I've been using a Nokia N95-1 off and on for the last 7 months and even though it may not be perfect, it is one amazing device that I keep going back to after trying something new. I just read on All About Symbian that the anticipated firmware update is now available for this device. IMHO, the most significant feature is demand paging due to the limited amount of RAM on the N95-1.
In just over a month, you will not be able to use your cellphone in your automobile in Washington State without some kind of hands-free solution. Hands-free laws are in place now or coming soon to many other states and areas of the world so now is a good time to take a look at some of the solutions available to you besides the standard wired hands-free kit included with your cellphone purchase.I had the opportunity to personally evaluate the Etymotic hf2 wired iPhone stereo headphones, Etymotic EtyBlu Bluetooth headset, Aliph Jawbone 2 Bluetooth headset, Nokia BH-903 Bluetooth stereo headphones, and Spracht Bluetooth speakephone. They all have their strengths and weaknesses and it really comes down to your own personal preference when selecting a hands-free kit that fits your specific needs. However, I did find a new personal favorite in the bunch that I plan to use myself now that I can no longer just hold my phone to my head and drive.
One wireless radio that is included on many Nokia S60 devices that I think rarely gets used is the FM radio. I know I rarely use it since it also requires a wired headset to serve as the FM antenna. As a result, I was very pleased to see the beta release of the Nokia Internet Radio application a week or so ago. I immediately downloaded and installed it on my Nokia N95-1 to give it a try and was very impressed with the slick interface, performance even over my T-Mobile EDGE connection, and ability to play the radio over the loud stereo speakers on the device.
I thoroughly enjoy using my Nokia N95 and with the latest firmware it is a solid device that I highly recommend people consider. One of the features that a Star Wars fan like me was thrilled to discover was the N95 integrated accelerometer along with the Lightsabre application. I have had lots of fun swinging my N95 around in fake Jedi/Sith battles. There has been talk of getting iPhone-like auto screen rotation on the N95 and it looks like Samir has made the free utility available on his site.
Rhapsody has an unlimited music subscription service that works with PlaysForSure devices, as well as the Nokia N800, Mac computers, and Windows PCs. The Nokia N95 is a multimedia powerhouse and has a few features that make it better than most any other mobile multimedia device on the market. You can take your music with you on the go and listen to it without even needing earphones.
The latest version of RoadSync, version 3.002, was just recently released and actually has more functionality than the Nokia Mail for Exchange client with support for Exchange Server 2007. RoadSync still works with Exchange Server 2003 too, but now takes advantage of some advanced features of 2007. Some of these advanced features are e-mail flags, faster message retrieval, online mailbox search, and SharePoint and UNC file access. Unfortunately, 4SmartPhone hasn't yet upgraded their servers to Exchange Server 2007 so I can't yet take advantage of these advance features. The latest version of RoadSync also adds features to Exchange 2003, including mailbox subfolders, message zooming, improved attachment handling, improved push logic, and support for S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1. Check out all the screenshots of RoadSync in action on a Nokia N95.
S60 Summit 07 took place this past week and a few bloggers and media were invited to the invite-only event held in Madrid, Spain. The S60 Summit covered the current and future of the S60 platform and included a full day of seminar topics and an open expo featuring many mobile software developers. Check out the image gallery and commentary on the event, as well as PDF versions of the seminar discussions.
We are only 5 shows away from 100 and MobileTechRoundup show #95 took some serious effort to get out the door due to Kevin's MacBook issues. However, we did get through the recording and started off with some freeware to reward patient listeners. We then talked a bit about the Nokia N95 and mobile phones, followed up with MacBook issues. HP is taking Outlook off of the Getting Started CD, but will people really care? You can also get Outlook 2007 for free with a 4smartphone hosted Exchange account. Kevin and I are testing out Nokia N800 devices and did you know you can stream Rhapsody music to the device? The HTC Shift UMPC was a hit at CTIA and we can't wait to check one out.
As regular readers know I am a part of the Nokia Nseries Blogger Relations program and get the opportunity to review some very cool Nokia smartphones like the N95, N93 and N73. My primary home computer is a MacBook Pro and up until now I have always used the Nokia PC Suite with Parallels and Windows XP. I have a hosted Exchange account so syncing my contacts, calendar, and tasks is taken care of by a server wirelessly. However, to get your media to sync and transfer then you have to take your external storage card out and put it into an external reader or again use Parallels and XP, but then your media is in the PC storage area and not on your Mac. Nokia has finally given some attention to Mac users though and released the Nokia Media Transfer utility.
I was on the road again for MobileTechRoundup show #99, but that didn't stop Kevin, James, and myself from talking about the sale of my Samsung Q1 UMPC and Nokia E61 and the purchase of my new Nokia E61i. We chatted a bit about Macs, MindManager 7, disk thrashing in Windows Vista, and Widsets. We had lots of fun chatting about mobile technology and hope you enjoy the show.