstracker… BOO… no contacts on Ovi, and no Conversation and no Nokia Email… so far… I need to find other things that I CAN do with this device… expect more updates as I start playing with this device more and more… for $338.39 from Dell Small Business, it’s so far sounding like a sweet deal!

As I posted earlier about borrowing Jonathan Greene’s N78 and how much I liked it!

Reading through my blogs I also stumbled upon a posting in which I ranted, but also made a statement about “…the winner (for me) will then have to compete against the N96 and N78 (can I get them both at the same time?)”

Having the N78 and N96 next to each other I couldn’t help but think that the N78 is like a baby brother to the N96…

A lot of the features that I had gotten used to in the N78 were still there in the N96, and a lot of the things that I liked about the N95-4 were incorporated into the N96.  All in all, the N96 should’ve been a front runner, but unfortunately it was not so…

The crashing drove me crazy!  literally 3 crashes per day!

Coming back to the N78 was a simple switch, and I am back to no problems with a solid device.  Not that I don’t foresee the N96 coming into it’s own, but the N78 is a fully matured device.

I can still play music on it, and I can use the FM transmitter if I so desire, it’s simple, I load the music player, start playing a song, hit the options button, go to FM transmitter, and select a station!

The drop back to 3.2MP camera wasn’t felt as hard as one would expect, at least I’m not going back to 2.0!

I still have Wi-Fi, I still have GPS and I still have S60 in general for all of it’s greatness!

I really like the feel of the flip out phones (N95 and N96, as well as the N85) but for now they are out of my price range

Last week I purchased my own N78 for US3G phone for $268!  comparing the two devices they obviously look the same, but the N78 US3G seems smoother, the navi-wheel seems to be much smoother, and it does this cool thing (excuse my ignorance for not knowing the terms, I’m just a user after all ) when I hit the camera button, the screen shrinks and spins! it’s more animated then it’s European brother… I really enjoy this phone so far, and expect nothing but love from and to it!

I am not working as much as I would like, and whatever I spend my money on has to be worth it, and right now I opted for an older model, I set my limit at $300

Going back to a point I’ve been stressing a lot recently in my blogs, even though it’s an older model, it’s not forgotten about, it’s still sold, it’s still updated, and it’s still performing extraordinarily well compared to other phone manufacturers models where they forget about older models once they release a newer model…

I’m happy with this purchase!  and I’m looking forward to getting a lot of use out of it!

What older model phones are you using, and how do they compare to what others’ are releasing now?  I’d like to know!