The Nokia Guide

Nokia introduces cheaper E71 in the form of the E63

What happens when you take the ultra successful Nokia E71 and offer it at a lower price level? You get the newly released E63 of course!  The E63 joins the 5800 XpressMusic in being  capable devices offered at a reasonably low MSRP. Could it be that Nokia is starting a trend here:  high on features, low price? I certainly hope so. Just like the E71, the E63 sports the S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1. At the low 199 EUROS you do give up on some of the features.

The E63 is actually thicker and you do lose that metal body found on the E71. Obviously at this price range a few things had to  taken out, these include: the GPS, infrared, Auto focus and HSDPA. The camera is now 2 megapixel instead of the 3.2Megapixel found on the E71.  On the other you it’s the first Eseries with a 3.5mm audio jack and the flash light can now be used as a torch. The keyboard has reportedly been redesigned, with “Ctrl”, “Chr” , “/” and “@” all on separate keys.

The Nokia E63 also includes Files on Ovi, a service where people can get remote access to their PC files even when their computer is offline. Anyone buying the handset will have access to 1GB of online file storage for free. 

 The Nokia E63 will be available in ruby red or ultramarine blue

Via: Dialaphone and Allaboutsymbian

Face the Task # 1: Ninja performing Levitation Act

Channeling a few ancient Ninja powers, Ninja Devin performs with the help of his trusty N96 a feat that most Ninjas won’t even dare doing: the Levitation Act. For those wondering, the help of the Photoshop Gods has not been used; in fact no digital trickery has been used. Take a closer look at the images and behold the power the ancient power of the Ninjas.

   

Facing the task: A late Ninja is still a Ninja

With some very high temperatures, being a Ninja in the tropics isn’t easy and despite having some of Ninja wear for the Fall season being left behind in the far country overseas where all Ninjas come from, a Ninja is still a Ninja! Having mastered the art of the mythical Nseries for years, it’s time to step up to the challenge!

During this trial period, this Ninja will have to prove himself by completing the weekly challenge. All is not lost as I will have the trusty N96 by my side. If completed in a suitably intriguing way, then I’ll be able to win five extended N96 trials for some of you, potential Ninjas! My faith is in my trusty weapon, the N96.

As you can see my fellow Ninjas have started already started, including Ninja Mark, Ninja Dotsisx and Ninja Norman. I will follow in their footsteps as some have already finished their first task. If I don’t come back alive, all is not lost as all critical data will be uploaded to OVI Sync. Wish me good luck!

Nokia N85 launching in the UK

Nokia's wannabe flagship device, the N85, is set to launch tomorrow in the UK (Friday, October the 31^st), where it will available on all networks, well, except for  Vodafone.  Vodafone users will have to wait until the 1st December. With a feature set rivalling the flagship N96, in a smaller, refined package and truly impressive battery life, it’s something really worth getting exciting about for UK residents.

 The N85 is an impressive device, probably one of the best currently available, too bad that even a lesser equipped device such as the Samsung Pixon which is set to launch soon or even the Sony Ericsson Cybershot series have already entered the (8) Megapixel race.

  

 

The N85 will have an estimated retail price of EUR 450, before taxes and subsidies.

Credit: Dialaphone

The N96’s speedy write/read performance

For some time now Nseries users have been complaining about the slow speed when transferring files using the USB cable.  As indicated in this previous post, this slow performance was caused by the 0.8MB/s transfer speed when reading/writing to either internal memory (N95 8GB, N81 8GB) or memory card (The rest of the Nseries). Even The Symbian Guru indicated this in this post right here. Stating that: “Unfortunately for the N95-4, syncing media is usually a torturous experience. This is primarily due to its inability to transfer data above USB 1.1 speeds. What that roughly translates into is a “slow as a slug” data transfer rate. USB 1.1 data syncing through the mini-USB cable is single handedly the most crippling aspect of the N95-4 and Nokia should’ve known better than to release a Flagship Nseries handset with such limited data syncing bandwidth.”  In comes the N96, which reportedly has improved performance quite a bit. Let’s find out if any of this is true.

