Using the Nokia N82 for casual shots is fine, but what about for some hardcore photography? Apparently there are suppliers trying to fill in the void by supplying the 2 add-ons Nokia N82 users are craving for - a 6X optical zoom lens and a tripod mount. However, even with optical lens and a tripod, it probably remains no match for a dedicated digital camera.
A camera phone was never meant to be a complete substitute for a digital camera, but with this kit the Nokia N82 is getting closer to that aim. Still, the size of the body and the inconvenience to the user will definitely put off all except the most hardcore photography lovers.
The above is a unit on eBay Malaysia going for 83 Malaysian Ringgits (or US$26); its a real shame that the seller is only shipping within Malaysia. Any readers in Malaysia willing to give this kit a try?
Are you always on the move, to the extent that you don't have time to charge your beloved Nokia phone? Or are you, being the power user that you are, always depleting the batteries of your N82 / N95? Or do you simply find the short battery life on the N82 / N95 really annoying? In all these cases, there's a quick and cheap solution to this - a mobile charger for your Nokia smart phone powered by AA batteries.
Although there are many options, this one from Energizer is rather eyecatching - it's going for a retail price of HK$168 (14 Euros, GBP 11, US$22) at large electronics retail outlets around Hong Kong (Fortress, Broadway...the likes of Dixons in the UK). What makes this better than Nokia's DC-8 is that an adapter cable at the top of the unit allows one to charge virtually all phones. Included as part of the pack include an adapter cable for Samsung and Old Nokia phones; a separate pack includes cables for Sony Ericssons, LG's, and Motorolas.
It's also great for travellers and backpackers, who don't have easy access to power plugs in the midst of their adventure. All they need to do is stock up on AA battery cells which can be easily obtained in all parts of the world. And if everyone in your party uses a different brand, all you need are different adapter cables - no need for individual chargers for everyone.
Don't expect it to charge your phone as fast as it does with a normal charger connected to a power socket - it's much slower. While I can probably get a full charge on my N82 in roughly just over an hour, it takes at least twice the time using this gadget; but at least you can still charge your phone while you're backpacking.
The unit gets slightly hot while the charging takes place; no, not scalding hot, but just nice and warm on a cold winter's day. Just ensure that you're not baking the charger under the sun and everything should be fine.
It's available on Amazon for all interested readers.
SanDisk has promised 16GB microSDHC cards earlier in the year, and according to this report it's supposed to be out right about...now. Even though we haven't seen much, there's been a few screenshots going around the Internet of the 16GB microSDHC card working on a Nokia E51, a E90 and a N95.
Well, if all 3 Nokia phones can run it, you can be sure it will be compatible with the Nokia N82 as well; that leaves the question of when it will be available. I've been to a couple of stores in the local computer mall and right now the vendors claim that it's going to be for sale in the first week of July at the earliest. No words on prices yet, but I'm definitely going to snap one up 'for a review'. After all, it is extra capacity for music and photos, no?
The Nokia N78's newest firmware has just been released - however, what's unique about this firmware update is that it's the first update offered by Nokia that can be done over-the-air; rather than requiring you to go to your PC and open up Nokia PC Suite to update, it can now be done if you can access the Internet (via WLAN/3G/EDGE/GPRS).
This would probably mean that future N-series S60 updates can also be done directly on your N-series phone rather than requiring a Windows PC connection. Looks like Nokia finally understood that many of it's N-series users also use Macs, making firmware updates extremely inconvenient for them...
If the Nokia N78 was released at just about the same time as the N82 was, I'd have a hard time in choosing which Symbian smartphone to get. Here's just some pros and cons of both phones for those who are considering getting one or the other:
Pros of the Nokia N82:
- Xenon Flash, as opposed the LED flash on the N78
- 5 Megapixels vs. 3 Megapixels
- TV-Out cable support (the 3.5mm jack to the Component cable, so you can show the N82 screen on a TV)
- Accelerometer - potential for accelerometer-supported games on N-Gage? RotateMe and ShakeLock support. Coolness factor :)
- Symbian S60 FP2 - which provides new features, such as nice looking transition animations, a larger range of standby screens, a more convenient interface in general.
- A larger capacity battery - 1200mAh against the N82's 1050mAh. This should translate to a longer standby time.
- Built-in FM Transmitter, so you can beam all those tunes to a empty radio station and annoy all the other cars around you on the highway.
