I was just going through some older images from an excursion* to Afghanistan in 2002 when I stumbled upon this:
…which reminded me of this!
SCDL - same chaos, different location
* = found an older hard disk in the office which contains about 30 GB of images that will need to be sorted and partly uploaded to flickr.
How many applications currently found on Symbian S60, iPhone OS and Windows mobile phones do actually work offline?
Is there any chart online that compares these platforms towards the “offline entertainment factor”?
screenshots: some of the stuff you can do in offline mode on the Nokia E71 - listening to music, watching videos, writing e-mails (disclaimer: don’t be fooled by the 3G symbol :-)
Am asking because I think there are more and more applications nowadays that require a data connection (GPRS, UMTS, Wi-Fi) in order to work and at the same time we all know that a) data connections are not yet available everywhere and b) are sometimes quite expensive for some users.
So what’s possible in offline mode?
Considering this offline factor and taking into account the range of applications the phone has to offer that will work without any online connection - how does your phone perform in this context?
“Haben wir etwas falsch gemacht?” - Well… according to this alternative, there are better options to Google Chrome.
[via]
On to the last part of my extended Nokia E71 review!
It feels like there’s so much more to mention on this phone, especially if you regard it as your electronic workhose that not only has to deliver basic office functionality, but also manage your business and private life.
What I can tell so far is that it is a very valid candidate that could send my N95 into early retirement. IF only the camera was better on the E71, I’d immediately switch and try to find a cheap contract online that subsidizes the E71. But it isn’t. The camera module (& it’s Carl Zeiss lenses) is the No. 1 reason why I’ll keep my N95 for the time being and maybe switch to an N79 one day or, even better, wait for the upcoming E72 & E75 models.
If I was still stuck with my old Nokia 6230i though and wasn’t spoiled by the multimedia capabilities of the N95 (e.g. video editor on board), I’d probably take the E71 right on. Again, if you’re interested in taking photos in darker surroundings (~ in a restaurant for a business dinner), there are other, better camera phones than the E71. As for the Nokia range of phones, I’d recommend those with a Xenon flash anyways.
So what about the “business & private life” issue?
The Nokia E71 comes with two adjustable home screens so that you can switch from a home to a business mode. I call it “mode” as all Nokias also come with different profiles - so the work-around/solution to his has in the past been to simply switching profiles via a short touch of the power button on top. Profiles, however, only contain different sound settings.
[all screenshots have been resized from 320x240 to 250x187]
screenshots: work & leisure home screens - note the different short cuts on the stand-by menu
This new mode - Nokia also calls it the “work & leisure modes” - provide two completely different home screens with different wallpapers, themes and short cuts on the home screen. Also, if you prefer the older S40 view and/or can’t decide between the standby view with short cuts and that older S40 homescreen (empty screen), just configure both modes accordingly - so that you can switch screens at the touch of a button.
screenshots: switching profiles & configuring home screens
I haven’t actually used this as I am also one of those guys who don’t use a dockbar on the desktop (~ Apple OSX) or any Launchy tools for quick starts. To me, one home screen is enough. On the other hand, this simple switch provides the flexibility to turn your E71 from a pure business workhorse into a multimedia machine without remapping the short-cuts on the standby / home screen.
screenshots: switching modes & the (root) menu
Talking about those special business needs - what else does the E71 have to offer?:
Printing
Did you know you can actually send your documents from the phone to a printer? I do have a very nice HP OfficeJet 7210 printer with a network interface, but it currently isn’t connected to my home network so I can’t test this. So I can only assume it’s working.
screenshots: configuring the printer (note the various options!)
Text-2-Speech
I’ve already mentioned the Speech Synthesis on my previous post and also showed you a video of how that’s done. This is REALLY COOL! Of course I couldn’t resist and installed a Japanese version along the mandatory German & English output.
screenshots: configuring language packs for the Speech Synthesis
But still, this isn’t all! You can just as well activate a function called “voice aid” where this voice will also read out information on recent calls, contacts, provide a voiced dialler, clock and also let you put in voice commands. Voice commands! As mentioned, it used to be nice on the 6230i, but I just don’t know why Nokia changed that with S60. Voice commands are a bit confusing (to me) as they are first read out by a synthetic voice (which can be deactivated). My feedback to Nokia: add some vibrations to the dialler so that visually impaired users are also guided around by a vibrating device.
screenshots: Voice aid on the E71 and the dialler
Deactivating the synthetic voice….actually, this is what I like about the S60 platform and what many ppl forget about it: Symbian S60 is so flexible and dynamic, and you can just as well install a Mobile Python interpreter and write your own little programms. Now try that with an iPhone! And Google’s Android? Well…. those who jumped the train for Google’s Chrome browser may like it, but I still feel a bit uncomfy about giving all my data into the hands of one company. I am of course also eyeing to get my hands on a Google G1 Android phone (note the clock! lol), but if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the Nokia N95, then it’s to wait for at least one year after a phone has hit the market. Besides, who needs widgets on a phone screen? On an iPhone they do make sense, but other than that? Hmm…
See, the E71 is a business phone, and companies don’t want to invest too much money IT managers couldn’t persuade the purchasing dept. in buying unreliable products. I think the N95 was mainly bought by freaks like me who are willing to accept certain flaws or banana software and even its prototype-like design. Not so the E71, which just has to deliver.
screenshots: the phone’s internal tutorial: take the manual with you!
And it delivers. It gives you VPN access to your company’s network (aptly named “intranet” ), enables you to encrypt the phone as well as the microSD memory card and even provides a mobile dictionary - which of course may also be read out to you via the speech synthesis.
screenshots: Encryption & VPN-access
screenshots: activate some security measures
The sweetest feature though is the remote lock : simply send a pred-defined sms to the device and the phone will be locked. Great!
Need more software? Just search for it from the phone or open the “Download!” application (@Nokia: this application isn’t very user friendly..)
screenshots: Google search & Download!