First up is the N96’s built-in 16GB memory. Using HD Tach, this is what we get:

This clearly shows how dramatically the N96 has been improved when it comes to transfer speed, beating even the Internet Tablets. With an average speed of about 8.5 MB/s  and even a burst speed of 9.2 MB/s , it’s fast!

Let’s see what type of numbers we can get once we use a microSD card.  I used the 2GB microSD card that was included with the N82, since my N96 sample didn’t come with the included 8GB microSDHC card. I also didn’t have my  16GB microSDHC card with me, but this test will be updated soon.

Even with the slow 2 GB microSDHC card, we still see the N96 lead the pack at 5.2MB/s. My guess is that with faster cards you will actually see higher number. So, with the N96 it actually makes sense to buy one of those faster “Ultra” branded cards.

Conclusion

Nokia has dramatically improved the N96 data transfer speed via USB, this is for both the internal 16GB and memory card, beating all previous Nseries devices, including the Internet Tablets that, that until now held the performance crown. If your planning on getting the most out of  the N96,  it actually makes sense to buy one of those “Ultra” branded cards as the N96 will definitely squeeze every drop of performance out of it. Hmm, I wonder how the N85 will perform…

A first look at the Nseries and the 16GB microSDHC cards

Sandisk has done it again! It wasn’t long ago we reached the amazing 8GB mark for storage in the tiny format called microSDHC. Now we have in fact doubled the capacity reaching an impressive 16GB  of storage on a medium no bigger than your average finger nail. The idea behind this post is try to clear misunderstandings behind the microSDHC format and see how a typical Nseries device, in this case the N82 black performs with the new 16GB cards.

Should business oriented devices sport touch screens?

During a recent Nokia webcast, different images where shown when all of the sudden what looks like a future Communicator-type device a la E90 was shown, this time with an updated design sporting a touch screen. With the announcement of devices like the Blackberry Storm set to be released by the end of the year, from manufacturer RIM, which traditionally has shied away from touch solutions, could start an all-round touch-phone craze, even in the traditional business type devices like the Eseries and Blackberry devices. Do you think business devices should stick to the traditional QWERTY keyboard or opt for both a keyboard/touch interface?

Update: My new device is…the wolf in sheeps clothing

After getting all my devices stolen, it was time to look for a new (main) device, sort of my everyday handset, the workhorse.  I had plenty to choose from. Could it be the mighty N96? How about the N85 with the impressive OLED screen?  Maybe the N82? Or just wait for the 5800 XpressMusic ? The N96 comes close to the N95 8GB I had, but adds an impressive 16GB of built-in memory and even a card slot for one of those capacious 16GB microSDHC cards, giving me a whopping 32 GB. Off course there’s also the DVB-H that I won’t be using for quite some time as you’d have to travel for thousands of miles to reach a country where it’s being used. The handset’s current price is well north of the $700 mark, making me rethink this decision. If it was going for around the $600+ range it would have stood a chance. The camera with its dual LED would be perfect for videos, but definitely worse than the N82, a device introduced back in 2007. The N85 isn’t quite available yet and while it has an impressive screen and improved battery life, microUSB charging and FP2, to me it seemed like too much of a wait for small upgrades. A solid device indeed, but I needed to buy ASAP. The same story goes for the 5800 XpressMusic, an impressive device, a breath of fresh air at an incredibly low price, but sadly it wasn’t available. My final decision, came down to an all-time favorite, in my opinion one of the best EVER from Nokia, the wolf in sheep’s clothing, the N82 Black.

