UCWEB Browser S60v3/v5

When browsing the web from your smartphone with the built in S60 internet browser or the Opera Mobile browser for Symbian, one thing is certain that the GPRS or 3G telecoms operator’s data charge per kilobyte can increase the monthly mobile phone usage bill significantly. Unless you are subscribed to an unlimited internet plan for your connection, it is almost impossible to care less about the usage when browsing the web on a regular basis.
The true fix to lower your monthly internet is to browse the internet from your smartphones or mobile less and less everyday, there is no way around it! However you can always, turn off showing the images and sounds and other heavy multimedia files on a website or blog to be displayed automatically, this should reduce your total kilobytes usage significantly. Then again, you can always try your luck with different mobile internet browsers that are available there including the ones like Skyfire, Opera Mobile etc. Lastly, when all hope is lost and you want to give up or you are going crazy and counting 1 to 100 backwards, behold: UCWEB Mobile Internet Browser!
Or, if you are an Airtel user or Airtel Live user, you can use the much tweaked version of UCWEB Mobile Internet Browser which uses a specific proxy or alternative server as its internet access point, thus eliminating your mobile operator’s browsing charge completely after the connection is made!!!! Other operators are also supported worldwide provided that you can manually tweak the settings of UCWEB browser and you know your specific Telecom Operator’sinternet access point to the parent server.
Free mobile internet is ensured from the get go and if you do not disconnect the connection (by running the app in the background) for 60 minutes then you will enjoy super high internet browsing speed from the 61st minute! The highest speed can be somewhere around 25 to 40 KB per second on any Nokia HSDPA, 3G, EDGE or GPRS powered smartphone. For the small screen, that is quite a good amount of speed!
Features of UCWEB Mobile Internet Browser:
UCWEB Mobile Internet Browser or UC Browser can be considered to be the Maxthon of mobile browsers around the world, whether you are on a PDA or a smartphone does not matter.
1. Browsing is fast with UCWEB for Symbian,
2. It offers easy downloading of files and multimedia,
3. It is compatible with WAP and Web based sites,
4. Can export and import browsing profiles and bookmarks from one device to the other,
5. Comes with multiple E-mail services and Search Engines already integrated,
6. Supports all types of feed syndication protocols like ATOM and RSS and
7. Lets you customize your home page with speed dial links (like in Opera Desktop Browser or any other browser where Google Toolbar is installed)!
All the features of Opera Mobile, Opera Mini and Skyfire seems to be already integrated in UCWEB mobile internet browser but why is it any different than the rest? It is because it has even more features in its arsenal.

Advanced and Unique Features:
Alrighty then, with all those being said, let us get into the details of the more unique features of this symbian based UCWEB Mobile Internet Browser and see why this customizable mobile browser is different than the others.
1) Perfect browsing optimization of any website for your mobile phone’s specific display screen. As you can see on the image below, the example website is automatically resized, compressed and fitted on the 240×320 pixels of the smartphone dynamically. Zero loss of navigational links can be seen on the mobile version of the site when browsed with UC Browser and the total size of the webpage is reduced to provide you a  faster browsing experience altogether.
2) With UC Browser installed on your Series 60 symbian device you can manually save any displayed image, audio etc. to the local memory storage (memory card or phone memory) of your smartphone. You can then simply connect your phone to the PC or simply browse from the phone with a file explorer to the chosen folder where the file you have saved is located and view it later.
3) UC Browser supports viewing of multiple attachment types like the PDF, DOC, FLV etc. Whether the file you want to view is embedded in the inbox of your email account or it is simply hyperlinked on a webpage makes it no different because UCWEB Browser supports the both of them.

4) Opera Mobile and Opera Mini like browsing History functions are also present in UCWEB Browser. This means you can have one touch access to the last browsed web location even after you restart UCWEB browser at a later time! Resuming the web browsing sessions are as easy as 123 with UCWEB Browser for 3rd edition and 5th edition Symbian.
5) With UCWEB mobile internet browser you can navigate a multiple number of pages at the same time. Just like any standardized desktop internet browser, you can open, switch or close multiple number windows or tabs (and a group of windows) at the same time.
6) UCWEB smartphone browser recognizes and automatically inputs any of the last visited website or blog’s addresses when you start to type the first few alphabets of  the address you are willing to visit. This makes UCWEB browser an efficient and intelligent time saving machine for any regularmobile internet or WAP user as it lets you skip address inputs significantly by not repeating the same URL over and over again from your smartphone.