- Up to 24 hours of Music Playback (quoted by Nokia) vs. N82's max of 12 hours or so
And an indication of the prices:
Suggested retail price of the Nokia N82: HK$4188 (US$536, GBP 272, 344 Euros)
Suggested retail price of the Nokia N78: HK$3988 (US$511, GBP 259, 328 Euros)
Recently a video of Google's OS Android running on the Nokia N95 has surfaced; would this mean that it's also possible to get Android running on other Symbian smartphones?
With the iPhone's release, more and more people are now aware of how a 'good' interface could be on the mobile phone. The Symbian S60 platform is extremely versatile and powerful; but if you asked any average user, they wouldn't be able to customise or change things as much as they wanted to as the options are nested deep within the different menus.
Google's Android is reminiscent of the iPhone's simple but effective interface where everything can just be accessed via a few clicks rather than being nested within menu after menu - perhaps this will see a change in Nokia's S60 platform, such as creating a overlying application like HTC's TouchFLO technology which allows everything to be accessed in a few clicks (on the WM platform)?
If Android could be allowed to run alongside the Symbian S60 platform (i.e. "dual-booting" the mobile phone) I would definitely be in favour of it; after all, the S60 platform has a huge number of applications, is extremely powerful (and relatively more complex to use), while the Android platform can make up the shortcomings of the S60 platform (such as browsing experience compared to the iPhone, and ease of use of the platform).
What's your take on the matter?
For those N82 users who insist that the given Nokia battery provides poor performance, this battery may be what you're looking for...
It's a 2000mAh BP-6MT Lithium-ion Battery (as opposed to Nokia's 1050mAh BP-6MT), which basically means it's roughly twice as durable as the Nokia one. Notice that it's also physically twice the size of the Nokia one - meaning that if you feel that your Nokia N82 is already very thick, you probably shouldn't get this, or people will start to wonder what you have hidden in your pockets...
It's going for US$9.99 from Hong Kong, and to be honest I'm not exactly sure whether this battery is reliable or not; although I'm tempted to purchase this since it's going for a rather cheap price, and to do a complete review on the battery unit.
Oh, and if you do intend to get it, a word of warning - if you're doing any firmware updates, you MUST place your original Nokia battery in your N82 before conducting them. This is because the upgrade checks for the battery, and if it's not the official Nokia one, the update will terminate, screwing up your phone. Don't say I didn't warn you...
When the N82 was in it's proto stages, testers commented on various aspects of the phone - including this new feature dubbed "the Navi Wheel". Incidentally the Navi Wheel is also a feature on the other Nokia N series phone released during the same time - the Nokia N81.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, just take a look at the following YouTube video...
As you can see, this is also one of the main selling points on the Nokia N78. Anyhow, despite the feature being on the N82's proto units, even Nokia's managers claimed that the hardware was removed in the final retail version of the N82, unlike on the N81, where it was only disabled. (This was widely covered by a number of prestigious blogs, such as the Nokia Blog and Me and My Phones, as well as in a number of forums. Just Google "N82 Navi Wheel" and you'll get what I mean).
However, one of the forum users on EverythingN82 has confirmed the existence of the Navi Wheel on the Nokia N82 after he took his N82 apart to change the exterior housing.
Hopefully we can see it in action on our N82's in the next firmware update - which seems to be almost ready for release, according to a Nokia Care rep that I met yesterday...
Today I had to make a stop at the local Nokia Care center because I had a rather annoying problem. Everytime I clicked on the WLAN shortcut on the N82 standby screen - the one which allows you to switch WLAN on and off - the phone would be stuck in a loop of "System Error" prompts, which would only stop if you pulled the battery out from the phone.
Turns out that this is just one of the few bugs that most users would experience if they updated their N82 firmware to v20.0.062. The Nokia Care representative said that a firmware update to solve this issue is 'in the works', but again who knows when Nokia will release an update?
In this specific case, the Nokia Care rep said the way to avoid the "System Error" prompt was to go to Menu >> Tools >> WLAN Wizard and find the WLAN access point to define it. Tedious but it avoids the "System Error" pop-up, which is extremely annoying.
Any other readers facing issues or problems since updating to v20 for their N82? Feel free to share your experiences and see how others go around the problem.
For those who purchase N-Gage games from Nokia, here's a bit of good news to lighten up your day: Nokia has announced that it would be working on a solution to allow N-Gage games to be transferable between Nokia devices.
