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Nokia Legends

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In the beginning of August, Nokia invited me along with Alec Saunders, Jim Courtney and Jason Harris to Toronto for a behind the scenes look at a new project called Nokia Legends which launches today.

From our briefing doc:

Nokia legends are engaging stories of future innovations and technologies, which may sound far-fetched today but will be reality in the future like urban legends. The technologies are the source of tomorrow’s legends – the unprecedented stories, events and opportunities that will become true when people get the new technologies in their hands.

 

What I like the most about this campaign is that it highlights Nokia’s tech leadership and future forward perspective on how technology is infused with our lives. This is not about a particular device or a service, but thinking that’s starting to find it’s way into various products and will certainly be something we’ll experience near term.

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Setting up a shot

The technology innovations on which the stories are based include: Traffic Works Research, Indoor Positioning, Connected Home, NFC, Multiscanner, Personalized Widgets, Mobile Journalism, and Sense your Location. Each is told in the first person by actor and writer Ron McLarty who was really great to watch in action. Ron is a skilled pro and was able to offer many different options for each story he shared.  You’ll only be able to see the final selects, but we were there from the start and can better appreciate the process. I’m fortunate to be involved in the creative process through my day job and while this was not my first time on-set, it was still a very unique experience.

I had a great time on this trip and enjoyed the time with my fellow bloggers, Nokia and Bob Helsinki the agency behind the creative idea.

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Thinking Apple’s iTunes Genius is not really that smart

I’m finding the iTunes Genius feature to be pretty disappointing … The sidebar function is simply a re-branded mini-store from previous versions offering a mix of things I own and offers the usual :30 sec sample limitation. The Genius playlist function could be a whole lot more interesting than it is, but only shows me music I have in my collection … why? This seems like a massively missed opportunity enable rich discovery yet only looks to your collection to create a genre-based playlist. I can already do that, though perhaps instead of taking one click on an active track might take a few more clicks and random shuffle.

If I were Zune or Nokia, I’d be all over this as discovery and the subsequent purchases could really differentiate. Zune has announced their plans to offer Channels which are genre “stations” that sync to your portable player just like the Zune cards of your friends. These are features that can really start to show the power of the subscription model. Add to this the ability to sync over the air and you’ve got a very dynamic portable experience. It’s unclear what Nokia’s intentions are around discovery, but Comes With Music should reveal itself shortly and offer a large catalog of opportunity to subscribers. The current music store offers over the air purchase and download and the CWM package will do the same. Too bad there’s been no announcement (or discussion) around the US market yet.

It’s impossible to know whether Apple’s move here is an intentional decision or something that’s really just a limit of per track DRM. Subscription music (rental or own) is infinitely more flexible and lets you easily experiment with new music while per track, only lets you sample in small bites paying as you go.

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Nokia extends Exchange Sync across the S60 Range

Nokia has just announced that the free Mail For Exchange (MFE) client is now available across the full range of S60 3rd Edition devices.  This brings enterprise sync to over 80 Million active handsets across 43 different models considerably enhancing the potential scale for enterprise communications.  Mail for Exchange runs over Microsoft’s Active Sync protocol and does not require any IT involvement or installation on the back-end.  If you can access your company’s Exchange server over webmail you’ll be ready to go in a few simple steps.

Setup has been simplified by way of a wizard-like process that asks for a few key bits (username, password , server and domain if required) and then you are good to go.  The last time I configured MFE I had to adjust settings for sync on each of the data areas which while not difficult just takes more time to actually get going.

Mail For Exchange has received a number of updates since I first used it a few years ago and in the current edition, it is quite powerful.  You’ll find that it easily syncs your email, contacts, calendar letting you respond to meeting requests, setting flags for follow-up and and changing your out of the office settings.

You’ll be able to find Mail for Exchange pre-installed onall devices moving forward or if you have a compatible handset, you can download either within your Downloads application or from the Nokia Software for Business site directly.

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Chrome – It’s new and shiny

Google Chrome

I was very excited for the Chrome release today.  Spending as much time in the browser as we all do now the experience and performance are critical parts of the online experience.  While it’s a very early release, I definitely like what I see so far and look forward to tracking the progress forward as things evolve.  