Choosing the N82 was quite an easy decision: it’s available, prices are reasonable and has everything the N95 and N95 8GB have, in a compact, candy bar shaped design. No sliders to worry with, no moving parts to break. The screen is indeed smaller than what I’m used to and I do miss the media keys, but you gain what is essentially the best camera in the Nseries line. For a device that was introduced last, yet not even the lastest can match it when it comes to it’s camera and flash. I could always buy fancy point-and-shoot digital cameras or one of those pro DSLR’s, but this I could always have with me and with quality images at that. It’s also a decent music player with improved audio quality through it’s top-mounted 3.5mm audio jack (very important) instead of the side-placed one on the N95 8GB. But most importantly, like I said, it’s the wolf in sheep’s clothing. Unlike the N95 8GB and N96 that scream “look at me” and sometimes even “rob me”, the  N82 is small and looks simple and you’d never guess  all the things it does by looking at it. The ultimate wolf in (black) sheep’s clothing.

Should Nokia get more advanced S40 phones?

Feature wise, all of Nokia’s most advanced devices are in the Nseries/Eseries range, save for a few S60 non-Nseries/Eseries devices like 6220. The S40 line seem to be lacking in features when it comes to other devices like the Sony Ericsson C905 Cyber-Shot or soon-to be released models like the LG Renoir which is set to be released mid October according to phone4u. Why is it, that if I want a more features do I need to have get a smartphone. For many of us having a smartphone means flexibility to add the features that we want, but what about the consumer that wants a top-notch camera device without the need for the extra functionality and flexibility and in return gets simplicity? Devices like the LG Renoir sport impressive cameras (according to dialaphone, one of the best cameras for non-smartphone devices set to be released this year.) Is Nokia playing catch-up when it comes to S40 devices?

Confirmed: N96 screen auto-rotation doesn’t work on the right

In a previous post I asked myself why “doesn’t the auto-rotation work when you turn the N82 to the right?” When you turn the N82 and other devices with the built-in accelerometer and auto-screen rotation to the left, the screen automatically adjust to the correct landscape position. But trying the same thing with device facing the right, it stays stuck in portrait mode.

You would think that after months, they would implement this on the newly released N96, but sadly this is not the case. It is now confirmed that currently, the screen auto-rotation does not work when you turn the N96 to the right, but it does work nicely when turned to the left. Hopefully, this is something a new firmware can fix and while they are at it, they should fix this on older devices.

Is this a useful feature for you? Or are you happy with having the screen rotation work only on the left?

OVI Sync, a life saver.

Yesterday, in the early parts of the day our house was robbed, including my Nokia N800, N810, N95 8GB and a trial N81 8GB device I had in my room. One of the devices, a N91 8GB must have fallen underneath a pillow and was left behind by the robbers. Besides loosing my devices, I was worried about loosing all of my contacts information. All worried, I sat to think how I was going to get all my contact information back. The thought about loosing all of this data I had built up over the year was a scary one, definitely one I didn’t want to consider. But hey, I had to. Normally, I would use PC Suite or OVI Suite to sync this info with my notebook PC, but sadly even that was taken.

It wasn’t until a few hours later I realized that I had setup OVI Sync on my N95 8GB and had synced everything with the online OVI Sync service. All of my appointments, notes and contacts were safely stored online, ready to be access from any PC and sync with any new Nseries device I would purchase in the future. I could also remove the old device right from the online service and add the new one. This can be a handy feature for especially businessman, where literally the contacts are more important than the device itself, but hey it can be useful for anyone, in my case a life saver. This also proves the power of “Cloud Computing”, the idea of having all your data safely stored online, ready to be accessed from any PC and put on your next device.

Has OVI sync proven to be useful for you? Do you think Nokia should go for an entirely online (browser-based) phone management software?

Sandisk 16GB micro SDHC cards are almost here!

Our sources have informed us that the first shipment of Sandisk 16GB micro SDHC memory will be arriving shortly. Does before the end of September sound good to you? This should come as extra good news to all Nseries or other Nokia devices that are microSDHC compatible, but Nokia N95 8GB and N81 8GB users are of course out of luck this time.

Our sources tell us that the N95 passed the test with flying color using the firmware version 21.0.016. With older firmware versions: “the Nokia N95 will not handle the card well at all.” And that: “it may trigger some O/S freezing and rebooting when you try to open the Gallery or Music Player.” After upgrading the  firmware: “the phone performance was rock solid and we saw no more of the unpredictable behaviour.”

