A Sad Goodbye To Friend View

Today I received an email from Friend View stating that as of the 30th September the service was coming to an end. More information was found over as the Beta Labs website where they have stated:

Hello,

Important note to Friend Viewers: Nokia Friend View is an experimental research project from Nokia Research Center. The Friend View project is now completed and is being moved to the Beta Labs Archived section and will later be discontinued.

For many of you, like for us, using Friend View has become a part of your daily lives, and so we’ll keep it running until September 30, 2009, so you aren’t suddenly cut off (but we’ll no longer be accepting new users.) After that, the service will be shut down. On the Account page, you’ll now soon find a new link for downloading all your data (e.g. your messages) as an XML file.

Thank you very much for helping us by participating in the Friend View project, and for all your feedback which will help Nokia to improve its services!

If you still want to share your location, you can now lifecast where you are and what you are up to with your Facebook friends using Ovi. Learn more and start sharing your memorable moments with others by downloading the widget for your Nokia N97 from Nokia Beta Labs.

Many thanks,
The Friend View team

It only felt like yesterday we saw the intro from Stefan formally of Nokia, now at IntoMobile talking about the service and coming up with the classic quote ‘Lets you show friend what, how and who you’r doing’.  How many of us want to share on a service WHO we are doing :p

The Friend View service will continue to run until 30th September but then the doors close and the last person leaving turns out the light.  I was a big fan of the service and with OVI having a real push at the moment it was a good alternative to the Google Latitude service and with a bit more help could have been a great addition to OVI.

What are your thoughts on this, will you miss Friend View, Did you even use it?.  Comments below

Nokia Erdos Due Soon?

Details are starting to come in of a 8800 series upgrade known at the moment by the codename ‘Erdos’.  A youtube video has just hit the internet with many other sites also picking up this news.

Mobile-Review have posted the following information

Exclusive: Nokia Erdos, the 8800 gets more bling!

A reliable source has just sent us a deck describing Nokia’s upcoming luxury phone in its 8800 portfolio. Codenamed Erdos, the device will be Nokia’s most high-profile luxury handset south of Vertu.

So what’s the Erdos all about? For starters, it will be an engineering masterpiece. When the phone’s cover is slid, the keymat raises up to meet the display’s level. On the rear, it also reveals a 5.0 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics.

The deck also talks about the fact that it is carved out of a single piece of metal that they’d market as ‘bullet silver.’ A material that we commonly know as stainless steel.

On the memory front, it will be 8 GB of fixed internal memory with no microSD card slot.

Update: More details pouring in – the display is covered by glass, which remains silver when the screen is off and becomes transparent when the screen is turned on. And it runs on Symbian S60.

Okay, now for the exact technical specs:

Dimensions: 116.9 x 50,3 x 15.0 mm
Display main: QVGA 320×240 pixels, 16M colours, OLED with 2,4″ active area
Protocols: WCDMA bands: I + VIII, GSM 900/1800/1900
Connectivity: WLAN, AGPS, High Speed USB, 30 Mbit/sec (micro-USB interface inclusive charging), Stereo Bluetooth ver 2.0 (A2DP & AVRCP)
Camera: 5 Mpix Carl Zeiss AF with dual LED
Video performance: 288×352 @ 30 fps // 480×640 @ 15 fps
Memory: 8 GB internal non user replacable

The Erdos is planned for a P10 launch, which translates into October this year.

If the specs are true surely we are looking for a expected retail price of at least £1,500, especially as the Gold Arte 8800 is still going for around the £1,100 mark?

More info will be posted as it comes in……………….

Vodafone Drop The Nokia E52!

Vodafone recently had the Nokia E52 as a coming soon device in their latest catalogue.  The E52 was supposed to be on sale 2nd week of September according to a contact at Vodafone however on checking out the Vodafone eForum I came across this message from one of the forum moderators.

Hi AnnS,

I really don’t like to be the bearer of bad news so please forgive me. 