The Wi-Fi is also very nice - I think it’s even much better than the one on my N95 (which may be due to a different antenna position and other hardware improvements). I’ve configured the E71 with my Sipgate (VoIP) account so I’m able to do Voice over IP / internet calls with a fixed number from either home or the office. Other than that, Fring also runs on the E71, so you can go on chatting via Skype, GoogleTalk, ICQ, MSN, Twitter and so on right from the phone. Fring is just great, and with a true QWERTY phone it makes much more fun to actually type in messages while being mobile. No wonder they preloaded the latest Nokia phone, the N96, with a fresh installation of Fring!
screenshots: Fring in use on the E71
Another nifty feature I’ve already come to appreciate with the N95 is the barcode reader (see the barcode on the bottom of the right sidebar here) . You can of course also download a reader to your phone if it doesn’t already have one, but in this case, it’s just right there on the menu and I will tell you why I like it so much:
screenshot: the QR-Code reader
There’s this Firefox plugin that creates on-the-fly 2D (”QR-”) barcodes of any page currently loaded and sits in the bottom right of your Firefox browser window. Let’s say you’re on a page that says “access this site with your mobile phone’s browser to download our application directly to the phone” (e.g. OperaMini, Twibble, etc.). Now, instead of retyping the URL into your phone, just move your mouse over the barcode plugin and scan the generated barcode with your phone. Et voilà, the URL is ready to be used on the phone!
GPS/Maps
Sure, there’s Nokia’s Maps 2.0 application that works right out-of-the-box with a fast GPS chip. Nokia Maps changed from the intial version that came shipped with the old firmware on the N95, and while you can download maps from Nokia’s website and load them onto the phone’s memory, others prefer other commercial solutions - and I prefer Google Maps. Google Maps just does the job for me! Besides, it’s free and much more intuitive for basic mapping needs.
screenshots: Google Maps on the E71, displaying Waruku & area
screenshots: greater Nairobi and an aerial view of the “jungle” (~kibra)
Needless to say I also downloaded the wonderful Nokia Internet Radio application that provides streaming radio stations from all over the world. Including Radio Okapi and all SomaFM streams for all my Soukous & Electronic/Indy needs.
screenshots: Nokia Internet Radio
Add Nokia’s Video centre, download various video podcasts and there you have it: almost enough reasons for sending my Nokia N95 into early retirement!
screenshot: Nokia’s Video centre
What’s missing? Right! ==> Twibble , the Twitter client for Symbian S60:
screenshots: Twibble on the E71
—
That’s it! I could of course also mention how I tested the Psiloc Connect application, the CO2 emission tool or SkyeCaller Pro - three (commercial) applications available for download from Nokia’s S60 download website. But I’ll stop here and will instead tell you: if you’re interested in getting a decent QWERTY phone that just get’s the job done and provides much more tactile feedback than any touchscreen phone will currently give you, go to your nearest dealer and touch the phone with your own hands.
While testing the E71 for the first time (in a shop), I thought that my fingers are too big for this tiny keyboard. But don’t be fooled, typing is easier than assumed and I’ve been constantly comparing the QWERTY keyboard with the restricted T9 text input on my N95, just to see which method I prefer. I am used to T9 text input since ages now, and am thus a bit faster with the T9 method. Using two fingers on the E71 though, I am faster than using only my right thumb on the T9 keypad. And this after only a few days of using the E71! So if you want a QWERTY phone - go for it! - and don’t be afraid of these tiny keys.
Oh, and did I mention the awesome leather pouch the phone comes shipped with? That’s one accessory less to purchase extra, and a good one indeed: you can easily flip the phone out and see if there’re any new messages.
So, compared to cars, the E71 is just like an Audi A6 Avant (while my N95 is like a Toyota Prius now :-).
Hope you enjoyed this review!
…taking this snapshot of “Computer Loban Dhoop” (eerrrr…?) & testing the camera on the E71, I had come across this beautiful view:
I didn’t know that my old friend Garen is actually pursuing a career in Asia. :-)
The Nokia N95 has been on the market for quite some time now (March 2007?) and if there’s anything I always wanted to change about it, then it clearly is the inappropriate headset it came shipped with (pictured below).
The HS-45 headset with its AD-43 remote control unit failed to work after 4-5 months in use, so I went out and bought a few ofter solutions that never really performed the way I wanted it. Also, Nokia never really delivered a better solution, but instead kept on producing other unsatifying headsets.
While reviewing the Nokia E71 business phone that came shipped with the HS-47 headset as well as the state-of-the-art BH-903 Bluetooth Stereo Headset (for review), I quickly realized that I would want to have something similar to the HS-47.
What I needed to do was to merge my Sony MDR-818 earphones with the HS-43 headset I had bought via eBay some time ago. After all, what I need in a working wired headset are the following features:
So there I went, cutting the 10,- EUR Sony earphones into pieces and opening up the control unit on the HS-43…
some of the tools: a soldering iron (maybe not this Weller as it takes ages to heat up), old Sony MDR-818 earphones, Nokia HS-43 headset
HS-43 control unit opened up
unsolder L+ / L- and R+ / R- to remove the existing earphones + also remove the brass clip on the cable
trim the “new” earphones to the desired length and solder them onto the PCB, refix the brass clip to provide a strain relief on the cable (important!)
Et voilá - JKE’s own headset for the N95 that fulfills all the open issues I ever had with other headsets. Nice!
@ Nokia: PLEASE change your headset policy and - if you don’t want to equip your shipped handsets with decent headsets due to marketing reasons - at least provide us with better alternatives. Headsets are a commodity, and will as such always brake at one point.
The Nokia E71 (business) phone I received from WomWorld/Nokia earlier this week also came shipped with an extra goodie: the Nokia BH-903 Bluetooth headset.
Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-903: box, manual, charger, headset, earphone foam covers
As you can already see from the packaging, it’s meant to be part of the Nseries. N, as in eNtertainment. And that’s what it’s all about: adding value to your mobile audio entertainment.
The Nokia E71 Eseries phone does not really need an additional headset as it already comes with an adequate headset, the HS-47. So why would you want to add a high quality multimedia device to a business phone?
Because you can.
That is, if you’re already able to spend the proud sum of EUR 360,- on a business phone (E71), you may just as well be able to cough up another EUR 130,- for a true Bluetooth stereo headset that comes with up to 11h of playtime (150h standby), 32g weight, quick charge capability within 45 minutes, an extra radio, accepts the same charger as the E71 and offers different Bluetooth 2.0 profiles.