Over 10GB of music files were loaded onto the SanDisk card and based on the test we were informed that:

-Selecting music tracks via the File Manager was reportedly: “straightforward and quick.” We were also informed that the: “menu lists of music folders, and mp3 files from the memory card updating on the screen with no noticeable slowdown compared to onboard storage. (thats a massive improvement on early symbian phones).”

-“The playback of the tracks stored on the card was also faultless, without any skipping or buffering problems, from up to 320kbps encoded MP3 right down to lower bit rates.”

-“Going to the Gallery and into Tracks, or into the Music Player from the Music menu folder is a different matter. To those familiar with the Music Player app, this is where a scan of the card contents will commence to update the cached track list. Due to the large number of files (over 4000 MP3 files in this case) this process is very slow. However it is a once only operation, as after the first scan, the cached file is only needing a refresh. To avoid this lengthy scanning process it is possible to upload the tracklist via the Nokia PC Suite which stops your phone having to generate it for you.”

Once again it shows that having devices like the Nseries, that are firmware upgradeable is a must! It’s also clear that phones should not only come with built-in memory, but having a memory card slot makes them quite future proof.The first batch are set to arrive September the 23^rd

Be sure to check out our sponsored link to pre-order your sample right here, as they are set to arrive on the 23^rd.

Question: Is it only the flash that makes the N82’s pictures superior?

Despite having done various comparisons here at the Nokia Guide between the N82 and N95 8GB, the battle goes on! People are still unsure whether to get the N95 8GB with its unique form-factor and large screen or the N82’s compact size and amazing camera. One of the more talked about differences between these two devices is the camera and when talking about the camera there is one difference that is always mentioned: The Xenon flash on the N82. Based on the tests performed here, it’s obvious that Xenon will have the upper hand when it comes to low-light photography; this is even the case when compared to the newer dual LED-based devices. As Dotsisx at the Symbian-Guru has pointed out, the dual LED solution on the newer N96 and N85 are “still swept in pictures,” when compared to the N82. 

At the N82 launch we were told that it uses the same 5 megapixel camera module as the N95. With this in mind, many tend to explain this picture quality on the N82 as being “due to the inclusion of a Xenon flash”, but does this paint the full picture? If the Xenon flash is turned Off, would we see any differences? Let’s find out!

Despite using the same 5 megapixel camera module, these tests reveal that the N82 is better even when the flash is turned off. In the first test both devices were used to capture the fine details on a 50 Guilder bill. The bill has fine dots that are truly captured by the N82, while on the N95 8GB they appear to be almost washed out. In the second test the N82 shows colors that are true to the original and the overall image is much sharper. This difference can be explained by a better in-camera image processing software on the N82. Conclusion: The N82 takes better pictures not only because of superior flash, but also due to better image processing software. Based on these test it’s clear that if you have a N82, it would be a very good idea to hold on it, even as newer devices are coming out, as even these can’t quite match the mighty N82’s imaging powers.

Should all S60 3rd FP1 devices get transition effects like the N81?

As you may or may not know Nokia has strangely blessed both the N81 and N81 8GB with FP2 –style menu transition effects with the latest firmware v 20.0.056. Let me tell you, these effects simply look great and adds a breath of fresh air to the now familiar UI. I do have to wonder however, why the N95, N95 8GB and N82 haven’t received such effects in their latest firmware updates. I definitely don’t think it’s the hardware as these devices even have the far superior TI OMAP 2420 chipset, something the N81 lacks and just like the N81 they are FP1 devices. A N82 with FP2 menu effects like the ones on the N81 could very well prove to be a capable (and cheaper) alternative to the N85. Have a look at menu effects on the N81 with the latest firmware v 20.0.056, shouldn’t the N95, N95 8GB and N82 receive such an update?