I’m finding that the speed is decent.  Not hyper fast like they were promoting but then I am not running some javascript test page, I’m using a bunch of tabs and windows like I always do.  What Chrome does though which is generally get out of your way and let you experience the page or application a site is offering.  It’s very simple to create single window views like Fluid does on the Mac.  I’ve got that configured for gmail, google reader, wordpress and my office webmail … so far so good.  

Right now Chrome only works on a PC unless you compile it yourself.  My work machine, a Lenovo X61 is not having any issues with Chrome and I actually find it to be a very pleasant browser.  There are some subtle things about the UI that i really like and of course a few I would like to see changed.  

On the positive side, the window is about as full as it can be all the time which is awesome on my small screen and even better when connected to a larger monitor.  There’s no status bar on the bottom of the window, but when you hover over something that can be clicked on, you can see where it will go just like you know you can.  There are some slick overlays for downloads and completed downloads stick to the bottom of the window to remind you they are ready to be acted upon.  When things crash or go bad, only that tab seems to be effected and Chrome is able to save the state of things quite gracefully.  In my limited testing this afternoon, I’d say it does a much better job that Firefox 3 currently.  Not bad for a .2 release.

As you might expect with an early release, there are some bad things.  The one that’s making me nutty is that there is no way to email a page / link without using a bookmarklet.  I’ve got one for Gmail, but it makes sending a page or link to work collegues in Outlook take a few steps more than I’d like becuase I have to copy and paste twice to get both the link and title or content from the tab.  I’ve also noticed that there’s no way to get certain links working on Facebook which is a huge miss.  I was unable to “become a fan” or comment on someone’s status today and both links looked like they would work, but failed to do anything.  Back to Firefox … 

In general though Chrome is very smooth, very stable and really well done.  I’m looking forward to the fixes further optimizations and hopefully some plugins.  Of course I’d also like to install this on my Mac!

While they’ve only teased at this point, I would expect Chrome to be the browser in Android when it launches later this year.  We’ve already seen the power of webkit in mobile devices – first in the S60 browser and then of course with the iPhone.  Webkit has become the engine to beat (sorry Opera) in higher end mobile browsing.  My guess is that it will sync via some Google service and I hope that multiple computers will also sync eventually as well…. Google killed the Firefox sync extension recently and it seems quite clear now that those bits are being focused on their own developments.  It’s great that Chrome is open source and I hope Nokia is watching closely to see how they can improve their own S60 webkit browser as it’s clearly stagnated a bit since Apple came along with Mobile Safari.

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Mobile Data Travel Tip – Manual Network Selection

There seem to be two Operators here in Dubai (DU and Etisalat) and while both offer voice service only Etisalat seems to have data. It took me a while to figure this out actually and for most of Monday I was convinced that my phone was dropping into some sort of limbo state when the carrier switched to DU.

I am using a T-Mobile Blackberry SIM in my E71 and N82 while here and I found that regardless of which phone I was using the data service would simply die on DU. I though the issue was Blackberry related and so I switched over to the BB, saw it work and then would switch back. It was not until Tuesday morning though when the BB actually switched over to DU and then I realized what was happening … Once I manually selected the network I wanted data returned and messaging has been very reliable since.

In a related note, I was hoping to get access to the Etisalat HSDPA hispeed network but it seems they have vastly overpromised what is really here. While the site claims they offer 7.2 Mbps, I have been seeing between 100 and 500Kbps which is less than I get at home on the ATT system. Disappointing for sure, but the coverage is quite consistent at least and it works everywhere but on the elevator in our hotel. I switched the N82 over to UMTS only (yes I know it’s not HSDPA) but just think the speed is over-promised. In the N78 (with hispeed activated) which I also have here I am seeing similar network performace. I supposed it is possible that the ever sucky and limited TZones data service is forcing me to second class over the more expensive internet service, but that’s all I get on this TMO SIM.

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Windows makes mobile networking hard!