7) An awesome, much overlooked, function of UCWEB browser is that it lets you choose the way a specific image is displayed on a web page. For example, consider the page you are in right now, our blog have a whole lotta images on it. Some are important and specific to a single post of the blog (specifically this UCWEB one) and are not repeated on other pages. UCWEB can recognize the post-specific or page-specific images and provide you an option to view the image or take any other action based on your need. This ensures proper or full display of the important content specific images to bedisplayed in full view and display other images (like the common images on the sidebar) to be ignored altogether, thus saving you tons of monthlymobile internet usage fees.
There are a whole lot of other useful features that UCWEB internet browser for mobile brings with it and it will take me ten pages to focus each one of them so I will skip them altogether. But rest assured, UCWEBinternet browser is one hell of a must have mobile application for any smartphone user looking to lower their monthly usage without giving up the existingmobile internet browsing experience!
Please read through the ‘Read Me’ files included in the download to pick a proxy server which will enable you to bypass internet usage of your telecom operator easily and legally. Without choosing any one of the 3 differentinternet access points/proxy server fixes, free internet will not work. The 2nd version of the 3 provided server files is recommended by me although all 3 should work regardless. Cheers!
UCWEB Browser is compatible with a wide range of Nokia devices from the 3rd edition and 5th edition symbian N-Series, XpressMusic and E-Series family. Nokia N96, N85, N78, N79, N80, N82, N91, N81, N92, N93, N95, Nokia N97, N95 8gb, N73, N71, N76, N77, N75, N86, 6120, 6121, E65, E50, E51, E60, E61, E62, E66, E71, the newly introduced Nokia E72, E70, E90, E66, Nokia E63, 5800 Touch UI phone, 5700, 5290, 5300 etc and more

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WeFi v1.08 S60v3 SymbianOS9.x Signed

WeFi for Symbian is the best software for finding and connecting to wireless networks with your Nokia phone.
If you enjoy Internet browsing from your Nokia, or watching video, or downloading music or even playing cool graphic games and multimedia utilities, you know that your cellular data plan sucks – you never get what you want fast enough, and it always costs too much.
If you have a wiFi-enabled Nokia phone, what you really need is to use Wi-Fi as much as possible. With WeFi on your Nokia you will always get connected to free open Wi-Fi whenever possible.
With WeFi, you always get optimal WiFi connection, keeping the battery usage at a minimum. With WeFi software you don’t need to manually select WiFi networks. Instead, WeFi software automatically searches for an open, reliable WiFi networks and connects you to the Internet. WeFi will also gets information about available wireless network from WeFi’s global database, improving the quality and speed of connection even more.


Awesome features are already in!
* Verified internet access
* Automatic connection to the best spot
* A comprehensive backend system that uses Wi-Fi data gathered by the entire community (coming soon)
* Constant checks of your surroundings to provide you the best Wi-Fi on demand
System requirements:-
Symbian S60 3rd Ed, 3rd Ed FP1, 3rd Ed FP2, 5th Ed
Devices:-
Nokia E51, E55, E60, E61, E61i, E63, E65, E66, E70, E71, E71x, E72, E75, E90, N78, N79, N80, N81, N81 8GB, N82, N85, N86, N92, N93, N93i, N95, N95 8GB, N96, 5630, 5800, 6710

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15 Best EA Mobile Java Games

15 Best EA Mobile Java Games
All Games Working On Any Java Enabled Devices

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Screenshot for S60, S60 3rd

The following pictures shows the shortcut that you use to capture screenshots. There are several shortcuts that are supported by Screenshot for Symbian OS (S60). The default one is +. The key is sometimes called key or key. The key is the center of your joystick.

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Assassin’s Creed II

Renaissance Italy, 1486. Ezio, the son of Florentine nobles, seeks vengeance for his family name that has been tainted by the powerful and corrupted families of Italy. Assassin’s Creed II is an epic story of family, vengeance and conspiracy set in the pristine, yet brutal, backdrop of Renaissance Italy. This sequel retains the core gameplay experience that made the first opus a resounding success and features new experiences that will surprise and challenge players.
Play Ezio, an assassin in this epic action / adventure game set in Renaissance Italy. Use assassin skills & tricks to get your revenge.