OVI Suite adds DNLA (UPnP)-based Home Media Server capabilities

Just recently I decided to move from PC Suite to the new OVI Suite. OVI Suites sports a few features that PC Suite lacks and a hidden one that I recently found out about are the DNLA (UPnP)-based Home Media Server capabilities. This basically comes down to using your UPnP based device, in this case either the N95, N95 8GB, N82, N78, N96 and probably the N85 and N79 to share and control your media among your PC, notebook or other UPnP devices. All of this is wirelessly done via WLAN. Previously Nokia recommended the Home Media Server by SimpleCenter as a separate add-on, but this functionality is now finally fully integrated into OVI Suite. With this added functionality OVI suite with its online services is quickly becoming a very impressive all-in-one solution. In case you don’t have OVI Suite and are still using PC Suite, you could always use the Nokia recommended SimpleCenter software or Windows Media Player 11.

To access the feature in OVI suite, go to Tools and select “Home Media Server.” Here you can select the folders you want to share or turn media sharing OFF altogether. The latest version of OVI suite can be downloaded right here.

 

How has music progressed in the Nseries Part 1: Audio Quality

The legendary N91 and N91 8GB are known for their impressive audio quality through their 3.5mm audio jack. The N91 has impressed many with its audio quality that is said to rival any standalone audio players and is also said to belong to one of the best on the market, even after2-3 years after its launch. Yet it manages to do all of this, despite the fact that it’s not just a dedicated audio player. Over the years the N91 and N91 8GB have made way for a smaller device that this time is not only positioned as the best in music, but also the best in gaming: the N81 and N81 8GB. Armed with the equally impressive Shure SE530 In-Ear Monitors I wanted put a question that is asked a lot to rest: what is truly the best sounding Nseries device? The N91 (8GB) or the N81 (8GB)?For reference the N95 8GB was also used.

When I started listening to all three devices one thing became quite obvious: the N95 8GB was definitely not in the same league as the two others. The audio quality was not only lower, but there wasn’t enough volume headroom like on the N91 8GB and N81 8GB. The original N95 would score even lower due to some audio hiss, that isn’t present on the N95 8GB. To put things into perspective, the N95 8GB was quite an improvement when it comes to audio over the classic N95, yet both the N91 8GB and N81 8GB leave the N95 8GB FAR behind in the audio department. The N82 on the other hand slots in nicely between the N95 8GB and N91 8GB/N81 8GB.

I must say that the audio quality on both the N91 8GB and N81 GB is extremely impressive and will easily get the best out of any headphones, earphones or IEM and could easily rival any dedicated audio player on the market. With ample storage capacity, all-in-one functionality and the fact that they could be considered “smart and connected” music players, I personally don’t see any reason to buy a dedicated music player. But which one is the best? First thing worth mentioning is that the N91 8GB and N81 8GB are awfully close when it comes to audio quality and the difference will most likely only be heard on high-end earphones like the Shure SE530. The N91 8GB does however have more audio volume headroom and overall produces a much clearer and dynamic sound. The N91 has an extremely clean output and overall produces the sound as intended, while N81 slightly colors the sound produced. There you have it! When it comes to audio quality, even after 2-3 years on the market, the N91 and N91 8GB are still the best when it comes to audio quality through the 3.5mm audio jack. The N81 and N81 8GB came just slightly below the N91 in terms of audio quality, but we can’t forget that the N81 does present a more convincing and overall smaller package.

I don’t know what Nokia used in the N91, but they should quickly apply that to newer devices as the N81 doesn’t seem to be quite there yet. With the announcement of the N79, N85 and soon-to-be-released N96 I’m wondering  (and hoping) that the N91 will finally be dethroned, but honestly I do not expect this to happen. For me, if the N91 had removable storage, I would stick to it and use it as my dedicated music player, until something equal or truly better comes along when it comes to audio quality.