I’m sure this is not news to anyone who’s a long time mobile worker, but man does Windows make mobile connectivity a complete pain in the ass! When I try to use either DUN or Joikuspot (wifi) to connect with my phones I am forced to reconnect or repair the connected repeatedly during the course of an attempted session. Why does windows even have repair as an option?!

On my Mac it literally just works. If there’s a connection glitch because of low signal from the mobile, I can just simply reconnect. There’s no need to repair because there’s nothing actually wrong with the connection.

With the Nokia Tablet it also just works. I can use either wifi or DUN to get online and as I’ve blogged many times before I do this daily in both directions on my commute. Today I decided to use my work laptop, something I do much less frequently and am just amazed at how poorly Windows plays here.

I’ve had issues on various hotel and client site wireless networks as well so I know it’s not just the mobile connectivity thing I’m trying now … At least with joikuspot I can reconnect, when I’ve used DUN, the connection seems to get stuck when it needs to reconnect. Nothing like spending more time trying to connect than actually being online.

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Nokia Chat Updated

Nokia Chat

Nokia Chat was updated today and I installed the latest version while walking to the office. Both the Service support and Applications files are new so be sure to update both. If you are looking to do this directly from your device, you can use the mobile link.

I honestly can’t tell if there’s anything new here other than some bug fixes. The N78 has not been added to the compatibility list yet, so no FP2 just yet…

Update – I can’t recall seeing this previously … Seems perhaps Send to a Friend was added in this version – or I just missed it last time. Makes sense either way.

Nokia Chat - Send to a Friend

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Mobile Multitasking

I know this is not the mainstream pattern by any stretch but just a sample of how I tend to use mobile technology.

On my walk to the train tonight I fired up Sportstracker and captured my speed and distance, while listening to some tunes over A2DP which logged up to Last.fm via Mobbler. I maintained an active chat with my friend Serko via Nokia Chat and also cleared a few emails. I even stopped into Jaiku to reply to a thread. Serko was able to see my status live update as I passed through Bryant Park (love the Location broadcasting) in Nokia Chat.

This morning I had a pretty similar walk to the office though instead of chat, I snapped a few pics which synced to my walking map in Sportstracker.

Now on the Train home, I’ve added the Nokia N810 on which I am typing this post … Music, chat and email all rocking.

The E71 is my current workhorse of a mobile and it easily handles the multitude of simultaneous requests I make. Devices like the iPhone restrict multitasking because only email and music work when not serving as the active applications. I realize my uses are not the usual case but how long with the growing base of power iPhone users stand to be limited. Background notices are not solving the challenges the power user will need to have resolved. The mobile experience has evolved into far more than a simple communications platform. We are computing, creating, collaborating as well.

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E71 Recommended Accessory – JAVOedge Stereo Adapter

One considerable annoyance of the E71 is the 2.5mm headset connection which makes using your high end headphones impossible… at least without an adapter.

I had an adapter from a few years ago when I ran into a similar situation with the Treo. That adapter unfortunately was only dual-mono which works fine for calls but definitely impacts the listening experience for music. A quick trip to google and then Amazon (via mobile during the commute) led me to the JAVOedge 2.5mm to 3.5mm stereo adapter. Don’t be put off by the fact that this is actually a Treo accessory… It works great on the E71!

Here are a few shots for perspective:

Amazon is selling a 2-pack for $4 plus shipping. I have one in my car and one in my bag and am definitely ready to rock.

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Nokia Email Gets Ready for Primetime

I originally wrote this post about a month ago… The screenshots are from my N95. I’ve been using Nokia Email daily on my E71 for a few weeks and it works great in conjunction with Mail For Exchange which handles my work account.

Nokia recently invited me to test their new email application and I have been very pleased with what I see so far. While Nokia Email is clearly a beta with some rough edges, I can see that a great deal of thought has been put into this effort.

You start by configuring your account via the web site which then sends you a personalized sms. The link sent opens a download for a pre-configured new mail suite. After entering your password to confirm, the system is up and running.