As mentioned in the previous part of this extended review, the E71-1 has a relatively high specific absorption rate (SAR) of 1,33 W/kg, with the antenna located at the bottom of the device. That’s why the use of an external headset makes sense to those who are afraid of any additional electromagnetic fields (Bluetooth = max 100mW, Rx/Tx unit is located inside the control unit and not on the earphones next to your ears).
And then of course you may want to have your hands free for other stuff: holding the phone onto your ears during longer conversations is just very annoying.
“OK - sounds like a good reason”, you may reply, “…but why can’t I just use the simple HS-47 headset that came shipped with the E71? And why not another, cheaper Bluetooth headset capable of the A2DP profile? Also, my company will prolly never pay for the extra headset….”
Four reasons why the BH-903 may just be what you’ve been looking for!
earphones on the BH-903 vs. HS-47
1. the shape of the earphones
What you see in the picture above are the earphones from (left) BH-903 and (right) HS-47. Can you spot the difference?
First, both devices may cover different frequency spectrums, but to most users, this dynamic range isn’t really important (as our hearing ability deteriorates with age, etc.). So, despite of such technical blabla, what do you see on the picture?
Right! There’s a special rubber around the (left) BH-903 earphone which makes it easier to fit these earphones into your ears and sit a bit tigther than the simple round ones.
I am using simple Sony MDR-E 818 LP on my N95 for this very reason, as these cheap EUR 10,- Sony earphones provide a similar comfort - even though they are just earphones, not a headset (no mic, no remote control unit, etc.).
As mentioned earlier, this difference is a BIG issue to ppl like me. If you’re as tall as I am (6′4″ // 1,92m), simple round earphones will at one point fall out of your ears and really spoil your mobile audio entertainment. So-called “in-ear” headphones (which apparently became popular with SonyEricsson phones) may be a solution to that, but when it comes to the old-fashioned/conventional earphones, a special rubber casing like the one above on the BH-903 headset makes a lot of sense.
Try it and you’ll spot the difference.
BH-903 remote control unit & earphones
2. distance betwen the left earphone and the microphone
The microphone is located on a small control unit, approx. 12cm away from the left right earphone. This control unit also contains a mute key on the side and an answer/end key on the front.
As opposed to other, previous Nokia headsets, Nokia really learned and improved their headsets by moving the microphone up from a position located on the chest to one at the height of the mouth - where it’s supposed to be. Have you ever seen ppl holding the microphone close to their mouth while talking handsfree on a mobile? Now that’s exactly why: because their microphone isn’t where it’s supposed to be. In a noisy environment (commuter train, downtown, etc.), this really is an issue - so with the mic now being closer to your mouth, you won’t need to hold it in your hands.
This is actually one of those reasons why I’ve always envied my SonyEricsson K800i friends who just had the better headset…
OLED (organic light emitting diode) menu display on the BH-903 headset: music playback, radio, telephone, settings; top row: Bluetooth + Battery charge indicators
3. Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR profiles
In short: Bluetooth is the wireless standard for short range radio connections between mobile phones, headsets, PDAs, laptops, etc; and profiles are different services that are added to a Bluetooth device. So for every wireless action (listening to music via the headset, sending the phonebook to the headset or to your car’s navi system, etc.) all Bluetooth devices need to support these profiles - but not all BT devices actually do that.
You wouldn’t really need a display on an external headset if it wasn’t for the extra options it has to offer. The terrific OLED display does not only inform you about the current radio station, but it also provides information on the following options:
(a) Phone Book Access Profile (PBAP): choose a number to dial right from the remote control via the menu without even removing the phone from your pocket. Nice!
(b) Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP): if you own a A2DP-capable phone (like the E71 or the N95), this means you can listen to the music from the phone on the headset.
(c) Audio Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP): If your mp3 collection on the phone is ID3 tagged, you’ll will be able to read the filenames/ID3 tags of the currently played track on the display.
Frankfurt’s only good radio station “Radio X” via the BH-903
4. iPod touchpad
Yep, to raise the volume, just move your fingers clockwise on the touchpad. Don’t we already know this kind of volume control from the iPods and current Nokia (Nseries) phones? Neat!
—
Verdict:
Four plausible reasons why the BH-903 isn’t just another headset out of the many, many you can get for your phone from authorized retailers as well as from eBay China & Co..
130,- EUR are a lot of money for such a device, but if you’re really serious about wireless stereo audio entertainment on Nokia phones, you’ll probably quickly realize that there aren’t so many alternatives on the market. An alternative may be the SonyEricsson HBH-DS-970 headset although some folks complain that it isn’t really 100% compatible to the Nokia range of phones. Also, there are other - cheaper - Bluetooth headsets from Nokia that also just do the job. The BH-903 though (which, as far as I am informed, also is the most expensive one) does this job extremely good and provides the necessary information through a smart OLED display at the right location (hanging on your neck - and not somewhere on your ears).
I, the N95 user, am actually still looking for a decent & wired headset compatible with the N95 (angled 3,5mm jack without any special adapters, shaped earphones, mic close to the mouth) and have tested and bought three different headsets for my N95 from Nokia when the one that came shipped with the N95 failed after 4-5 months in use (due to a cheap battery inside the remote control unit).
I wonder why Nokia produces so many different headsets and doesnt keep them on the market for long. Why can’t they just produce one good wired and one good wireless solution? The BH-903 is one of those “(very) good wireless” solutions, but for wired headsets, a simple headset like the HS-43 should come with better earphones. Also, a headset shouldn’t be that expensive, at least not those that come with in-ear /earphones. Take the BH-903 earphones, add another 3,5mm jack and I’m your next customer. I’d be willing to pay up to 49,- EUR for such a solution.
P.S.: More images from the BH-903 on my flickr set.
Obviously, one of those WTH? moments.
…
AOB: How-to-tease-your-wife-with-LOTs-of-noise a.k.a. “Bicycle Propelling Aid Fricycle”.
Fricycle. The Chinese. Lovely.
The E71 is a business phone.
Having said that, it is also suited for those users who actually have to cough up some savings and are looking for a decent mobile workhorse. As opposed to an iPhone (no tactile feedback) or another QWERTY-equipped Windows Mobile phone, the E71 comes with the perfect mixture of (a) usability, (b) design, (c) built quality and (d) connectivity.
However, it still has some flaws that need to be mentioned here and may partly be changed by upcoming firmware upgrades.