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Felix The Devil 2

Far and away, in the times of glorious naval voyages and discoveries, Felix the Devil© meets the dangerous master of hells – Lucifer again. The king of devils remembers Felix very well and he recalls how he has recently outsmarted him when he escaped from his prison. He is angry that Felix does not suffer for the good deeds that he committed in the past.

Lucifer puts Felix into another prison, this time on an island known as the Island Kradan unknown to anybody else but pirates! He has locked him underground fortress, which pirates have abandoned. Help him escape!”

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Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Force Recon

Modern Warfare 2 – the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare”. Modern Warfare 2: Force Recon continues the gripping and heart-racing action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse.

Language: EN, DE, ES, FR, IT, PT

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Opera Mobile 10 Beta1 S60v3 SymbianOS9.x Signed

New in Opera Mobile 10

Intuitive interface:
Opera Mobile 10 beta boasts a powerful new user interface. Merging the best from our desktop browser with new innovations for mobile phones, Opera Mobile is advanced and highly intuitive to use.
Faster browsing:
Opera Mobile 10 beta is faster at rendering pages, zooming, panning and almost everything else you do with a browser. Page downloading is now 50% faster than the previous version of Opera for Symbian/S60 phones.
Speed Dial:
Get to your favorite Web page with just one click, with a set of visual bookmarks that appear when you open a new tab. To add a new page, simply click on an empty Speed Dial slot.
Tabs:

With tabbed browsing, you no longer need to interrupt one session to start another. Check your Web mail in one window, Facebook in another, Twitter in a third and all that while checking the latest sports results.
And, much more…

System requirements:-
Symbian S60 3rd Ed, 3rd Ed FP1, 3rd Ed FP2, 5th Ed
Devices:-
Nokia E51, E55, E60, E61, E61i, E63, E65, E66, E70, E71, E71x, E72, E75, E90, N78, N79, N80, N81, N81 8GB, N82, N85, N86, N92, N93, N93i, N95, N95 8GB, N96, 5630, 5800, 6710

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Nokia N79 Review

After the recent onslaught of phones that offer full frontal touchscreens and 8-megapixel cameras it is a bit of a relief to spend a week with an ordinary looking, candybar handset that has a standard numberpad where you expect to find it.

Of course, this being a Nokia N-series handset there is a lot going on here. And you are going to need fairly deep pockets if you want the N79 SIM-free because it'll set you back more than £300 in that guise. It ought to be available free on monthly contracts before long, but I couldn't see any evidence of that online as I wrote this review. Maybe you will by the time you read it.

With N-series handsets coming through thick and fast at the moment, Nokia has to work hard to differentiate between them. But in N-series terms, the N79 is a phone with mid-range specs.

However, before I get to the internals, a quick word about the look and feel of this phone. I've already said it's a candybar type. It weighs a very acceptable 97g and measures 110mm tall, 49mm wide and 15mm thick. It's also very comfortable to hold.
The flat number pad is small, a sacrifice in order to give enough space for a 2.4in screen whose 320 x 240 pixels are clear and bright. You really do need the largest screen possible to appreciate the kinds of multimedia features Nokia offers on this handset and so the screen versus number pad compromise is one I'm prepared to live with. Still, if you find smaller keys difficult to use, you should try this handset out first before buying.

I like the accelerometer, which is one of the better implementations I've seen. It responded to turning the phone in my hand immediately and consistently.

Between the screen and number pad is a relatively large area given over to shortcut buttons. Very thin Call, End and softmenu buttons are accompanied by a pair of flat keys that take you to the Nokia menu and offer the clear function. To the far left is the Nokia Multimedia Key so familiar on N-series handsets these days. This takes you to a revolving menu of multimedia features such as the Internet, music, photos, and gaming.
The navi wheel has an iPod-like scrolling capability which you can enable or disable as you see fit. It's not as responsive or intuitive as Apple's version but it does work and some people will prefer it. One thing I really do like is the slider on the top edge of the handset which locks and unlocks the phone.

