IDK the hardware that has been coming out has been pretty boring lately and kind of sucky since most don't support any kind of US 3G. My first "handset" was a Psion and I have been using Symbian for a while but I am thinking of jumping ship over to Android. I have an N82, which is one of the best phones I have used but connecting via EDGE is so-so. Looking into getting an E71 but if I don;t like it I will get the G-1.
@Kaiser-Machead: LOL! I guess I was a bit too vocal in the smartphone comparison chart that it's left a lasting impression..
Thanks John. I've only used a few of these apps. OperaMini is excellent on both the N95 and 5800XM. Google Maps, in my opinion works better than Nokia Maps on both of the above mentioned phones at least. It loads up and locks in much faster. I use the Internet Radio app(which is no longer available at Nokia's site for some reason) over Mobbler. Youtube and GMail apps both work great on the N95 however the newest version of the YT ap just released a couple of weeks ago won't even install on the 5800XM. GMail 2.00 works good on the 5800XM. Haven't tried it on the N95 yet (still using version 1.00 on that one).
QuickOffice works similarly on both phones. You can view office files with the free version but you'll need to buy the upgrade in order to edit documents. Another good app is Photo Flow for browsing photos on the 5800XM. By far one of the best apps I use is Handy Shell. It replaces the main active standby screen and has more configuration options than the default standby screen has. It's not a free app but well worth it, especially on the 5800XM since there's more screen real estate to work with. Handy Weather is a separate app with comes free for one year with the purchase of Handy Shell. It's nice having weather updates on the standby screen but not so much that I would have paid for this. Mobile Weather and WeatherBug (available both as a widget for the N95 & a widset for the 5800XM) are two free alternatives which do the job adequately.
There's plenty more freeware to browse from over at Symbian Freak.
@Jrsy Devil's Food Cake®: No way Jrsy, I couldn't help but think the same thing after reading the smartphone comparison chart they did a while ago. I don't even know what to make of the comment "We've even gone so far as to declare it too marginal to include in our smartphone OS guide" in the article above when it's preceded by a statement like, "Symbian is the planet's most popular smartphone OS-everywhere except the US, that is." I guess, some how a objective fact based statement followed up by subjective and biased opinion is somehow meant to re-affirm the reasoning and logic for their disregard of the Symbian OS in prior articles?...
I traded in my N95 8GB a while ago for a SE X1, and am so miserable now. :( Symbian, from my personal experience, has been great for me, and even plays nicely with my Mac (using iSync to sync calendar and contact info wirelessly using only bluetooth, and the Nokia Multimedia Transfer Software for the rest)! Depending on what Apple announces about there new iPhone this upcoming summer I may finally be forced to get one, or the forthcoming N97 from Nokia. As of now I'm leaning more towards getting a unlocked N97 and keeping my Tmobile plan, instead of paying through my nose monthly with AT&T for a iPhone...
@Ambiguous Blob 2.0: I've been thinking about the N97 as well. Having not used a touchscreen phone for more than say 30 to 45 minutes at any given time I decided to get my feet wet with the 5800XM first. Frankly this was because it's available now and a cheaper alternative to what the N97 will reportedly retail for.
After the first two days I did not like it. Well, that is to say, I liked everything except for the touchscreen. Now though after a week and a half of use it's grown on me quite a bit. I find that I still like buttons but this is a solid phone. Using the full qwerty is still a challenge because I have big hands. I found going with the T9 keyboard to be easier since that's what I am already used to. I can type without thinking just based on the number of taps to get to the desired character. The 'keys' are bigger so I can fly across them pretty good. I did switch back to the qwerty though to force myself to learn how to use it properly instead of taking the easy way out. I still cheat by typing with one hand which, for me at least is amazingly fast and accurate. I have a few days left so the jury's still out on whether or not I'm keeping it. My only real gripes at this point is that it's a tad small and the camera is nowhere near the quality of my N95 (I can't really consider that to be a gripe though since I knew this was going to be the case before I even bought the phone). I'm sure I will like the N97's physical qwerty over the touchscreen version but I don't know if I'd be any happier since it doesn't appear to be much bigger than the 5800XM.
I wish they'd make it easier to recycle stuff. I'm sure there has to be money to make off of it. I have a vacuum, monitor, steam cleaner that really needs to go.
Ebay gets surprising results. Several years ago I sold a PCMCIA ethernet & 56K v92 modem combo card, used for a coupel of years, for the same price I had bought it for when new. Soemtimes people need old shit to match with other old shit, and they have no choice but to pay a decent amount if there's a little competition for old shit.
I do like to say a few words over a piece that has done good service in it's time.
Our circa 1992 builder-grade dishwasher was spoken of fondly as it was hauled out.
-as opposed to the stove, which is of the same vintage and quality and burned/undercooked nearly everything for so long I thought my wife was to blame.
(I cook too, but EVERYTHING I make sucks.)
I do like to reflect on the life of a device when it goes.
As a bit of a pack rat, I tend to hold onto everything. Maybe it is time to let go. The extra space I gain will probably be worth the hopefully brief bout of separation anxiety.
@awtaylo: Same here. I've 'retired' my old gadgets by shoving them into any available drawer or closet. I've thown out and 're-gifted' only a few things. Every so often I'll think, "why did I give that (or throw that) [insert gadget name here] away? I wish I kept it." Common sense usually kicks in by then and I realize that they're obsolete objects, but they were my obsolete objects dammit...!