Coming from a Nokia N95, I am of course already spoiled in terms of multimedia functionality. And this although I am one of those users who prefer the business functions over to the multimedia capability. I primarily use my N95 for reading e-mails on the train, listening to some music and taking a few snapshots from time to time (even in macro mode, which is quite decent on the N95). Reasons enough to allow a direct comparison of the E71 with my N95. But mind you - the following observations aren’t meant to be a comparison alone!
Size/handling/design: The E71 is one sexy phone, comes with a perfect form factor (not too small, not too big), is VERY slim, has decent weight, a perfect build quality and a nice QWERTY keyboard. I’ve never had a sexier phone, actually.
The N95? Compared to the rest of Nokia phones, the N95 appears to be some prototype. Whoever invented that double slider mechanism and allowed the screen to be lower than the surrounding frame should go back to school.
It may be a bit exaggerated, but the E71 actually has this special aura I call the iPhone factor: you see it on your table and just enjoy looking at it.
The Navi key alone (D-pad, joypad, scroll key) - that silver, squared ring below the display- is actually reason enough to switch from an N95. As you can see from the picture below, the N95 seems to have a slightly larger Navi key - and still the one on the E71 is much better. And there’s much more to it than just four directions and a button in the middle: new e-mails/missed phone calls, etc are indicated by a illumination behind the key that flashes up in regular intervals. Neat!
E71 vs. N95-1
The keboard is small but so was the keypad on the N95 when I first used it. As Steve Litchfield already pointed out on his in-depth review of the E71: “you need to perform even more finger gymnastics in order to type on the (45mm from q to p) tiny thumb keyboard”. Right.
Being used to a German QWERTZ keyboard layout, I’d actually like to test it under different (localized) conditions though.
Also, some characters are hidden under the bottom right “Chr” (characters) key. Why? Only God and Nokia engineers know..
the keyboard on the E71
Keypress is actually quite nice. Plus you’ll be faster typing with both hands/more than one finger - but well, aren’t we used to that from the iPhone? ^^ Nokia’s philosophy of producing phones that can be operated with only one hand holds true for the E71 - it is doable (alas with some gymnastics).
Oh, and about those number keys: once you’re on the stand-by (home) screen, you can just press the number keys and they will appear as a telephone number to dial or save (as opposed to the assumption that you’d have to press that tiny grey arrow key on the bottom left first to activate number input).
Screen size: with 2,36″ (~2,4″) about 0,2″ smaller than the N95, but still big enough for pleasant working, same screen resolution of 320×240. While the one on the E71 is only horizontally orientated, the one on the N95 may be switched, either on the press of a button or - since the latest firmware upgrade - also automatically. There’s a motion control sensor inside that controls the screen display on the N95 and which also provides lots of interesting software gimmicks (e.g. software that automatically silences the N95 once you turn it around, or racing simulator that allows a steering by moving the display around). Both screen sizes provide a similar browsing experience.
Battery runtime: 1500mAh on the E71 vs. 950mAh on the N95-1. Actually, I’ve expected an even longer runtime on the E71. With an average usage between 6-8hrs/d, the phone needs to be recharged after 2-3 days. Still much better than the N95-1 for which I’d bought a desk cradle via eBay - you’ll have to recharge the N95-1 on a daily (!) basis. Now compare that with the old Nokia 6310i which came with an active standby time of about 8-12 days (LiPo accu).
BP-4L (E71) vs. BL-5F (N95-1) - the bigger, the better?
Camera:
E71: What a horrible camera sensor! Point the camera into a slightly darker corner and it a) won’t focus and b) also gives lot of image noise. Bah!
It also doesn’t have a decent flash. Why not? Why??
Default mode is fixed focus, auto focus may be added while pressing the “T” key. Why didn’t they put this in the middle of the Navi key? Because it doesnt provide enough sensitivity. Nokia could improve on that and remap the key to a dedicated camera button on the side. But they didn’t.
If the camera is THAT important to you, you may be interested in another phone.
Macro mode is quite nice though - see Steve Litchfield’s dedicated review on this. For an underperforming camera (sensor?) that comes shipped with the E71, it’s rather astonishing that the macro mode is so good.
Definitely lots of room for an improvement here, partly solvable by an upcoming firmware update (the current firmware version is 100.07.76 - go figure…100!).
N95: the queen. I’ve taken most of my photos on Flickr since August 2007 with the N95 ONLY. A camera phone will of course never be as good as a dedicated camera, but the N95 comes quite close to achieving that (and in my case, it just did that - substituting my digicam for some time).
Still, both cameras are good enough for snapshots (and to be honest, I’ve seen quite a few images on Flickr lately that have been taken with an expensive DSLR and were horribly out of focus. So it’s not about the equipment alone, but rather about how to take good pictures).
Multimedia: There are different players on both the E71 and the N95 for audio and video content, and while the N95 comes with a better audio player, both just do the job.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the only difference, as the N95 has a 3,5mm headphones jack while the E71 only has the 2,5mm one. 3,5mm is what you’re probably used to from other equipment, meaning: you could also use the mic that comes with your daughter’s “My first Sony”-babyphone together with the N95, while the E71 only accepts the 2.5mm plugs. Why? Maybe because of design and marketing reasons.
The HS-47 headphone set that comes shipped with the E71 is almost as bad the one that came with the N95. Remember that issue I had experienced with the AD-43 control unit before? Well… a cheap battery inside killed the wired remote control unit after 4-5 months in use. Took me some time to figure that out, bought another control unit via eBay from China and am currently only using a 10,- EUR SONY headset with no additional functions.
The HS-47 apparently doesnt need a battery, as it only has a small switch and a microphone. So why is it only “almost” as bad? Because Nokia - EVENTUALLY! - did what I had anticipated for a long time: moving the microphone closer to the left headphone. If you’re a SonyErisson user, you’ll know what I mean: a microphone at the height of your mouth - where it’s supposed to be, and not somewhere on the chest.
the left headphone on the BH-903 Bluetooth headset (extra!)
Needless to say that Nokia wouldn’t know how to generate some extra income - which is why those kind folks from WomWorld/Nokia also provided a BH-903 Bluetooth headset (partly pictured above) which I’ll cover in a following post. The most important difference between the standard (HS-47) and the extra Bluetooth (BH-903) headset: the earphones on the BH-903 are conically shaped, much like those 10,- EUR SONY earphones. Round vs. conical is a big difference because the standard, round ones will at one point just fall out of your ears, especially while walking. Trust me, this is an issue.