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Nokia N79

    

Introduction / Preview : Nokia N79

Nokia N79, the latest addition to the Nokia Nseries range that combines intelligent and customisable design with a fully-loaded multimedia computer. Behind its sleek exterior, the Nokia N79 is a technology powerhouse. It offers a full range of multimedia experiences including integrated navigation, music with FM transmitter, high-speed connectivity, superior web browsing, at least 10 pre-loaded N-Gage games and a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The Nokia N79 is expected to begin shipping in October 2008, with an estimated retail price of EUR 350, before taxes and subsidies. The Nokia N79 comes with Xpress-on smart covers that are available in five cool colors: Light Sea Blue, Espresso Brown, Olive Green, White and Coral Red. A combination of three of these comes with each Nokia N79.
The convergence of photos, music and navigation in the Nokia N79 combines with high-speed 3.5G HSDPA and Wi-Fi to make it quick and easy to share experiences on websites, blogs or online communities.
Nokia Maps makes it easy to explore and navigate new surroundings by accessing more than 15 million points of interest (POI). In-built A-GPS providing turn-by-turn navigation - for walking or driving - comes with a three month integrated license on the Nokia N79.
Experience new discoveries
The innovative technology packed into this colourful offering means that accessing a rich pool of services to further enhance individual experiences is seamless. Log on to online communities like Friendster, Flickr or YouTube or click through to Nokia services such as the Nokia Music Store, N-Gage, Nokia Maps and Share on Ovi, an online service that enables consumers to share personal pictures and videos from their mobile devices.
The 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED flash and video light captures sharp, clear images and video that can be edited immediately, without the need for a PC. Images can also be geotagged to specific locations. What's more, the Nokia N79 comes packaged with a 4 GB microSD memory card that makes it possible to store around 3,000 songs, approximately 2,500 pictures and up to four hours of DVD-quality video clips that can be organized by albums or tags and uploaded directly to Share on Ovi or third party services. The addition of a sliding lens cover helps protect the top-quality lens when not in use.
A Friendster widget will also be made available for the Nokia N79 via the WidSets service. This will allow people to browse Friendster friends' profiles, view and post shoutouts, upload pictures taken with their handset, and browse their own and friends' photo albums. All this enables more effective communication with friends while away from a computer using the Nokia N79. New users can even register for Friendster directly on their device via a link to Friendster's mobile site (m.friendster.com), create an account, and instantly begin participating in the Friendster global community.
To ensure each device is as distinctive as its user, customisable features are available at the Nokia Download! store, a one stop personalisation shop, already embedded in Nokia Nseries devices. It lets consumers create a unique experience for themselves by offering easy access to a multitude of popular ringtones, branded entertainment content, the latest in mobile gaming and dynamic applications for personalising mobile devices to the user's own preferences.

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Experience The High Speed Connectivity With The Symbian Mobile Phones

In the modernistic era, mobile phones are one of the basic requirement of the ultra next generation. One requires these devices at almost every step. In the internet savvy world, every individual is looking for a handset which comes with internet facility. This change in preference has given birth to the Symbian mobile phones. In fact, there are many companies like BlackBerry, HTC, Motorola etc., which are dealing in the wide range of such gadgets. These are very much similar to other smartphones. In fact, such gizmo are in great demand among every age group. Apart from all, these comes with Wi-Fi facility.
Nowadays, the mobile phones are not only used for communication purpose. But, these handsets are also considered as a ultimate source of entertainment. The Symbian smartphones are the best example of change taken place in telecommunication sector. These gadgets work on the Symbian operating system which can be broadly classified into different versions like v9.4, Series 60 etc. These devices include various advanced technologies such as HSDPA, HSUPA, EDGE and GPRS. These technologies actually transfer the data at much fast speed and hence provide better connectivity. Below specifications of some best Symbian handsets like Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou), Samsung i8910 Omnia HD and Nokia N97 mini are discussed in brief.
The Sony Ericsson Satio (Idou) is a awesome smartphone. It has 3.5 inches TFT touchscreen which displays sixteen million colours. It is one of the best among the Symbian mobile phones. This stylish gizmo comes with memory of 128 megabytes. It also consists external memory of 8 gigabytes which can be extend up to 32 gigabytes through microSD (transflash). Apart from all, it runs on the Symbian Series 60, 5th edition operating system. This handset supports 2G as well as 3G technologies. Furthermore, it comes with Google maps, A-GPS support, RSS reader and many more. Therefore, with this device, the user can anytime and anywhere chat with others by sending email or instant messaging.
The Samsung i8910 Omnia HD is a gorgeous looking mobile phone. The overall size of this handset is quite large in comparison with other standard size gadgets. This smartphone runs on the Symbian operating system v9.4 Series 60 rel. 5. Furthermore, it includes various upgraded technologies. This gizmo consists memory of 8 or 16 gigabytes which can be extend up to 32 gigabytes by inserting memory card. Apart from all, it comes with document viewer feature through which one can read his files which support different formats.