"We acknowledge our customers' concerns and have been working on a solution that would allow people to transfer purchased N-Gage games to a new Nokia device."
Source: BBC News
The Nokia N96's announcement prompted many in to a dilemma: should I get my phone now? Or should I wait? It's hardly an easy choice, considering that many of us want the newest and the best the mobile phone world has to offer - and right now it seems that the N96 is "the special one" that we've all been waiting for. Or is it? And how does it compare with the N82, which is "the special one so far"?
So here's a first look on the N96 vs. the N82 based on the announcements Nokia has made on the phone and the overall experience on the N82.
Form factor:
So from the above diagram, we can see that the N96 is slightly shorter, slightly fatter, slightly thicker. Similar to the N81 when you put it next to the N82.
If you're still in doubt the best way is probably to see the N81 and the N82 in person. That way you can get a feel of what the N96 size is like.
It's also a two-way slider, similar to the N95 - so it's really up to personal preference on whether you like a candybar phone or a slider. With sliding phones, there's always the potential problem that the springs are too loose or wear and tear over time, so any potential buyers should take notice.
Camera: The N82 is the current king of all camera phones - it's got a powerful xenon flash, and a 5 Megapixel autofocus Carl Zeiss Lens. The N96 will have a similar lens, but without the xenon flash. Yep, the N82 still tops the N96 here.
Storage: The N96 boasts 16GB of flash memory built right in to the phone; on the other hand the N82 only has a paltry 100MB, making it a battle between the size of a bowling ball and a pea. And the N96 allows for external microSDHC storage - so if you insert the largest memory stick currently available, 8GB, that brings the total capacity of the phone to 24GB. If you're a music lover then the N96 is the one for you.
Navigation: Being another of Nokia's flagship products, it definitely doesn't miss out on an internal GPS. Bundled along with the phone is Nokia Maps 2.0, currently in beta for the N82. I'd call this a tie.
Screen Size: 2.8" TFT screen for the N96 against the 2.4" TFT screen on the N82. The N95 8GB also sports a 2.8" screen - compare the size of that with the puny one on the N82...
The N96 is the sure winner in this case.
Mobile TV: An integrated DVB-H receiver for mobile television. Although it's already a de facto standard for Japanese phones, this is definitely a welcome addition to Nokia's portfolio. On the other hand, the N82 has to make do with a data plan and a Slingbox to get your TV streamed to your phone.
Connection: Yep, the Nokia N96 finally has USB 2.0 High Speed USB, with speeds of up to 480Mbps. The Nokia N82 only makes do with USB 1.1 speeds, thanks to older hardware.
Bands: The N96 supports Quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), EDGE, and Dual Band UMTS (900/2100). So the Americas is out of this one - no 3G for potential users in the USA. The same goes for the N82, although it only runs on 3G/HSDPA 2100. The N96 is definitely future proofed - many European countries are considering using the 900Mhz spectrum for WCDMA/HSDPA, so it's only a matter of time before the N96 takes advantage of that.
Music Quality: The N96 contains a DSP chip for improved audio playback quality, so audiophiles should sit up and take notice. There is no DSP chip on the N82 or the N95.
Battery: Horrible. The N96 only sports a 950mAh battery, as opposed to the N82's 1050mAh battery. And couple that with a larger screen and even more features; you're be looking at something with an even shorter standby time than the N82.
So there we go. I'd love to hear your opinions on this, so please feel free to comment.
After updating to the new firmware on my Nokia N82, I think I can say that Flash Lite 3.0 is definitely not overrated or just a hype. It's an awesome addition to the S60 v3 Feature Pack 1 platform, and it's definitely one of those features where one stops to wonder 'how did I live without it?'
First up is YouTube performance, which I think is the concern of most people. Well I'm happy to say that YouTube performance is definitely up there. When clicking on a video link, Realplayer automatically opens, and the video starts streaming - very nice feature. Playback is smooth but the quality of the videos are scaled down to fit the 320 x 240 resolution, and this means that overall the video is blurrier than its desktop counterpart. Well, to be honest, there isn't anything to moan about - it's a 2.4 inch screen, so such a high quality doesn't help much except add to the file size of the video file.
I also tested the new Flash performance on streaming some high definition Flash file, such as Diggnation. This is where the lag comes in - I get desynchronised audio and video, and huge amounts of lag every 10 - 15 seconds. It's not exactly bearable, so I really don't suggest watching high quality Flash media on the phone. Preferably, set the settings so it's low or medium most of the time to get optimal performance on the N82 or the N95.