Nokia Email inbox

Open Message folders

There are some settings worth noting which are definitely new if you are coming from the S60 mail client. The most important one for me that you can actually download the full message in the background – not simply the header which is how mail has worked previously. You can tweak the scheduling of when the push messaging occurs. By default, delivery is set to push all day every day. You can adjust the days and intervals if that’s too much for you … or your device’s battery.   Speaking of battery, there is a very handy option which lets you define a threshold on low power for when push should stop. I am currently going for it in this test and have mine set to stop at 5%.

Download options settings

I really like that Nokia Mail is set to auto-start which means if you turn your phone off, mail will immediately resume when you turn it back on. As I mentioned Nokia Mail is not really a single application, but more of a suite of tools. The main benefit to the suite approach seems to be that each module can be open on its own much like a full mail client works on your desktop. This lets you maintain constant views into various folders and also lets you drop back to your inbox while composing a new message.

Multiple pieces running Compose

From the looks of things Nokia has actually taken their Enterprise Intellisync solution and packaged it for the consumer. Instead of requiring an installation from IT in the server room, you simply submit your existing mail credentials and the Nokia mail engine takes care of the rest. Currently this supports POP3 and IMAP accounts from the usual ISP and hosted accounts. I tried my work address which works through Mail for Exchange and after a few moments of trying to resolve the backend, was told that Nokia Mail does not yet currently support corporate messages. I signed up to be notified when it does as I believe the Nokia Mail solution represents a very strong future for messaging regardless of your class (N or E) of device.

Send via intellisync

There are a couple of gotchas worth mentioning….

  • You must share your credentials with Nokia directly as their servers intermediate the mail services.
  • You can currently only set up a single account per device. In order to configure a second email address you need to either define a new account on the web or remove your current email address from the existing config. Either case requires a fresh install …
  • I do not see any advanced account settings. I use GMail as my email base, but send as my domain and in a typical mail client, I can adjust how my address appears regardless of how I connect to the server.
  • Currently the service supports S60v3 and 3.1 which means you need to have a relatively recent N or E series. The N78 runs FP2 and is not yet supported. As this seems based on Intellisync which is used on ESeries it might be a while …
  • There is not way to navigate your IMAP folders. As a result, there is also no way to subscribe to certain folders if you use server side filtering. This would have actually really bothered me a few years ago, but GMail has me pretty focused (ahem trained) on my inbox.
  • Push is still not perfect. I have seen a few stops and these do not seem to resume from a forced sync. The fix so far has been to use the “reset email folders” command found in the advanced settings. This is beta remember … A power cycle also seems to fix things.
  • I had a heck of a time getting Nokia Mail to perform an initial sync. After finally trying a proxy-less ATT connection mail started to come through. I can’t confirm whether this is ATT or the iPhone SIM yet. I will try to test with my BlackBerry T-Mobile SIM as well.

One teaser … HTML support is coming! I have yet to see it but have been told it’s coming for the full release. I’m hopeful that this will be considerably more than the attachment.html method we currently use.

If you are interested in checking this out, you can sign up for the beta as well … Please let me know what you think!

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Boingo Mobile Updated

boingo mobile

Boingo Mobile has been updated across platforms. If you use a Nokia Handset (N or E Series), Nokia Tablet or a Windows Mobile Handset it’s worth checking out the new download.

I’m still waiting to hear back from Boingo and Nokia on the E71 bug before installing this version … Even so I find Boingo to be an indispensable travel companion. The Tablet and my laptop auto-connect when in range which is killer. You have to run the app on the Nokia handset, but that’s not an issue as I don’t leave wifi scanning on anyway.

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HSDPA has arrived in Northern Westchester!

HSDPA at the house!!

I go away for a few days and AT&T lights up Northern Westchester!!

I have been waiting for what feels like a very long time to see 3G or 3.5G on my phone. This am, I saw it activate briefly, but I had so few bars I assumed it was the low signal notice rather than actual coverage. I’m seeing a very active fluctuation still from EDGE to HSDPA, but it’s looking very good!

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JoikuSpot Premium – 40% off

The Nokia Software Market just sent me a note with a 40% discount on JoikuSpot Premium and I’ve gone for it.

JoikuSpot is an awesome tethering application that greatly enhances the capabilities of your mobile devices. I’ve found it always works when DUN is giving me issues and the Premium Edition ups the ante even more.

