Nokia Download Needs SERIOUS Updating!

Having been a phone tester for around 4-5 years now I have come across many different manufacturers and software applications to help make your handset more personal and best for your needs as everyone wants something different.

Since giving up reviewing other manufacturers and concentrating 100% on Nokia handsets I have still come into contact with a few non Nokia phones and 3 of them stand out when it comes to adding on extra applications.

First of all there is the brand spanking new BlackBerry Storm on Vodafone.  Blackberry are trying to reach the everyday user of the mobile phone now because they have been known before as being just for business people to get emails on the move.  Something they have added into their Storm is an App Store button.

Pressing this button loads up a range of applications such as Flickr, Facebook, Vodafone Live which all can be installed at a touch of a button over the air right to your Storm.  I tried this when I had my hands on one a few days back and it was so easy to do anyone can do it!.

Then onto the T-Mobile G1 which has the Android Market again with the same idea where you load up one application and you get a whole range of 3rd party software to installat a touch of a button.  These apps range from Shazam to a Barcode Scanner to check recent prices.

Apple have the iPhone and the well known App Store which is both on the iPhone and iTunes so you can always find the software you want and install how and when you want.  Facebook is again a huge player with the iPhone and users around the world.

So lets look at what Nokia have to offer!.  Each Download! store has separate content depending on what type of handset you have but the theory is the same.  It has to be said though the list of applications on there are very poor with only a few really interesting ones like Messenger and Widsets.

When you look at the thousands of great 3rd party applications such as:

• JoikuSpot (Shares your 3G/HSDPA connection over WiFi)
• Jaiku (Great for sharing comments and thoughts with othes)
• Nokia Chat (Made by Nokia like PIN Messaging for BlackBerry)
• Friend Finder (Uses GPS to share your location with friends and comments)
• Screenshot (Lets you take screenshots from your S60 phone)
• Opera Mobile (The most popular 3rd party browser for Nokia)
• Twitter (Share your thoughts with the world like Jaiku)
• BBC iPlayer (Only officially N96 for now but would work with others)

These are just a few examples of what I use on the E71 and out of 8 listed apps I had to go looking around the Internet to find the files, bluetooth them to my E71 and install that way.  How easy would it have been to select Download from the main menu and have a big list of applications come up like App Store on iPhone and install OTA?. MUCH easier!!!.

My question to readers is do you use Download and if so what do you think of the current poor lineup when you compare to iPhone, G1 and Storm?

Filed Under: Articles

Tags: download, e71, rant, software