Firmware/CPU: as mentioned, users are waiting for a firmware update. It took about a year for Nokia to supply it’s users with a decent firmware for the N95 (20.xx.xx & above), but the E71 still has some issues that could/should be solved by a firmware update.
Both the N95 and the E71 are based on Symbian S60 FP1. What does that mean? For me and you as users, this could mean anything, but then: the E71 is MUCH faster than the N95.
Well, is it really faster? What about the CPU inside? What about video mode, for instance? Doesn’t the video function on the E71 only provide 10-15 frames / second as opposed to the 30 fps @ 640×480 (”YouTube mode”)? The N95 comes with a dedicated 3D graphics chip for such special tasks while the E71 doesn’t. So how come it still feels faster? Is that due to the many applications that are running as default on my N95 and aren’t running on the E71? Could be a reason.
That is, my N95 sometimes hangs. You terminate a call and there it hangs, displaying the “Anruf beenden” (end call) message for at least some 5-10 seconds. Stupid! Sounds like a faulty “refresh routine” on the firmware to me, but hey, I am not a programmer… (and I’ve updated my N95 not only once, etc.).
So, yes, the E71 feels faster than the N95 while browsing the menu. Somehow nice, an improvement over to my N95. Could be a faulty N95 btw, as other E71 users out there aren’t that happy with the current speed and/or performance of the firmware. I’ve also noted a few “hick-ups” of the firmware on the E71which urgently need to be fixed by Nokia.
Yeah, ok…so what else isn’t that great on the E71?
1. Rubber covers on the side that conceal the USB and microSD port.
Something tells me these will come off sometime in future. Hmmm…
2. USB port: the port itself is located at the side of the phone (see picture above) and thus can not be used in an e.g. double-cradle station (USB + DC power supply). Also, it would be nice to recharge the phone via USB (like on Motorola phones), but that still isn’t possible with the E71 (upcoming/other Nokia phones may feature this though).
The port itself is a special USB variation, smaller than the Mini-5 plug on the N95. I prefer the latter version as it’s the same that comes with many external 2,5″ hdd enclosures - so if you’re at the office and forgotten your data cable, you may just as well use the one from your 2,5″ hdd. Not so with the E71… (again, marketing reasons from Nokia, I guess..).
3. OperaMini: the often needed Backspace key doesn’t work with all installations of OperaMini because Nokia is said to use a strange mapping of keys inside their firmware (~ different languages may work but still haven’t tested this). Waiting for an OperaMini update on this (OperaMini!) bug.
4. Browser: As mentioned in my previous post on mobile blogging, the phone’s internal S60 browser is ….how do I say this delicately?….”just ok”. It works, right now the only option as OperaMini has this Backspace-issue, but I’d prefer to have a better browser.
5. motion sensor: The N95 has one, the E71 doesn’t. As the screen may only be used in a horizontal mode on the E71, there’s no real need for such a sensor, but it would be nice to have it anyways for the aforementioned additional software gimmicks.
6. Icons: the default themes on the E71 suck. I am using this lovely black & simple theme on both phones, although it doesn’t come with its own icon set. So there’s a way to change the icons if you dislike them.
mono speaker (left), power button (right)
7. External speaker: the N95 has two speakers, one on each side, providing a phat stereo sound that can easily substitute your stereo system if you feel like entertaining those around you (like the kids downtown). The E71, being a business phone, only has one speaker on the top side.
Read in another review that ppl weren’t happy with the sound, but in all honesty: it just works fine for me. Hands-free speaking is sawasawa…
8. E-Mail: Now, for those of you who complained about the missing PUSH e-mail client (also known as BlackBerry Connect), Nokia - of course - tried to come up with their own solution: Nokia Email.
Still have to test that one as well as other external services such as Seven and Emoze, but I am also only using the PULL client, as I am an old-fashioned & rather conservative user who likes to be in control of such things as e-mail. I’ve set up one single e-mail box for all my addresses on the net and pull the subject lines via IMAP.
The E71 also comes with an e-mail setup client that will help you set it up for you, but in my case, with my provider they automatically set it to POP3 instead of IMAP which is why I had to cheat the software in order to manually enter all desired settings (for some reasons, it only offered the automatic setup. stupid?).
9. Speech synthesis: press the top left soft key on the E71 and all your unread e-mails will be read to you by the speech synthesis processor inside the phone. Haiaaa! Reminds me of that lovely speech.tos proggy I used to have on my Atari STF 1040 back in the days. Works just fine!
Problems? Well…could be a bit better and I still need to figure out how to properly use all these speech things on the E71. Speech recognition / speech commands used to be great on other phones (like my old Nokia 6230i), but since Nokia messed it up on the N95, i am still frightened to even try it on the E71!
Also, there are different language packs available from Nokia via the Download! application on the phone. I’ve installed both Englisch versions (UK & USA), Indian English :-), German and have currently activated the Japanese version (”muschi muschiiii..”). Funilly enough, the German male voice is called “Jürgen” - like me!
10. The clock screensaver. It just rocks! (this isn’t a problem actually, but I like numbered lists :-)
11. wrong screenshots: both manuals (short and long version) and even the Nokia maps brochure come with vertically aligned screenshots that clearly come from another S60 device. No problem to me, but maybe irritating to new S60 customers.
12. high SAR value & antenna position: the (maximum) specific absorption rate on the E71-1 is 1,33 W/kg - much more than the 0,58 W/kg on the N95-1. Well, what do you expect from a device that’s almost completely covered with metal?
The GSM antenna is located at the bottom of the device, just below the keyboard, next to the microphone. To improve Rx/Tx in rural areas (= less base stations), you may want to perfom some acrobatics with the phone. If in doubt, use a headset and keep the phone away from your body and other sensitive parts and hold it upside down :-) Maximum allowed SAR is 2,0 W/kg.
13. Firmware: as mentioned, the current firmware needs to be improved. Details like the purple haze issue on the camera may be irritating, but I think what this phone really needs is an improved overall stability. It shouldn’t restart while having some “hick-ups” and should never “swallow” sounds which it sometimes does. It seems as if there are still some open issues on the communication data bus (?) & dependancies between running applications and the firmware itself. Going by the current firmware version 100.xx.xx, it apparently took them quite some time to release a final deployable version. Add the fact that the phone is FP1 only (instead of other current Nokias that are FP2), it must have been in the developement pipeline for quite some time. I’d say since the end of 2006 or maybe even earlier.