The lag probably stems from the fact that the CPU of the phone is only an ARM 11 332 Mhz processor - and decoding the high definition streaming media file requires something faster.
Nevertheless, Flash streaming is quite impressive on the N82 and the S60 platform. It's far from perfect (I would like to see some optimisation for HD Flash media files) but it's quite usable for the average user, given that they set the streaming file on medium-low settings.
What's you experience on Flash on the S60 platform like? Feel free to share your joys and pains...
Now that my region's Nokia N82 v20.0.062 update has been released, I've been very excited to try out the Web Runtime (WRT) Widgets. A lot of news has been generated on this new technology, with some claiming that it might even kickstart a new revolution for mobile phone services and applications. It's all been writing and talk so far, so here's a first take on Nokia WRT Widgets and the sort of potential it holds for the future.
First off, where can one get S60 WRT Widgets? Googling doesn't really reveal much - it's all news and information on WRT widgets, rather than the widgets themselves.
I downloaded Nokia's MOSH Client - a tool that allows users and developers to share all sorts of applications. A quick search of "widget" under the "Applications" category yielded at least 50 hits, and I took the time to test out a few that most users would use.
The currency conversion widget (WorldExchange) shows signs that WRT widgets is still in its early stages. Maybe it's just me, but it just feels very unpolished right now. It's got plenty of potential though, and I find it quite useful. There's a couple of bugs, including the lack of support for the accelerometer, but that should change quite soon with updates from the developer.
Another terrific widget is the weather widget (Mobiweather). It's only in it's beta stage, and again looks a bit unpolished and in it's early stages, but the basic idea is there. There's also a very nice feature of autodetecting the user's location, and considering it's simplicity and user friendliness, it's one of the more well designed widgets out there. Hopefully when it turns final we can see it integrate even better with the browser/phone, in having a full screen, numbered shortcuts, and whatever else the developer can think of.
And so we have here a first look at Nokia's S60 Web Runtime (WRT) Widgets. It displays plenty of potential to be expanded, and since it's more or less a combination of HTML, Ajax, Javascript - I can see a huge developer base for this type of application. Think of it as a more casual application - it doesn't have to be Symbian Signed, it can be easily created and tested - and we'll probably see more of these Widgets in the short term future.
And with Nokia's MOSH acting as a platform to distribute applications and widgets, I see a bright future for the S60 platform.
Just seeing the black Nokia N82 variant already fills my eyes, and many others, with desire. It looks miles better than the silver and white versions of the N82 (in my opinion). For those of you located in countries where the N82 isn't released yet, here's some unboxing pictures for the new Black N82 (courtesy of FoneArena). Hopefully you can resist the urge of dropping to your local importers demanding they import one immediately.
[Esato, Softpedia] The Nokia N82 was voted today as the Best Mobile Imaging Device of the year by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA). This further consolidates the fact that the N82 is one of the leading, if not the leader, of camera phones in today's world.
"We are very excited to hear that the Nokia N82 has been recognized for its excellent imaging features," says Juha Kokkonen, Director for Nokia N-Series devices. "The Nokia N82 is an excellent example of how converged devices entirely change the way people contribute to and share on the internet by combining strong camera capabilities with built-in A-GPS and an array of connectivity features."
The N82 is available in 3 colours - silver, black and white - and is one of the most wanted high-end smartphones in the market (The black N82 was sold out in its first day).
Skype has just released their long awaited client for VoIP services for normal mobile phones as a beta software earlier today. It's available for a range of Nokia phones, and since it's something new I decided to take a first look at this Skype client on my Nokia N82 and see if it really lives up to our expectations.
The application is coded in Java, so don't expect really spectacular speeds from the software. Not that I'm against Java or anything, but for the time being it's just not as nifty compared to native C++ coded applications.
Okay, enough about programming jargon. Rather than using data connections (3G/EDGE/WiFi) to process calls, this is stated on the official Skype page:
How Much Does It Cost?
Call Skype contacts
The cost of a local or national call on your mobile (or use your inclusive minutes).
IM and being online
There’s a data charge from your operator. A person with 20 contacts, who’s online for 1 hour, IMs for 10 minutes and has a 20 minute call each day will use about 1MB of data per month. The more data you use, the higher your charges may be.