The devices team have come back to me to advise we won’t be ranging this device, the next E range we will be stocking is the E72 which you can view in the coming soon section.

Please accept my apologies and let me know if there is anything else at all.

Kay
eForum Team

This was backed up from a text message I received this morning confirming that the Nokia E52 has been pulled from the range.  Surely Voadfone would have tested this first before putting it in the latest catalogue, getting a date for it and pricing only to pull it just before launch?

Initial view is that the E52 failed testing on Vodafone but my view is with the E72 due out next month maybe Vodafone decided to concentrate and put all the money into getting an exclusive.  It is reported that Vodafone tied up an exclusive deal on the Nokia E72 until the end of 2009

Nokia 6760 (Surge) Landing On 3UK

On my monthly rounds today into the local mobile phone stores I came across the 3 brochure for September.  Right in the back where 3 compare phones specs and offers I saw the Nokia 6760 aka Nokia Surge was now listed as coming soon.  So far 3 are the only network to show interest in this device.

The deals 3 will offer for the Surge are as follows:

Mix & Match 18 months

Mix & Match 300     £20 a month giving 300 Mins or Texts
Mix & Match 500     £23 a month giving 500 Mins or Texts
Mix & match 700     £26 a month giving 700 Mins or Texts
Mix & Match 900     £29 a month giving 900 Mins or Texts
Mic & Match 1100    £32 a month giving 1100 Mins or Texts

24 Month Texter Deals

£20 Texter     £20 a month      200mins & Unlimited Texts
£25 Texter     £25 a month       500mins & Unlimited Texts
£35 Texter     £35 a month       750mins & Unlimited Texts

3 also have the Pay As You Go price printed in the brochure as £199.99 so if you are an existing 3 customer or want a sim only deal with a phone you can choose this option too.

Expect lots of photos and hands on time with this phone once it becomes available on 3.

OVI SDK Announced

STUTTGART, Germany - Creating applications for Nokia devices has just got a whole lot easier. This morning on the second day of Nokia World 09 the Ovi SDK Beta was unveiled, along with a new navigation API. What’s more the new SDK will enable developers to deploy applications across multiple devices, quickly and easily. The new navigation API offers developers the opportunity to bring navigation directly into applications.

The new web-based toolbox offers developers an SDK which will not only enable them to develop for Symbian and Maemo but also for the web. It also brings in a new, distinct, user interface made up of a series of libraries, alongside integrated Ovi features. The Ovi SDK Beta utilizes standard web-based technologies including HTML, CSS and Javascript.

Forming part of the SDK is the Ovi Navigation Player API. This sits alongside the previously launched Ovi Maps Player API which developers have already being using to create innovative new applications. Adding navigation to the mix offers a wealth of new app opportunities (apportunities anyone?) including the ability to guide app users to specific destinations.

The SDK Beta is available now by invitation, go to Forum Nokia to register your interest.

Looking Back At Nokia World

First of all apologies for the lack of updates live from the event as promised. Turns out when you have around 2000 people all trying to access WiFi at the same time technology goes into a hissy fit and shuts down.

So Nokia World this year was different to previous events. First of all they announced 3 devices BEFORE the actual show and in my view this was to stop all the leaks completely ruining the show for everyone. The Booklet 3G, Nokia N900 and 5230 were all announced in the week leading up to Nokia World and this we have already covered,

At the event we found out much more information and this will be what I cover for a little while now.

Nokia N97 Mini

The N97 Mini was a device which was leaked before launch but no one really knew if it was coming now or if it was coming at MWC next year. Lucky for us it was announced at Nokia World and I managed to get some hands on time with the device.  The N97 Mini took the best things from the original N97 and fixed the things which were not up to standards such as the camera lens cover and build quality.  The N97 Mini has 8GB of internal memory and supports MicroSD cards if you wish to expand any further.