The Nokia N97 mini comes with a slide out mechanism. It has 3.2 inches TFT resistive touchscreen. It works on the Symbian operating system v9.4, Series 60 rel. 5. In fact, it allows users to surf internet which works on quad band GSM network. So, an individual can easily connect to his friends by accessing various social networking websites. It comes with A-GPS support, Nokia maps and many more. This trendy gadget includes memory of eight gigabytes which can be extended up to sixteen gigabytes by microSD (transflash).
All the above mentioned are the fabulous smartphones. These are loaded with many innovative features which can really create anxiety among the users. These Symbian mobile phones comes with Bluetooth and USB. Therefore, an individual can transfer tons of data from these handsets to any other compatible device. In fact, these are especially designed as per the requirement of the fast growing generation. Such gadgets can create turmoil among the population.
Andrew Mathew author and publishing for Telecommunication. For more information on latest mobile phone deals with Symbian phones with free gifts visit our online mobile phone shop.

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Nokia N900 first PREview

Eldar you lucky bastard! Always the first to get your hands on the kit that makes us drool. Looks like Eldar’s been able, once again, to get an exclusive hands-on with the still-unofficial Nokia N900 – the Internet Tablet that’s supposed to surface real soon, boasting the latest incarnation of the Maemo – a Linux-based Operating System in case you live under a rock.



It’s no secret anymore, Nokia’s secret weapon for 2009 (and the first 2 quarters of the year to follow) has been uncovered, and while they were able to conceal their 2008 secret weapon – the N97 – up till the day of the announcement, they haven’t been able to do that this year. Two weeks prior to Nokia World and the IFA – both taking place in Germany – this leak is big.

It seems that the new N900 will offer much more than what the previous two tablets had brought to the table (the N800 and N810). This time, the N900 resembles a more mature N97 – one which comes with a shiny new armor, the latest OS which Nokia plans to show off. Apple, Android, HTC (still going the extra mile to hide WinMo under a smooth layer of touch-sensitive UI they call TouchFlo), be afraid; be very afraid.

From what Eldar has said, you can actually presume that the touch-screen is much more sensitive, the graphics are stunning (hence my favorite picture at the beginning of this post), and the overall feel is awesome. The keyboard is still 3 rows, something I would have loved to see has changed with this device. Alas, the oh-so criticized right-hand side space key is still there; however, the arrows have now moved to the right and the symbol key, the shift and the function (FN) key are all piled up to the left. Thank the lord of mobile phones for that.

Sporting exactly the same amount of inbuilt memory as the N97 (32GB), the N900 runs a different OS (codename Fremantle) that’s meant to be the Maemo 5. It also has a smaller battery compared to the N97 (the latter has a 1500mAh vs. 1320mAh for N900), and a different processor. It will ship with the ARM Cortex-A8, and I’m quoting ARM.com for explanation:

“The ARM CortexTM-A8 processor is the first applications processor based on the ARMv7 architecture and is the highest performance, most power-efficient processor available from ARM. With the ability to scale in speed from 600MHz to greater than 1GHz, the Cortex-A8 processor can meet the requirements for power-optimized mobile devices needing operation in less than 300mW; and performance-optimized consumer applications requiring 2000 Dhrystone MIPS. The Cortex-A8 processor is ARM’s first superscalar processor featuring technology for enhanced code density and performance, NEON™ technology for multimedia and signal processing, and Jazelle® RCT (Runtime Compilation Target) technology for efficient support of ahead-of-time and just-in-time compilation of Java and other bytecode languages.”

Pretty geeky terms huh? Let me sum that up for you: F-A-S-T, fast.

The device will have to be too darn fast, and I’m assuming the Toshiba TG01 will be much compared with it since the latter sports a 1GHz processor and a whopping 4.1” touchscreen. Also, with Qualcomm’s Snapdraggon chip being shipped within the latest but still-unseen Smartbooks, this should get really interesting. Oh, and let’s not forget Nokia and Intel’s joint venture some while ago. Does anyone smell a new powerful breed of mobile phones/ultra-small netbooks/call-it-whatever-you-want surfacing soon? I’d like to believe so.