Receive calls from Skype contacts
If you receive a call in the UK, you pay our SkypeOut rate for a call to a UK mobile. If you're in Estonia, you pay our rate for a call to an Estonia mobile and so on.
Receive calls to your SkypeIn number
Same as above.
This basically means that Skype-Skype calls are based on your phone plan's minutes rather than being a 'free and unlimited' call, as it is on the Desktop. And suppose that a relative or friend from abroad calls you via Skype - you've got to pay for the incoming call at the SkypeOut rate too! It sounds like a deal between Skype and local operators, and I think this might be just a bit too much for consumers to accept...
Now to the interface:
Looking familiar? It's quite simple but very effective - there really isn't any need to put so much information, as space is basically real estate on screens that have a 320 x 240 resolution.
Clicking on a user gives a few options: "Chat" or "View Profile". No "Call" option. Yes, in this beta you can only receive calls from others via your service provider, and the lack of ability to call others really hampers the usefulness of this software. I honestly can't see myself using this if I'm only allowed to receive calls on it.
And that's about all the special features on the official Skype client. Eagerly awaited by the masses - but I think it's somewhat of a disappointment considering the fact that you can't make outgoing calls, it uses your phone plan minutes rather than data for receiving calls, and calls from abroad are charged at SkypeOut rates. There's still plenty of potential for improvements before the final release, so I hope more is done in the meantime.
You can get the client here!
PhoneDaily, a Hong Kong magazine, has reported that the Black version of the Nokia N82 is making its debut here in Hong Kong and parts of China this week. I think everyone's desperate for some pictures, so here's a first look at the Nokia N82 Black version released in Hong Kong:
And here it is using Flash Lite 3 to play a Youtube video straight from the desktop version of the site:
Furthermore, it's also been revealed that you can choose to view the Youtube video either in the standalone Flash Player or on the website, which makes it a very attractive feature - Youtube videos, full screen on the 2.4" screen on the N82. If you can't read the Chinese, the menu below is basically prompting the user whether to open the Flash video from the website or via the integrated Flash Player.
The article also mentions that stores retailing the Black N82 were completely sold out on the first day, given the popularity of the Black N82. I'm not surprised there - but it could be a few more weeks before we'll see it popping up on the store displays again.
Best of all, it's going for HK$3680, which is the same price as the normal silver version that was released last December. That's only US$472, €299 or £237 - and there is no sales tax in Hong Kong. Importers for foreign countries should probably take note of the price now :)
Interested in creating widgets for the S60 platform? It's all possible now with the Nokia Forums dedicating a part of it specifically for Widget development. Topics range from adding Flash support, to setting up RSS, to even the most basic guides of all: how to create a widget.
It's "the" place for S60 widget developers to hang out, so if you're one of them, head over and take a look! The forum based on the Wiki platform, so registered members are able to contribute and create articles. Furthermore, other languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Brazilian and Russian is also supported, so ther users not just limited to say, European and American regions.
In the face of the v20.0.062 update (which provides Flash Lite 3, Web Runtime, and Geotagging support), many people have no idea whether their N82's have an update waiting for them or not. Here's how you can check.
Head over to this Nokia page which can determine whether the update has been released to you or not. Simply turn your phone off, remove the battery and key in the product code of your specific N82, and the page will inform you whether the update is out yet for your phone or not.
The product code determines the area of which you purchased your phone, and Nokia rolls out its updates to particular areas first before others (i.e. Europe first, before Asia, before the rest of the world).
Seems that Nokia is stepping up its updates for the company's flagship products - after the N95's update for Flash Lite 3 support, it's the N82's turn.
Firmware ver 20.0.062 has been spotted by the Symbian Freak, and brings a bunch of goodies for the N82. There's the Flash Lite 3, which allows N82 and N95 users to access Youtube Desktop version, rather than the crappy mobile one (although you could technically get Youtube clips via emTube or Youtube Mobile); the new inclusion of widgets, which run under the S60 browser; Location tagging, which doesn't need much mentioning; and lastly, support for Bluetooth Remote Control Profiles.
A full list of updates is available from the Symbian Freak article.
I'm not sure if it is widely available yet, as I just checked (10/4/2008) on my N82 (which has the Hong Kong region firmware on it) and it isn't available as an update from Nokia Software Update. Seems that Nokia is slowly rolling out the update across the regions, starting with Europe.