The screen is a little smaller but very usable and with the new software update which enables more widgets and kinetic scrolling using the screen is now far more easier than it was before.  The same 5 megapixel camera is there but this time with no camera lens cover which will be good for some people and not for others.  Personally I miss the lens cover as it made sure dust and dirt did not get onto the camera but with the reports of scratching on the N97 I can see why Nokia decided to leave this out.

The Nokia N97 Mini will go on sale next month (October) in most markets and we recently brought you the news Vodafone UK will be stocking this device also in October.

Nokia N900

The Nokia N900 was the main handset everyone wanted to get hands on time with at the event, and I can see why!.  The N900 is a stunning device with a large high res screen, 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss camera, HSDPA/HSUPA, 3.5mm headset jack, Slide out QWERTY keyboard and best of all it runs the Maemo operating system which is a first for Nokia in a mobile phone.

The screen although resistive was a real joy to use and the speed of the OS was simply amazing.  Nokia have managed to pack the N900 full of specs and features in a well sized shell which these days it hard to do!.  The new OS has some handy tools like SMS/IM showing in conversation form (yes like the iPhone) so that you can not only see the last message from someone but a whole conversation which S60 users have been asking for now for quite a while.  There are a range of home-screens which you can add widgets onto and these are always updating.  Something very handy is adding contacts to a screen with a photo ID so you can call/text someone you know from the main screen.

The N900 is a flagship phone without a flagship title and will be going on sale in October.  Network support might be limited due to having a different OS so networks wont be able to brand the device as much as a S60 devuce, but 3rd party stores should be selling the device and it will be available sim free for £499.99.

Nokia Booklet 3G

The Booklet was a device announced before the actual Nokia World event but was more of a teaser.  More information was announced at the event which included the price of €575 and the launch date which is Q4 2009 so expect it in time for christmas this year.

As a person who has used an Apple MacBook and a MacBook Air I know a thing or two about well made products with superior build quality and thankfully the Booklet falls into this category.  The small yet strong aluminum frame gives the Booklet a great feel yet also helps cut down on the weight which is also very light.  The Booklet features HDMI, USB and a built in HSDPA modem so all you have to do is put a SIM Card in the side and away you go.  This really is a dream machine for someone who travels a lot or someone like me who wants a small, light yet powerful machine to update things on the move.  The battery comes in at a very impressive 12hrs of life and when speaking to the product manager the evening before Nokia World he said there are times you will get less of course when you use a lot of connectivity or full brightness, but there are also times you get MORE than the 12hrs life which was pleasing to hear.

The Booklet 3G will also be sold on network contracts so you can expect to get a cheaper price if you sign up to a data contract and there will also be the chance to just buy the device outright.  I got hands on the Booklet the night before Nokia World and have to say I was really impressed with the overall package on offer, the new OS with Windows 7 was pleasing to the eye and the machine itself was a work of art.  Defiantly something to look out for once it hits the shops.

Nokia X6

The Nokia X6 was the surprise of the event.  With lots of rumors and information leaked about a possible 5900 this was the device that many people expected at Nokia World.  However not that long ago there were reports of a new brand ‘XSeries’ was reserved by Nokia and now we know why.  XpressMusic is to be re-branded as XSeries in future phones and the X6 is the first and the fact this phone was not leaked was a huge bonus for Nokia.

The X6 has 32GB of memory for saving thousans of songs and for your video files but it also has MicroSD for expandable memory if you feel you need to go over 32GB (yeah right as if!).  The X6 also as a capacitive screen which is a first for Nokia and this for some people is a BIG selling point as the screen seems to scroll smoother because of the way the screen works.  Now me personally I hardly found a difference and the fact the whole room of bloggers did not know when using the X6 what type of the screen was used until later in the day when we were officially told says to me that the whole Resistive VS Capacitive argument does not really matter as much as you would think.  The X6 also comes with a 5 megapixel camera which is great for snapping photos on the move and with the large memory you will never run out of space.