I AM RICH iPhone app available for the Nokia N800/N810

By now most of you are aware of the $999 dollar “I AM RICH” app for the iPhone, if not, it’s basically a $999 application that displays a red gem (supposedly a Ruby) with a "secret" text saying: “I am rich I deserv it I am good, healthy and successful” Now you can have the N800/N810’s version of the app and add some serious bling to the Internet Tablet. Interestingly called “I AM FREE,” you can get the app for the unique price of only $0. However It does lack the secret mantra or the I AM RICH app’s startup animation, but hey considering the $999 price difference between the two apps I’d say it’s a steal! Get your I AM FREE app here.

Below, a look at the original IAM RICH app.

Nokia N800/N810 get first over-the-air update: Walk-through

Back in april when Nokia launched the N810 WIMAX edition they also promised an updated version Internet Tablet operating system 2008 in the form of the OS2008 Feature Upgrade, also known as Diablo. The upgraded OS2008 introduced several useful new features to the platform, including an enhanced e-mail client, support for Chinese character rendering in the browser and RSS feeds. But one of the more important upgrades was the”Seamless Software Update” functionality to eliminate manual software updates.

With my N800 connected to the Wi-Fi connection, I got a strange orange icon ( with exclamation mark)in the Status bar. Upon clicking this icon you are notified that there’s a “New Software update availble.” Here it shows  wheather it’s a Nokia software, Third party software or Operating system update. In this case it was an update for the Nokia software. You click to install via Application manager and it will show you that there’s  “OS2008 Feature Upgrade” that have to do with “Updates to Email and Browser stability. The file itself is about 14MB and brings to OS2008 Feature Upgrade to version 4.2008.30.2. Once you do proceed with the update you are asked to an optional backup.

 

It first dowbnloads the update and then restarts, where the screen actually stays dimly lit and the notification light blinks several times and voila, no more updates via the PC!

Tip of the day: Use message forwarding to copy

Trying to copy the text in a message you just received? Open the message, go to copy>forward. Hold down the “Pencil key” while pressing left or right on the D-pad. Once the entire text is selected, keep holding pencil key  and “Copy” should appear. Copy the text and voila! Go into any other app, press the Pencil-key and Paste the text.

Free alternatives to Files on OVI: Windows Live Skydrive and MailSpace

Cloud computing is here and here to stay. The idea of having your files and information in the “clouds” means that they are accessible from anywhere in the world, from any device. The idea really starts to take of once you put it to use on mobile devices such as smartphones like the N95, N82, N95 8GB or even Internet Tablets like the Nokia N810 or N800. Nokia’s recent launch of Files on OVI has sparked discussion about the rather high price. Judging by the other free file storage and sharing sites on the internet, the only way I think Files on OVI should go is the free route. In the mean time this has led many to look for cheaper or even free alternatives. 

One of the best solutions so far is Microsoft’s Live SkyDrive. Another web-based password protected online file storage system. While Files on OVI allows you to directly acces files on your PC, having the files on SkyDrive, accessible from your mobile device or PC is exactly the same thing. From my understanding Files on OVI would also require you to install software on your PC and have a PC turned on with an always on Internet connection, having a completely web-based solution like SkyDrive is better as you won’t have to worry about leaving your computer always on. It’s just a matter of uploading the files and having them always accessible.  And while Files on OVI does give you 10GB of storage, there’s no denying SkyDrive’s 5GB, which is completely free.

I tested it and works great on the N95 8GB and the N800. Although the interface doesn’t look that good on the N95 8GB’s screen, as you won’t see the browse button, but all you need to do is click on the vertical bars where you would enter the file’s directory.

The second alternative is a free app called MailSpace from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics’ Dept. of Automation and Applied Informaticswhich which uses your POP3 based email account to download and upload files, all from your S60 3^rd edition based devices. The site seems to be down at the moment, so you can download it here .

Do you know any free alternatives to Files on OVI?

The E71,the Gadget show’s hero

Recently I found about this great show called The Gadget Show, a program all about tech airing on UK’s channel 5. This is a UK only TV program, making it out of reach for the rest of the world, luckily I’ve been able to watch it on Joost, but because it isn’t quite up to date with the latest shows I’ve missed their latest comparison where they put the iPhone 3G against the Nokia E71.  Fortunately, the guys from Dialaphone found about this comparison and posted it in their first look of the E71. The E71 managed to equal the iPhone 3G’s 4 out of 5 score on the Gadget Show and guys from Dialaphone agree, calling the E71 vs iPhone 3G an “evenly matched battle that has gained so much attention.”

