fring introduce Skype video calling on Symbian platform

It must be a wondeful time to be a owner of a Symbian S60v3 and S60v5 (Symbian^1) powered device. A day after we finally see the release of the Symbian Spotify client, fring has released a new version with Skype video calling functionality! The new feature is currently only available on selected Nokia models for the time being (N97, N97 Mini, 5800XM, X6, N95, N95 8GB, N82) though support for more models will be added.

I tested the function on the N97 Mini and it really works well and seems to be stable enough, at least over a WiFi network. The video quality seems reasonable enough with a frame rate that is usable enough, though it does seem laggy. The screenshot above is taken whilst video calling to my cheap as chips Creative Live! Optia which has a VGA resolution and lacks a macro mode.

Now lets hope a video calling compatible client for the E55 is being planned. In the meantime if you have a compatible device, head to m.fring.com and download the latest client.

Spotify for Symbian launched

Spotify has finally release the mobile client for the Symbian S60 platform, the most popular and widely used smartphone platform. Models supported includes the Nokia E52 (I suspect the E55 is supported but will test it later), E66, E71, E75, N86, 5800XM, N97, Sony Ericsson Satio and Samsung i7110, Omnia HD; and more. A list of supported devices is available here. Listeners would also be able to listen to Spotify whilst e-mailing, surfing social networking sites or even whilst hillwalking thanks to the multi-tasking nature of the OS.

Available to premium subscribers, the client will allow subscribers to stream music, download 3,333 tracks for offline mode and sync playlists with the desktop client. In fact as a premium subscriber, you can have offline playlists on up to three mobile or desktop devices. Premium costs £9.99 a month and allows the subscriber to stream music at a higher bitrate, use the mobile client and download music for offline mode.

Nokia N97 Mini camera samples and review

The N97 Mini features the same camera module as the Nokia N97. The lens here are branded as Carl Zeiss, though I suspect that Nokia are simply licensing the brand. Still who am I to know. Anyway...

The camera here is a 5MP auto focus module with macro capability. Like the N97, the camera application isn't intuitive to use and is slow to boot and explore around. You do get some form of manual control in the form of ISO adjustment (labelled as 'Low', 'Medium' and 'High'), white balance control, sharpness, contrast, colour tone and exposure, though you can't manually control the shutter speed. Three resolutions are supported: 5MP, 2MP and VGA. And like any modern Nokia smartphones, co-ordinates can also be embedded onto images and videos in the form of GPS geo-tagging. There is also a dual LED flash module, which is clearly separated from the lens by a raised frame, so none of the flash bleeding malarkey here as suffered by plenty of N97 owners.

Here are some unedited photographs taken with the Nokia N97 Mini. Unfortunately Blogger does not support resolutions as high as 5MP, so these are resized to 1024x768 resolution. Apart from that they are essentially untouched, and will give you an idea of what to expect from the N97 - as far as the camera goes. While certainly no match for my G9 and modern digital compacts, it is good enough to be used as a quick snapper - as long as there is sufficient natural light source. It works well at picking up low light but suffers from loss of detail due to the way N97 Mini process the image. Macro performance is pretty good, just like the N97. Flash performance is reasonable, but do try not to use it as much, even if it is an improvement over the N97 (again, no bleeding here).



Remember the T28? Brilliant no-nonsense phone that was.



Colour saturation could have been better



The N97 and N97 Mini's camera works best outdoors











The iconic "Barcelona Chair" by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Here are some 100% crops:



Macro mode f/2.8 ISO 528, 1/17 sec



f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/333 sec



f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/1000 sec



f/2.8, ISO 174, 1/33 sec

Spotify for Symbian, where art thou?

It has been more than two months since we saw the video of a functional S60 Spotify client. So, one serious question to developers at Spotify HQ: why are you ignoring the largest market out there?

Chrome OS

The amount of attention by self proclaimed experts on Chrome OS is rather unnerving. For those who do not know, Chrome OS is a Linux distribution filled with adware, basically a trojan horse for Google's advertising business - minus the bits that makes Linux great. You may realise that I have adsense on this blog, but you can always adblock it if you want to. With a Google controlled OS and browser, you may not even have a choice.

If you want an open source operating system, stick with OpenSolaris or many of the billion Linux distributions out there. Also harddrives are cheap as chips, so I see absolutely zero reason to trust your data to the "cloud". Anybody who is excited by this and "cloud computing" ought to open up their eyes and realise they are basically putting their data into the hands of a corporation, whose interest lies with their shareholders and no one else.