Also, there’s no firmware version available online. So if you feel like reflashing your phone with a brand new firmware, you’re probably forced to return it to a Nokia Service Center where this is normally done free of charge within the first year if you have a plausible reason. Other than that, you could try to find an unauthorized dealer who has the necessary flash files. Customers won’t need to know this though - most just want it to perform and not to fail.
14. weight: the E71 is a bit too heavy and sometimes it just glides away. However, you only realize this while comparing it to other phones. On the other hand, it shouldn’t be lighter!
15. calculator: the calculator that currently comes shipped with S60 FP1 is pure horror. It’s the same as found on the N95, so if you’re in need of a decent calculator, try Calcium or other freeware versions.
16. LED: as mentioned, the camera is only equipped with an LED light but no real flash light. For the camera itself, the LED may just be enough, but a better camera and some flash light would be better.
—
Despite of all these details, the E71 is a very nice phone and I am really tempted not to keep it after the 2 weeks trial. I’ve used it together with my N95 and haven’t really missed anything from the N95 so far. Sure, the camera on the N95 is much better, but then again, taking a fast & inconspicuous snapshot (something I loved on my Nokia 6230i) is by far easier and faster on the E71.
If I had to decide for a current Nokia phone, I’d either take the E71, the N82 or the Nokia 6220 Classic. But I am stuck with the N95 which - after 14 months of daily use - is slowly wearing off. The N95 also reminds me of my precious 7110 I’d bought in 1999: “I will never get a slider phone again!”, I’d told myself back then. Well…
—
Ok - that’s it for today. I will continue testing the E71 and will also talk about the BH-903 Bluetooth headset as well as the “special trial software” that came pre-installed on the E71 during my next posts as part of this review. So stay tuned! :-)
E71, N95, EcoDrive
left: usb port, right microSD port
“water damage inidicator” (white sticker that turns permanently red if e.g. dropped into a bowl of water…happened to two friends of mine who missed a call for that special reason while having a nature’s call ;-)
Some more images are available on the flickr set!
If you thought that Stephen Hawking is the only one around with a cool voice, check this out:
(my 2nd video on YouTube btw - am a bit shy when it comes to video blogging…)
If you ever thought about getting an E71 and are still looking for that *special* reason why it’s better than a BB or even an iPhone, this may be a surprising gimmick for your non-geek friends at Pizza Garden on those Furahiday evenings. ;-)
Stay tuned for part (3) of my E71 review!
“I just hope it doesn’t arrive when I’m around”, she said. “…coz you’d spend more time with it than with me”.
Well…
Donna of WomWorld/Nokia contacted me the other day, asking if I’d be interested in testing the Nokia E71 business phone as a blogger. What a rhetorical question…
[disclaimer: this post is REALLY long! You've been warned! :-)]
From a Nokia N95 to an E71?
What she probably didn’t know is that I’d been playing with the idea of changing my Nokia N95 for an E71, mainly because I’d been longing for a phone with a true QWERTY/Z keyboard.
My N95 isn’t that bad, especially since I’ve changed the silver cover into a black & cheap one earlier this year, but I really miss a decent keyboard for longer text input and if there’s one thing I still can’t stand about my N95 , then it’s the slider mechanism. While the first row of N95s still had some issues with the slider mechanism itself (which I’d fixed myself already by adjusting the tiny slider rails), the really bad product design on the N95 is that it also opens to both sides. Nice for marketing purposes and for creating the “WOW!” effect way back in early 2007, but when it comes to putting the phone into the pockets of your trousers, your only thought is: “Oh..maaaan”. Put the N95 into a monoblock cover, add a decent keyboard and I’m your next customer (the Nokia 6220 classic actually comes close to this, but lacks WLAN …and the N82 isn’t much better even though it basically is a N95 in monoblock format - N79 maybe?).
The E71 promised to be a welcome change on the horizon, keeping in mind that the Nokia E series stands for the businEss line, while the N series stands for eNtertainment. Confusing? Indeed!
As a consequence of that, comparing the E71 with an N95 is almost as wrong as comparing the N95 with an iPhone. And due to the lack of the (precessor model) E61 and E61i (E62 in the US), I can only judge the E71 through the lens of someone who a) has been using Nokia phones since 1998, b) has some experience with the downsides of the S60 operating system and c) is still trying to see it as a phone. After all, it’s just a mobile phone!
Talking about the downsides to the E71 - there are of course quite a few issues I’d like to mention here. After all, a review is imho meant to also focus on the stuff customers can only tell you about once they’ve used the phone for some time. On the other hand, most customers of a business phone are those that just want to have a working phone which enables them to check their mail without hassle and surf the net. The main reason for getting an E71 - as opposed to an N95 or even a much simpler phone - is that you want to have a QWERTY keyboard with some tactile feedback. If you don’t need a QWERTY keyboard on your phone, there are hundreds of other phones that probably suite your needs. But still, the E71 is great phone with an extremely great battery runtime for such a phone and probably also one of the best QWERTY phones out there that covers so many different aspects.
Since the E71 has already been on the market for at least 2 months, others already did a great job of compiling great reviews on the E71 that just have to be mentioned here, here, here, here, here, here and here. These reviews will also be able to give you some feedback on whether you should upgrade from an existing QWERTY phone and whether it can compete with Blackberries and other business phones.
With all these great reviews out there on the internet, I thought about focusing on my favourite subject: mobile blogging. I’ll also have a closer look at the extra applications the E71 came shipped with, so this will not remain my only E71 review*.
As mentioned earlier in my previous series on mobile blogging, I had come to the assumption that mobile blogging a) depends on a well-integrated software package and b) requires a decent QWERTY keyboard for text input. Entering text via the (T9) keypad or even via an external Bluetooth keyboard isn’t that sexy. And while the best solution for true mobile blogging currently seems to be the combination of a (low cost) Netbook with a (simpler) 3G-capable phone , blogging directly from the phone is what needs to be explored here.
How well does the Nokia E71 perfom in mobile blogging?