At first glance you’d be more inclined to put the N96 or even the N95 8GB against the iPhone, but once you think about the E71’s stylish and thin looks, it indeed could be a rethinking and even better alternative to the slim and almost button-less iPhone 3G. What do you think? Are the E71 and iPhone 3G evenly matched?

Tip of the day: E71 Auto-focus

Despite the lack of a dedicated shutter release button, the E71 has an Auto-focus  fuction. Just hold the letter “T” on the keypad in untill it has properly focused (inidicated by the green focus bracket) and press the D-pad to take the shot. If you want to recompose the shot, just press “T” once more to restart and press it again to re-focus.

Nokia E71: How much do you sacrifice on the multimedia front?

Judging by the Eseries and Nseries segmentation, it almost seems as if Nokia wants you to have both an Nseries device for Multimedia and an Eseries for work related tasks. For most of us however it will come down to just having one device that will have the difficult task of juggling both business and multimedia duties. One of these devices is of course the new and popular E71, which obviously shines when it comes to productivity. Until that magical device comes along that harmoniously does both business and pleasure, going Eseries means giving up on some of the multimedia performance and features. Yes, I know the E71 is a business device, but people still use it for multimedia consumption and creation, despite of what Nokia wants you to think.

For those of you looking to get the E71 and want to use it for both business and pleasure, this post is just for you! Let’s try to answer the following question: When it comes to choosing the E71how much do you loose on the multimedia side of things?

To answer this question the E71 will be compared against the obvious multimedia kings: The N95 8GB and N82.

Imaging(N95 8GB images first)

More megapixels doesn’t always mean a better camera, but the N95 8GB’s 5 Megapixel with it’s extra pixels (compared to the E71’s 3.2megapixel camera) means extra room when it comes to cropping.

During the day the N95 8GB is way ahead of the E71 when it comes pictures, but surprisingly the E71 does fairly well despite its business roots. Why is the N95 8GB ahead? Due to better dynamic range handling, better color accuracy and detail. The N82 is way ahead of both. In other words, the N82 is a camera replacement device, the N95 8GB can double as an emergency camera while the E71 has a bonus camera.

In low-light conditions the gap widens even more due to the E71’s lesser flash and noisy pictures.

On top of that the E71 lacks the N95 8GB’s Sports Scene mode. And while the E71 does have both the Single and Burst shot options, it lacks the 10 sec, 30 sec, 1, 5 and 10 minute interval shot timer. Other things missing on the E71 is the ability to set the Sharpness and ISO.

Video

The E71’s 320x240 video resolution at 15 fps is a dramatic step down from the N95 8GB’s 640x480 at 30 fps.  The lower frames per second means video that won’t look as smooth as the one on the N95 8GB. Frames per second aside, the higher res video will look better and less pixilated on high resolution screens or monitors.

Music

The E71 lacks that handy 3.5mm audio jack, which basically means not being able to use your own earphones (fans of expensive In-Ear-Monitor should look elsewhere) or plugging your device to portable speakers or speakers systems with an auxiliary 3.5mm audio jack. The audio quality on the E71 isn’t on par with the N82 and N95 8GB and way behind the N81 and N91. You could always use the a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adapter but that beats the idea of having a built-in, no-adapter solution.

When it comes to the built-in speakers, the E71’s top-mounted single speaker is loud, but isn’t as loud as the N95 8GB’s potent stereo speakers you’ll definitely hear the lack of the stereo effect.

Taking a look at the Music Player and you’ll see that most things are left intact expect for the lack Visualization effects on the N95 8GB and the option to set the currently playing song as the ringing tone.