E55 successor wishlist

You have read my positive review of the Nokia E55 (if not what are you waiting for?). It is easily the best smartphone I have ever had the pleasure to use or own. But nothing is perfect and there are some gripes that I would like Nokia to address in any future successor of the E55/E52.

Camera with macro mode
This is essential for an enterprise-class phone. It just makes so much sense to be able to capture a business card and let the phone's OCR software work its magic, like with the E71.

E51 durability and material
I am sure I am not the only one here willing to sacrifice the lightness and thinness of the E55 if it meant we can get our stainless steel material (and thus bomb proof durability) back. The E55's built quality is fine, but is still a step backward compared to the E51.

HVGA or VGA display
Symbian already supports multiple resolutions so I can't see why the E55 couldn't have a HVGA or VGA display. QVGA no longer cuts it, even on a 2.4" screen. I do not care if you can't see a difference - I can and so can many others.

TV-out
TV-out makes so much sense for a business phone, I can't believe no one else is demanding it. I am sure many users would prefer to simply connect it to a hotel room's LCD display and use a wireless keyboard to work on QuickOffice or their e-mails if only the feature was present. I know I would.

Move the charging slot to the bottom
The microUSB slot on the E55 is placed on the left hand side making the phone an ergonomic nightmare whilst it is charging. Moving the slot to the bottom is just a basic design common sense. It will also make the phone cradle compatible.

Better bundles
With only a 2GB microSD card and not even a faux leather case or phone strap, Nokia is really taking the piss when it comes to the E55 bundle. A 4GB expansion card, at minium, is expected at this price point.

Timely firmware upgrades
I am fine with the current firmware, but I am disappointed with the way Nokia Care UK treats its customers. It has more than a week since the release of the v22 firmware, and yet the new firmware has yet to be made available on UK simfree model.

ThinkPad X100e

Whatever Lenovo's excuse is, the new ThinkPad X100e isn't a real ThinkPad at least design wise.

Whilst retaining some form of identity to the classic and timeless ThinkPad design (the red TrackPoint), the X100e basically looks just like yet another netbook It has a chiclet style keyboard, first made popular on notebooks by Sony, meaning it lacks the popular keyboard that made the ThinkPad brand what it is. The hinge also does not look sturdy enough, but one should not judge merely from press shots. It also does not appear to have the ThinkLight functionality. Also, whoever decided that the new ThinkPad X100e should be available in anything other than black should be shot and disemboweled.

Still it looks okay, and the specs seems competent enough - but I will stick to my guns that it does not deserve the ThinkPad branding. It looks like an Ideapad project that marketing decided to simply slap the ThinkPad branding on. Ugh, I am starting to sound like a Luddite, but whatever.

More here.

Nokia N97 Mini unboxing

Tom from WOM World Nokia surprised us with something that truly caught us off guard this evening. A mariachi band, camera crew and a N97 Mini, as part of Nokia Human Research Department Experiment! I was expecting something when Tom called this afternoon, but certainly not this! Truly entertaining though I suspect our neighbours may not be too amused! Not that we are too bothered as we will be moving soon.

BTW, thanks to Tom, Ricardo and the guys and gals from Wom World for traveling all the way to Watford to hand deliver the phone. Also massive thanks to mariachi the band for entertaining us. Wonderful stuff.

Here are the videos of the Nokia Human Research Department Experiment ads on the phone:



The Museum -Experiment #022



The Restaurant - Experiment #016

Brilliant isn't it? I wonder if the video the camera crew captured today will end up as an ad somewhere??? Hmm...

I also had a chance to play around with the N900. The battery was dead (why am I not surprised?), so no opinion about Maemo 5 today. Based on my previous experience with the N800 and N810, it will be good. Regardless, the N900 was solidly built despite having too much plastic for my taste. It is also pretty darn thick and heavy. It isn't something I would replace my E55 as I see it as more of a smaller alternative to a netbook than a smartphone.

As I mentioned before, the N97 Mini is basically an improved version of the N97. It is basically what the N97 should have been in the first place. It feels much smaller, slightly lighter and have a better built material. Unfortunately it also inherits some of the N97's flaws - mainly the limited RAM, slow processor and bizarre keyboard layout (the keys are better spaced and have a better tactile feedback). Still it is a lovely looking phone with a good 5Mp camera, 8GB flash, an assorted of connectivity including GPS receiver, and a brilliant operating system.

I hope to have a review sometime next week. Anyway here are some pictures.








Update: At least two other bloggers has been visited by Tom and the chums from Wom World:

Ruper Howe has an excellent video of the band playing at a pub in Soho.

And Christopher Stobbs has some lovely unboxing pictures which just puts my post to shame (really ought to get a better camera).