Take a snapshot with the built-in camera or even shoot a simple video (at reduced frame rate due to the lack of a dedicated graphics cpu in the phone), add some text and upload it onto your website.
Obviously, mobile blogging is much more than the tumblr-stlyed Twitter service and it’s clones. While Twitter provides the same experience either from the web, from a dedicated app and the phone (via Twibble or SMS) - true mobile blogging would include the creation of content on a restricted device on one hand, and on the other hand the correct rendering of multimedia content within a given layout on a much more flexible and bigger website space.
So, let’s use the E71 together with the WordPress installation on my blog. Is it compatible? Am I able to feed my blog with content directly from the phone? And why WordPress and not any other blogging platform?
Yes, why WordPress and not a dedicated mobile blogging site?
Well…because I see mobile blogging as an addition to the blogging I normally do from a browser running on a PC-based operating system (Win, OSX, GNU/Linux distro, etc.). If I wanted to only do mobile blogging, there’d sure be other systems available that do a much better job on a different scale. And WordPress, because it’s my choice. :-)
A) WP WPhone mobile plugin
Anyways, if you happen to run a selfhosted WordPress blog, try to get your hands on the WP mobile plugin which provides a much simpler WP backend interface. Activate it and access your backend from the phone.
[screenshots: using the WP dashboard via WP mobile plugin]
What you’ll see here is the basic S60 browser that comes shipped with the phone’s (internal) firmware and which just provides a rather simple access to the backend of our WordPress installation. Using this method to edit your posts, mobile blogging is reduced to a rather primitive (but pure) method of entering text. Formatting is done via HTML-tags and provides basic layout options, completely depending on your HTML-skills.
And obviously, it’s much smarter to preformat your text offline and then copy&paste it (ha! try that with an iPhone…muahahaha :-) into your blog editor while you’re online. Users with an unstable or expensive Internet connection will definitely appreciate this method.
The WPhone Admin Plugin has been around for quite some time now, the latest version was released in Nov. 2007 and those who created it dropped its further development due to the official WordPress-iPhone app . Sad.
You know what? The WPhone Plugin + Opera Mini browser is my #1 choice when it comes to mobile blogging. Why? Because it just works. Which goes to show that the phone’s internal S60 browser still isn’t that great (even though it’s based on WebKit which also provides the basis to Google’s Chrome, Safari or the wonderful Midori browser on my Ubuntu platform).
[screenshots: WPhone Plugin in use with the OperaMini browser]
What I particularly don’t like about the S60 browser is the [back]-navigation - which is so much better on the OperaMini. Both browsers though still display the web as it’s also seen on a full-screened PC-based operating system (using different technologies of course). The success of the Symbian OS imho also greatly depends on a good browser. Or else ppl will jump on the Google Android + mobile Chrome browser waggon asap it becomes available. After all, the browser experience is what’s good on the iPhone…
[screenshot: navigating on the S60 browser]
B) WordPress Mobile Plugin
The WP Mobile Plugin actually isn’t used for mobile blogging, but instead bridges the gap between creating and consuming blog content. Once installed and activated, it will “detect mobile phones and show them a version better suited to a small screen”. While I haven’t tested the latest version, I’ve tested the previous one for quite some time on this blog and did not like it that much back then. I am mentioning here because it still has great potential, includes mobile ads (!!) and was created by Andy Moore who’s a certified mobile web developer and sure knows how to benefit from all of this (~ adsense revenue..).
Both plugins are interesting and should also create an awareness for the many internet surfers out there who are fixed to a mobile phone due to the lack of a connected computer.
Our next option is to use a dedicated phone application that provides a dedicated user interface for offline editing of blog content. I currently know of two applications that I’ve tested with both the E71 and my N95 and which I’d like to introduce here:
C) Wavelog 1.0
Here’s what the developers wrote on their website: “Wavelog is a blogging client application developed for S60 phones. It allows posting of the content as text, image, audio or video, to a Web log (blog) directly from the mobile phone using any type of available network (mobile phone or Wi-Fi network). (….) Wavelog has been developed and tested on Nokia N95 mobile phones. Wavelog uses XML-RPC protocol for posting to blog publishing systems that support MetaWeblog API” (WP, Drupal, Joomla, MovableType). A trial version is available from their website, for a purchase of the software you’ll have to cough up USD 10.00…
[screenshots: using Wavelog on the E71]
Configuring Wavelog:
I’ve tested Wavelog 1.0 with a test account on my blog with both the N95 and the E71 and - while the demo version doesn’t support the uploading of media files (audio, video). Wavelog 1.0 didn’t really convince me on the E71. On the N95 it’s a bit better (should be the same, actually!).
Wavelog also runs a public (test?) blog to showcast the capabilities of the tool and forwards its users to a blog that is said to be entirely fed through the use of Wavelog 1.0. Well…
…which gets us to option:
D) SRIBE (+ Mobile Python For S60) [h/t via]
Aaahhh, Python. Thinking about the (mobile) programming language Python, I instantly have to think of Nathan Eagle and his students at University of Nairobi. For some reasons, it always comes back to folks who at one point in their life spent some time in good old Nairobi. Home, sweet home!
Besides of that, Python is beautiful way of *pimping* your S60 phone. Just think of adding another layer of multiple options that will turn your phone into a little computer (what it basically already is) that can run much more than what it had initially been designed for.
Scribe is one of those applications directly running on top of (Mobile)Python For S60 - and while those coders among my readers here certainly have a much better and more accurate explanation of what PyS60 actually is and isn’t - all we need to know at this point is that in order to use SCRIBE, you’ll also need to install the free PyS60 package
Here’s the manual from the Scribe website:
, the developer of Scribe, recently commented on symbian-gure.com that a new version of Scribe is in the pipeline which will also be much easier to install and come with an image uploading feature.
[screenshots: Scribe on the N95]
[screenshots: Scribe on the E71]
E) Kablog
Tested it on the E71, works. Hasnt been updated since Sept 2006 though, so I left it out.
—
Well, whether you’re using the WPhone mobile plugin, Wavelog, Scribe or any other system I forgot to mention here, this list will maybe also explain why a blog system like WordPress and most modern mobile phones still need to come much closer. Who knows, maybe in upcoming WordPress releases we’ll also find an integrated mobile blogging backend?