No TV-out

With it’s out of-the box office editing options, having the TV-out function would have ideal for quick notebook-like editing with a Bluetooth keyboard or Powerpoint presentations. But for Multimedia it means no sharing of video and pictures on the big screen or just about any mobile related task you can think of including web surfing, chatting and Youtube.

No UPnP/DNLA

No UPnP means not being able to wirelessly connect to the ever growing list of UPnP/DNLA devices like the Playstation 3, Digital Video recorders, Audio-Video systems, Network attached storage systems, PC’s/Notebooks,  DVD players, Blu-ray recorders/players, Digital cameras and printers to send and receive digital media.

No Accelerometer

No accelerometer on the E71 means not being able to use those cool Shake application like ShakeSMS or FlipSilent or even getting that automatic screen rotation like the one on the N82 or N95 8GB.

No N-Gage

The E71 is still blessed with S60 goodness being able to install many native or Java apps, when it comes to N-Gage you are pretty much out of luck.

No Hardware accelerated 3D graphics

With the lack of the OMAP 2 chipset found in devices like N95, N93 and N82, the E71 lacks hardware accelerated 3D graphics which. With rumors floating around that 3D accelerated  graphics coming to N-Gage, we might see a performance and Graphics qualiry and effects gap between devices with and those without 3D acceleration.

Conclusion

Answering our initial question, the E71 lacks a lot in the multimedia department in the case you plan to use it as your main device. But I guess this is expected, especially in the case of camera and video performance. But not having things  3.5mm audio jack, TV-out and accelerometer are in my opinions BIG omissions and should be in any high-end Nokia device, whether it’s an Nseries or Eseries.

But, in the E71’s defense there is no denying the exceptional built-quality and QWERTY keyboard that simply cannot be matched by the N82 or N95 8GB. Another trademark feature of the Eseries which the Nseries lacks is the out-of-the-box editing features provided by Quick Office. Or what about those one-touch shortcut keys? Other things worth mentioning are the Active notes, the new Mode switcher, Speech text reader, enhanced Contacts version, Enhanced Calendar, Dictionary, to name a few things. Last but certainly not least, the E71 menu speed is way ahead of anything I’ve seen on the Nseries.

New Proporta Alu-leather case for the Nokia E71

Looking for more carrying options for the new E71? Proporta has created a pretty nice carrying option in the form of the E71 flip-type Alu-leather case. Just like previous Alu-leather cases, this one features what  Shure call the “Screen Saver System”, basically a sheet of Aluminium to line the Case, protecting the device from crushing and impact shocks. As extras it also has a memory card holder and a magnetic vehicle mount.

Should be available pretty soon.

   

Weather and moisture proof gadgets on the way!

Golden Shellback Waterproof Coating from gCaptain on Vimeo.

Golden Shellback is special coating that’s applied on electronic devices and is said to keep it safe from the elements. I can see something like this on future Nokia devices, but wouldn’t such a thing make cases obsolete? To give you a better idea of the product, this is what the official company website has to say;

“Golden Shellback coating is a unique coating that protects critical operational equipment against damage and loss of function caused by exposure to weather and moisture. It is ideal for application in the electronics industry.

Golden Shellback coating produces a vacuum deposited film that is nonflammable, has low toxicity and has the ability to weatherproof electronic devices and other surfaces. It contains no volatile organic combustibles (VOCs). The clear, nearly non-detectable, uniform film is insoluble in solvents. When applied to clean, moisture free surfaces, such as plastic, copper, aluminum, metal, ceramic, steel, tin or glass, the coating is transparent with excellent weather proofing and anti-corrosion properties.

Advantages

Golden Shellback coating has an excellent ability to repel oils, synthetic fluids, hazardous materials, dust, dirt and water based solutions. Low surface tension values, such as water and oils will bead and drain freely from coated surfaces. The process produces a uniform, continuous, near hermetic coating that resists rain and humidity. Electronics casually exposed to water continue to work even after exposure. The coating is readily applied and not generally considered to be removable. Repairs are made using abrasive methods. “

Via: Gizmodo