Jump to this link to read more about Eldar’s first impressions and bear in mind that with the addition of a SIM card to the Internet Tablets, we might as well see another name emerging this fall. Will Nokia remain faithful to Symbian or will Maemo be the next OS empowering the Finnish flagship devices? This’ll only keep getting better…

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iPhone R.I.P - Long live N900

Talk about iPhone killers! I think what the world of tech has seen 2 days ago was something that’ll go down in history. Let’s start with some numbers; 7 million page loads on www.maemo.nokia.com in the first 6 hours; 12 million page loads up till the second day… The whole world was logging in to check out a new device. Maemo and Nokia N900 quickly became trending topics on Twitter, went up that list like a fat kid trailing an ice-cream truck. Personally, I think it’s this year’s best announcement so far. So far…

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Nokia E72 Full Review

I’ve spent the last week with a Finnish device that has a heavy burden on the shoulders: to stand up to all E71 lovers’ expectations and perhaps draw in a dozen Nseries fanatics. Usually, the more you expect from a certain a device the less you tend to like if it fails to deliver. Like when the N97 came out, we all thought it was going to be THE Nokia device that will replace all. Unfortunately, the N97 needed and still needs a bit of tweaking and upgrading to live up to that hype. The E72, well, it did not disappoint me. Truth be told, whatever I expected it to be turned out a fact, and though I had been a hardcore E71 user and Eseries lover for the past year, I’m totally convinced the shift to the E72 is justified. It should be made.



I’ll make you a check list and you can decide afterwards: (not in order of preference)

Crucial changes:
- 5 megapixel camera (improved flash + panorama mode + focal length)
- 3.5 mm audio jack and located on top
- 600 MHz processor
- Feature Pack 2 (with all the goodies it brings)
- USB and normal charging
- Improved screen (colors and illumination)
- Improved keyboard and d-pad illumination
- VGA video recording
- Faster data transfer in mass storage mode
- HSUPA and HSDPA up to 10.2 Mbits
- Better browser
- Accelerometer (turning and maybe* tapping controls)
- Magnetometer (built-in compass)

Cool Upgrades:
- 250 MB of internal memory
- Optical Navi Key
- Two additional keys for the keyboard and remapped shortcuts
- Improved battery life
- Less crammed one-touch/soft keys
- Usable front camera
- Native Nokia Messaging app
- 4GB microSD card included
- Usable flashlight
- Better located volume keys
- Cooler-looking USB and microSD ports
- Nice choice of colors
- Active noise cancelation
- FM RDS Radio

All that is still crammed inside the same ultra-slim package we’ve all fallen in love with. So if all the above does not convince you to go for the E72, or at least make the upgrade from the E71, I don’t know what will.


Getting a little picky here, here's what I would have loved to see on the E72:
- OLED screen
- 192 or 256 MB of RAM
- A second speaker (2 speakers at the bottom of the phone, one on each side)
- The low dash or “underscore” _ symbol on a key instead of the symbols menu
- FM Transmitter

Maybe on the E72's successor, Nokia?

Looking back at the N95 – end of 2006, it was the most amazing pocketable gadget of that time, and it kept that title for quite a while. Though the E72 doesn’t bring a breakthrough in technology to the Finnish company's portfolio – the GPS, the 5-meg camera, the microSD card, the accelerometer… were and are still here, the E72 can dominate easily. You see my perspective is that in a world where powerful devices emerge day after day, ones that are capable of taking snaps at 12 megapixels, recording video for hours on gigabytes of internal storage, and processing data at higher speeds; ones that sport several inches of screen, multiple speakers, touch-sensitive displays, sliding/tilting/swiveling/transforming mechanisms; ones that come in funky colors, with cool accessories and all the bells and whistles… (you get the point). In this type of world, it’s always nice to settle for the device that does it all, and does it well. That would be the E72.

It doesn’t take 12-meg pics but takes damn good 5-meg ones. It doesn’t have 64GB of memory, but can be upgraded to a decent 16. It doesn’t have a touchscreen but has an AMAZING full keyboard. It doesn’t have the 1GHz processor or the 256MB of RAM, but still works like a dream. It doesn’t mutate into some other kind of gadget or slides up and down, but has the greatest build quality. Like. Ever. It doesn’t have the world’s best push email service, but hey MfE and Nokia Messaging do a pretty decent job for me. It doesn’t have stereo amplifiers but a single loud and proud speaker… I can go on for hours, but I won’t, because once again you get the picture.

E71 users, if you ask me that single question on your minds right now “should I make the switch?” I say HELL YES.