Me thinks that mobile blogging has to be reviewed asap those HTC phones running Google’s Android OS will come out by the end of this year. Until then, the E71 is my choice when it comes to QWERTY phones, and I’ll also tell you why in my next post on this phone (as part of JKE’s E71 review).
Stay tuned! :-)
* part 2 & 3 will deal with some extra applications as well as with the already awesome BH-903 Bluetooth headset that came with the E71.
…WONDERING!!!!!!!!! where the **** it has been:
The parcel.
The parcel containing a Nokia E71 and BH-903 the kind folks from WOM World/Nokia have given me for a short testing period….
..only to realize after 2 weeks of onychophagy uncertainty that the landlord (who lives downstaires in the basement) already received and opened the parcel a week ago - assuming it’s the phone he ordered some time ago.
Dude!
Oh, and did I mention it’s not the first time he did that? Yes….go figure… (that is, I don’t have any probs with ppl opening my mail - as long as everything stays intact & I am informed).
AOB: TwitterKeys are so ☠ …
I need a new credit card and my bank offers this special option for an extra annual fee of EUR 3,- where I can upload pictures which are then printed directly on the cc.
Atiriiri…I thought, what fun! Let’s see what my vanity (& a sleepless night, hence the motivation for this beautiful waste of time) comes up with:
1. Kikoi - I’ve actually thought about using this Kikoi image (see header logo on my blog) more often- even with a possible new WP-template.
2. Brokat - my grandmother’s ball gown (I really like the pattern!)
3. view from the backyard @ Forodha Towers on Nairobi ;-)
4. afternoon rain, somewhere between Limuru and Ruaka
5. my favourite view on Garissa
6. somewhere in Kitengela/Mbagathi. Mzeecedric knows where this is.
7. Somewhere on the way to Olepolos…
Since I can’t decide which one to choose (1.,6. or 7.?), you are hereby cordially invited to contribute your 2c-comment! :-)
You know these (basic!) VISA cards cost around 20,- EUR / a - so I was wondering whether anyone is actually using those bonus-cards (Gold, Platinum, Amazon, etc.) where you’re given extra miles for any purchase via the card + insurance package? I know the system is totally different from the one in use in the USA, but here in Europe credit cards are not that common (= not everyone has one!) as we also have national direct debit card systems such as the Maestro system by MasterCard.
:-)
I’ve played with Edubuntu on the office laptop today and came across this nice suite for kids & boys like me who like to play smart games:
If you have access to kids ;-), think they should learn something about computers and don’t want to buy any extra gadgets/toys, then GCompris may just be what you’re looking for.
“GCompris is an educational software suite comprising of numerous activities for children aged 2 to 10. (…) Currently GCompris offers in excess of 100 activities and more are being developed. GCompris is free software, that means that you can adapt it to your own needs, improve it and, most importantly, share it with children everywhere.”
“In order to promote the use of GNU/Linux, the windows version has a limited number of activities. It is possible to access all the activities for a fee” - which is 20,- EUR. Best option is to use the LiveCD version, or - if you can - try Ubuntu with the Edubuntu add-on package.
Edubuntu has really improved since I’ve first blogged about it in 2005. Nice! My new boss has 3 kids who often play in the office. So I thought about giving them an older laptop with Edubuntu + a mouse and see how far they’ll get with it.
…gets to see really strange stuff:
Mzee smurf stuffed into a Rentner-Mercedes (~trolley).
Religion? Image!
Scary!
…tbc…
Wann weiß man(n) eigentlich, wann man die Richtige (Lebensabschnittsgefährtin) gefunden hat?
Wird das dann irgendwo angezeigt oder bekommt man es gesagt?
Neulich stand ich in einem Laden und sah eine sehr schöne Lederjacke. “Boah, die isset…”, dachte ich mir, “…aber der Preis…naa…kann ich mir nicht wirklich leisten”. Angezogen sah sie aber wirklich gut aus und war genau (!) das wonach ich geschaut hatte.
1 Woche später habe ich sie mir dann gekauft und bin seitdem glücklich damit.
Geht das auch so leicht mit Beziehungen? Wann weiß man, ob es die richtige Partnerin ist? Wenn man sie mit den Exen vergleicht? Oder mit der erstellten Liste der Traumfraumerkmale? Und was ist mit den christlichen Freunden, die irgendwie alle schon so (gefühlt)vorzeitig heiraten? Haben die ihre Wahl jemals bereut?
Not that I haven’t made up my mind on this. Ich glaube aber im Leben eines Mannes gibt es diese “George Clooney-ich-will-mich-nicht-festlegen” Momente. Ob das gut ist? Keine Ahnung.
Die Erkenntnis jedoch, dass man mit einer Person wirklich bis zum Ende zusammen sein und alles teilen möchte - das ist meiner Meinung nach genauso wichtig wie über evtl. Zweifel zu diskutieren. Daher die Frage: inweit darf, kann oder muss eine Entscheidung zur Partnerschaft eine Bauchentscheidung sein?
Oder anders gefragt: welcher Maßstab muss zur Beurteilung des eigenen Befindlichkeitzustandes angelegt werden? - Wie weiß man, wann es einem gut geht?
Something tells me that this gadgetimoja will become very popular in some parts of Kenya….
[via]
AOB: my first post from Ubuntu! Earlier this week, a colleague of mine asked me which firewall software he should use next to his Avira antivirus scanner on WinXP. I told him to try Ubuntu instead if all he does is surfing the web + some office tasks. Why? Because it may just be what he needs.
As for me, I’ve switched from Kubuntu (KDE 3.x + 4.x) back to Ubuntu (Gnome) earlier this week as I realized that Ubuntu is what I need on my laptop here. A perfect alternative to WinXP. The only thing I dislike about Ubuntu & Co so far is that it really only makes sense if you have an internet connection that provides enough bandwidth for updates (I am still to figure out how to download updates to an offline repository). Slowly switching from WinXP to Ubuntu apparently also includes the realization that a limited availability of programms (see also Apple Mac) isn’t necessarily that bad. Hey, it even connects to my phone! And printer installation….wooohaaa! 25 minutes / 800 MB software package to install an AIO HP OfficeJet 7210 printer within WinXP, but less than one minute within Ubuntu. Sure, this will only cover the driver, but then - even the driver package alone is ~70MB on WinXP.