"Oh what have I done, giving you away my precious Compaq 1800T. You were sniff..my first..sniff...my first laptop. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!!!"
This won't help scroungers who can't help but sift through old equipment in the office and suddenly say "OMG I totally need this double-ended power cable" "OH shit ethernet! I must have this!" "Who on earth would throw away a perfectly good Linksys ethernet switch?" and swipe RAM card after RAM card from old computers, yanking out PSU's, pulling the heads out of old VCR's, keeping any screw/bolt that isn't dethreaded(a lot) and whatever old case they can use.
Oh wow...
OK I'll brb, I just found a box full of NiCd batteries AND three prong adapters. FTMFW
I prefer to honor my gadgets like our ancient forefathers did. I place them ceremoniously upon a brick altar, after which, I set up a specially made tripod, and load a terracotta planter pot with holy thermite. I say a little prayer, then light that bitch up!
Drinking and singing songs of it's victories follows immediately afterwards.
04/07/09
::Looks at her Moto Q with shameful resentment::
Gah.
04/07/09
04/07/09
04/07/09
04/08/09
Thanks John. I've only used a few of these apps. OperaMini is excellent on both the N95 and 5800XM. Google Maps, in my opinion works better than Nokia Maps on both of the above mentioned phones at least. It loads up and locks in much faster. I use the Internet Radio app(which is no longer available at Nokia's site for some reason) over Mobbler. Youtube and GMail apps both work great on the N95 however the newest version of the YT ap just released a couple of weeks ago won't even install on the 5800XM. GMail 2.00 works good on the 5800XM. Haven't tried it on the N95 yet (still using version 1.00 on that one).
QuickOffice works similarly on both phones. You can view office files with the free version but you'll need to buy the upgrade in order to edit documents. Another good app is Photo Flow for browsing photos on the 5800XM. By far one of the best apps I use is Handy Shell. It replaces the main active standby screen and has more configuration options than the default standby screen has. It's not a free app but well worth it, especially on the 5800XM since there's more screen real estate to work with. Handy Weather is a separate app with comes free for one year with the purchase of Handy Shell. It's nice having weather updates on the standby screen but not so much that I would have paid for this. Mobile Weather and WeatherBug (available both as a widget for the N95 & a widset for the 5800XM) are two free alternatives which do the job adequately.
There's plenty more freeware to browse from over at Symbian Freak.
04/08/09
I traded in my N95 8GB a while ago for a SE X1, and am so miserable now. :( Symbian, from my personal experience, has been great for me, and even plays nicely with my Mac (using iSync to sync calendar and contact info wirelessly using only bluetooth, and the Nokia Multimedia Transfer Software for the rest)! Depending on what Apple announces about there new iPhone this upcoming summer I may finally be forced to get one, or the forthcoming N97 from Nokia. As of now I'm leaning more towards getting a unlocked N97 and keeping my Tmobile plan, instead of paying through my nose monthly with AT&T for a iPhone...
04/09/09
After the first two days I did not like it. Well, that is to say, I liked everything except for the touchscreen. Now though after a week and a half of use it's grown on me quite a bit. I find that I still like buttons but this is a solid phone. Using the full qwerty is still a challenge because I have big hands. I found going with the T9 keyboard to be easier since that's what I am already used to. I can type without thinking just based on the number of taps to get to the desired character. The 'keys' are bigger so I can fly across them pretty good. I did switch back to the qwerty though to force myself to learn how to use it properly instead of taking the easy way out. I still cheat by typing with one hand which, for me at least is amazingly fast and accurate. I have a few days left so the jury's still out on whether or not I'm keeping it. My only real gripes at this point is that it's a tad small and the camera is nowhere near the quality of my N95 (I can't really consider that to be a gripe though since I knew this was going to be the case before I even bought the phone). I'm sure I will like the N97's physical qwerty over the touchscreen version but I don't know if I'd be any happier since it doesn't appear to be much bigger than the 5800XM.
There's always the E71 though...
02/05/09
::Runs across the halway::
Look, ive got 5,228 iDen phones!
02/05/09
02/05/09
02/05/09
I will then add them to the boxes of random electronics shite I have filling my basement.
My wife will then ask me why in the hell I need that.
The circle of life continues.
02/05/09
02/05/09
02/05/09
02/05/09
02/05/09
:D I'm getting an HTC Touch now though!
02/05/09
02/05/09
02/05/09
02/05/09
Our circa 1992 builder-grade dishwasher was spoken of fondly as it was hauled out.
-as opposed to the stove, which is of the same vintage and quality and burned/undercooked nearly everything for so long I thought my wife was to blame.
(I cook too, but EVERYTHING I make sucks.)
I do like to reflect on the life of a device when it goes.
02/05/09
Thanks for the tips.
02/05/09
"Oh what have I done, giving you away my precious Compaq 1800T. You were sniff..my first..sniff...my first laptop. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!!!"
02/05/09
Oh wow...
OK I'll brb, I just found a box full of NiCd batteries AND three prong adapters. FTMFW
02/05/09
02/05/09
Drinking and singing songs of it's victories follows immediately afterwards.