The infrared port is gone, but if that’s reason enough for you to abstain from buying the E72, well, it’s either you’re nuts, or you have a really old laptop running Windows 95. In both cases, you’re reading the wrong blog buddy.

As for other users, it totally depends on your needs, more on your taste. I can only think of one non-qwerty device that's capable of performing equally well right now, and that's the N86. I was asked on Twitter by a friend to choose between the N97 (my current handset) and the E72. I replied “easy, the N97. I’m a multimedia-oriented user”. Well, a week from that reply, and I already feel like a fool for doubting the E72’s capabilities. I do love huge screens; I like the touch displays; I love a nice big keyboard, colossal memories, widgets, etc. But for some reason, I cannot take my SIM card out of the E72 and put it back where it used to belong. I cannot even switch back to my now-old E71. My E72 comes in a much smaller package, yet seems to do everything that the N97 does. Sometimes even better. Let's not go into details here but just think... Generally speaking, this is quite true.

When all is said and done, the E72 remains true to the Eseries saga, more accurately to the saga that the E71 has created. Not the E70 or the E75. The E71. Worth the upgrade? Yes. Worth the money? Definitely. Two thumbs up for it, and all the star ratings that you want.

So my final question to you Nokia is: how will you improve the E72 next year? Go ahead, impress me.


This concludes my thorough review of the E72. It’s been almost a week only, so there’s much room for further testing. That’s why, below, you’ll find the REQUESTS section in which I will try to answer all the questions that have been posted as comments. Also, any aspect of the phone that hasn’t been fully tested within the review will be mentioned hereunder. In case your question hasn’t been answered yet, please be patient; it will be, as I am going through the comments one at a time by date preference. This section will be left open for future request so keep coming back to get updated and please post your recent questions on this page. Thank you!

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Nokia E52 and E55 gets Firmware Update to v22

Firmware version 22.009.202.01 now available for the Nokia E52. It appears to only be available via NSU, not OTA at this time in the UK, at least. The update most likely consists primairly of bug fixes. For example, there are no noticeable additions like the Podcasting app or Internet radio are present. It may be worth upgrading if you're having problems, but beware - take your backup and restore as the NSU wipes the device clean. Update: of course the E52 should have UDP but just a warning that this one was wiped well and truly back to factory! A similar update is also available for the E55.

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Maps Booster enhances GPS performance in urban areas

Skyhook has launched a plug-in for the Positioning system in S60 phones, dubbed Maps Booster and illustrated/reviewed below. Essentially, Maps Booster hooks into the Location sub-system in Symbian OS and adds WiFi-based location services, especially useful in urban areas, where GPS struggles on account of tall buildings and lack of sky coverage. Read on for more.

Skyhook has been around for a while,  I interviewed them a couple of years ago, for AAS. Essentially, they maintain a (somewhat) self-healing up to date database of Wi-Fi access points across parts of the developed world, which they then make available to mapping software on various platforms. Try to get a mapping fix on an Apple iPod Touch and you're using Skyhook's system, for example.

They've now made this system available to S60 phone owners, via Maps Booster (support web site here), now available for selected devices (listed below) in the Nokia Ovi Store. The unique selling point is that the Skyhook system excels in dense urban environments, where GPS systems struggle to get a fix - the two location technologies thus complement each other well.

I live in a suburban area, but decided to give Maps Booster a try anyway:

 

After installation, confirmation that Maps Booster is installed and working

 

Within the standalone Maps Booster config utility - confirming accuracy (left), quite impressive and GPS comparable in a middle class UK suburban street with about 10 WiFi access points, and 'About' (right)

 

On the left, Google Maps with just Maps Booster enabled; on the right, with just GPS/Assisted-GPS enabled

You can see that, in suburbia anyway, the GPS fix is generally more accurate than the Skyhook/Maps Booster fix, in which case, the mapping software (Ovi Maps/Google Maps/anything else) will use the more accurate of the two. In covered areas (e.g. malls) and in dense areas (e.g. city centres), I'd expect Maps Booster to be much more reliable, and it's great to see it integrated so tightly into the Symbian Location system.
It's also worth noting that the Skyhook system doesn't work as well as GPS once you're moving (since the WiFi-scanning operation takes a finite number of seconds) and so is better suited to pedestrian use or in slow-moving urban traffic.
There are also caveats in terms of device support (see FAQ below) and database coverage (ditto, see the link), but Maps Booster is certainly something I'm going to keep loaded for those trips into The Big Smoke.....

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