“Premium Edition comes with VPN so you can access corporate intraweb and email. All network access protocols are supported in Premium Edition. There is no forced default landing page in Premium Edition. [Nokia Software Market]

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Sometimes bad things happen from good intentions

I’ve been using Boingo for a while now and have successfully traveled across the country and most recently to Toronto. Boingo has enabled easy connectivity from Airports, Coffee Shops and hotels on my laptop, phones and Nokia Tablet. There have been occassional glitches in connecting but I’ve found that one of the devices I’m carrying has always been able to connect without issue.

On the return this week from Toronto, I noticed that my E71 was not allowing me to use Wifi and I tried restarting the phone but things still failed. Checking the Access Points I discovered a serious error in the way Boingo had been scanning and adding AP’s on the fly:

When Boingo network discovery goes wrong

Yes, that’s 149 Access Points! I’m not sure what the realistic limit is for a handset, but this has made using Wifi impossible. I can’t manually select an AP like the one at my parent’s beach house (where I am now on vacation) and there does not seem to be any way to select multiple APs to delete them en masse. I’m hoping I don’t have to reflash my E71 but I am not sure how else to clear this mess.

Update – I reached out to Boingo with this and it’s a confirmed serious bug. Working to resolve it …

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Mobbler updated – Now Supports Last.fm Streaming!

Mobbler is a seriously cool application for the Last.fm enthusiast using an S60 device. It’s been the best way to share what you are listening to within your phone’s media player and has just received an awesome update to actually stream radio back from Last.fm. I recommend installing this immediately!

Mobbler streaming on the E71

This is the first app to stream on S60 that I know of and will be a great addition in my mobile music toolkit. I tested this on the E71 with the BH903 Headset and the controls even work which is a very cool bonus feature! hat tip – Symbian in Motion

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Why a Nokia Zune phone makes sense

The rumor has been floating around for a week or so now via Zunescene, here’s my take. I think everyone wins in this deal.

  • There’s been no mention of any kind that Nokia will launch Music in the US or Canada and Zune could instantly fill that as that’s where they currently play. Nokia is already cutting deals in other countries (think we are up to 8 now) and Zune could get instant access to listeners there.
  • Nokia would instantly get a social network built around music via the Zune Social, which is compelling yet under utilized by Microsoft. There’s a great sharing and discovery aspect to the Social when you have a subscription which would only be enhanced by adding a real time connected device like a mobile phone.
  • Nokia handsets already support Windows DRM. I can’t imagine it would take very much to update the software to go from Plays for Sure to Zune since they are really based on the same technology.
  • Subscription music rocks! I’ve had a Zune subscription for about 6 months and it’s been an excellent tool in my musical discovery process. I love that I get any album as they are released on Tuesday and regularly use the meta-data they offer to discover more music. I could easily live without Comes With Music (again there’s no mention of this coming to the US yet) and would love to use my handsets as additional Zune’s in my plan.

I actually can’t think of anything bad here. Sign me up!

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Not seeing any E71 signal issues

Boy Genius Report is reporting that the E71-2 (NAM) has some signaling issues and that your hand can actually impact the signal strength … I’ve yet to see this on mine and am wondering if this is more of a quality control issue with the builds from certain factories.

I’ve used both the E71-1 and now the -2 and have yet to see anything unusual on any front. I get the same coverage I always get from ATT with the usual and known dead spots (thanks for fixing those ATT). I’m in Toronto at the moment and the signal is strong and the 3.5G coverae is excellent. Calls and data are rocking.

My E71 was made in Finland … pop the battery off and check yours if there’s an issue. I don’t have any other theories here, but am certainly curious about devices with the problem.

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Set Nokia chat as your default contacts view

I just discovered a handy tip for Nokia Chat fans … It’s possible to set your default contacts view to jump right to Chat rather than the main contacts application view. This works great for me since I really don’t need to scan my contact list … I tend to access who I need from the comms app of the moment.

On the E71, you can set this right within the contacts application settings as seen here:

Nice and simple. If you are already engaged in an open chat, Chat seems to take priority, but this is a nice way to always default to Chat.

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