a multi-tasked stream of consciousness or perhaps just emails to myself
The rumored Polar Bluetooth Wearlink revealed itself today as part of a new Nokia bundle combining the new N79 Active with an armband for sports use. Sportstracker is the key application keeping score and if desired even geo-tagging your media as you go. I love this idea and look forward to checking it out when it’s released.
Update – Press Release is here. Looks like it will be 375 Euros …
One issue I’ve had running Windows 7 was Nokia’s PC Suite refuses to install due to some privilege issues. I’ve tried a few tricks and it seems it’s just going to fail. The good news is that Ovi Suite installs just fine (except for Nokia Music which I will have to try separately in compatibility mode) and brings a sleek UI and connections to the Ovi.com portal. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my E71 was also able to connect even though it is not listed as a supported device. The E71 will actually only sync PIM data for the moment though … no media sync through Ovi Suite until it’s eventually supported (right Nokia??).
The real benefit though is that I now have a simple way to connect to my phone for a data connection which is something I do daily during my commute. I know there are other options but prefer DUN over Joikuspot or Walking Hotspot for a 2 device connection as the connection seems to just work better.
As you can see in the image above, my N79 is syncing while I’m typing this. I’ll give the rest of the suite a whirl over the next few days, but having this working is a big bonus running Windows 7!
Ricky beat me to blogging this, but I also had the same experience using the Nokia Software Checker on the N79. Nokia Software Checker appears on the newer Feature Pack 2 devices (N79, N85) and appears to be an application who’s sole purpose is to schedule checks against the firmware database.
In theory this is a very handy thing as having the latest software on your mobile tends to deliver new features and most importantly bug fixes. Â Updating firmware via FP2 is a simple non-destructive process so updating to the latest software is also painless. Â
Back to the Nokia Software Checker … I noticed this application on the N79 first and decided to try it last week. Â After pinging the Nokia server, I was told there was an update (not what update) and suggested I connect to my PC to run the software updater there instead of prompting me to check right on the device. Â Over the air updates are a key feature on these new devices and I was surprised to see it not referenced. Â I tried the OTA update anyway (homescreen > *#0000# > check for updates) and was told there was no new software available.
I’m not sure why there is a disconnect between the two applications and the database online here, but this is not a good way to create a positive user experience. Â I’ve not had the chance to try an update from my PC yet but I’m guessing that the software update via PC and Phone are in sync and that it’s the Nokia Software Checker that’s out of alignment.
Just getting going with both the new devices and decided to snap a quick picture following breakfast today …
First the N85:
And now the N79:
Aside from the “pilot error” in focusing on slightly different parts of the plate, I’d call this pretty even. Both devices offer Carl Zeiss 5MP AutoFocusing optics and response time is excellent. The N85 had a much easier time acquiring my position over A-GPS, but that’s thanks to AT&T vs the T-Mobile TZones connection of my other SIM card.
I came home from work today and found these two lovelies waiting for me …
I’ll definitely have some thoughts for you once I’ve had a chance to play a bit.