The X6 goes on sale in Q4 and for the first time for Nokia, this is only available as a Comes With Music device meaning you get 12 months of free music downloads either over the air on the X6 or via the Nokia Music Store on a PC.  So not only do you get a new screen, or a 5 megapixel camera, or 32GB or memory, but you also get as many music tracks as you like for a whole year!.

Nokia X3

The X3 is another new announcement and is aimed at the low spend market with a price of just €115.

This is your typical Nokia music device with slide out keyboard which you have seen before but this time under the new XSeries brand.  my honest opinion is the X3 won’t get much of a look in with the large range of other devices out there and a lot of them from Nokia.  They already have the 5800 under a range of brands giving you more choice, there is the 5530 which went on sale recently and also the 5230 which was announced just before Nokia World giving you another option.  The X3 runs S40 and also goes on sale in Q4

Vodafone UK Say Yes To E72

Just as the last post about Vodafone UK taking the N97 Mini, they also now show that the highly awaited ESeries phone the Nokia E72 will be going on sale in October

The E72 is on a lot of people’s waiting list and it is nice to see Vodafone coming out and letting customers know they will be getting it… and even better… NEXT MONTH!.

Vodafone UK Take The N97 Mini

Vodafone UK have updated their Coming Soon page to include 2 new Nokia phone’s.

The first of these is the Nokia N97 Mini and is due to go on sale in October.  When this happens the original N97 will be discontinued which is only around 2 months after it was launched!.

I was lucky enough to get hands on with a N97 Mini at Nokia World and will be posting photos in the next few days.

Nokia NOT At MWC 2010!

Mobile Today have posted the following bit of information.  This was also confirmed by people at Nokia World, although Nokia did not mention this themselves at the show

Nokia will not be taking a stand at World Mobile Congress 2010 in Barcelona. The move could trigger a further hemorrhaging of exhibitor numbers at the event.

Nokia’s decision marks a shift in its marketing focus. Nokia will inject funds saved by not booking a WMC stand into user-focused marketing campaigns, including direct marketing.

Losing such a major mobile industry player will send shivers through the WMC sales team. WMC visitor numbers fell 8000 between the 2007 and 2008 shows – from 55,000 to 47,000. The trend appears to be continuing with delegates from this year’s event reporting thinner crowds and noticeably fewer exhibitors.

Nokia confirmed it would not be taking a stand next year but insisted it is still committed to the show, despite not taking a stand.

A Nokia spokeswoman said: ‘We absolutely will be at Mobile World Congress in 2010 however we will not have a Nokia stand at the event.

‘Instead, we’ll be focusing on the congress programme of seminars and speaking opportunities, customer and media activities.

‘In the last few years at MWC, we get the biggest benefit for the infrastructure part of our business and therefore in 2010 Nokia Siemens Networks will continue to have a stand in the exhibition area.’

N97 Mini Announced

Nokia have announced the N97 Mini at Nokia World yesterday. Here is the information taken from Nokia Conversations.

I will be posting my thoughts, photos and comments on the new device later today

STUTTGART, Germany – Following in the footsteps of its bigger, older brother, the Nokia N97 mini was unveiled this morning at Nokia World 09. Sporting new homescreen widgets and a host of usability improvements, the N97 mini still packs 8GB of storage, a 3.2-inch touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard into its 14.2mm thin frame. It’s also the first Nokia device to sport Lifecasting with Ovi – a new partnership with the world’s largest social network, Facebook. The N97 mini is based on the same tilt display design of its N97 big brother, built into a smaller body complete with new design touches.

Lifecasting enables users to update their Facebook status directly from the device’s homescreen. It doesn’t stop there though as location details can also be updated, enabling a whole new level of social sharing and communication. With the ability to completely customise the homescreen, users will be able to make their N97 mini truly unique.

The 3.2-inch touchscreen opens up a new world of software improvements including flick scrolling and a range of new experiences including new homescreen widgets. What’s more, the software update will also be available next month for existing N97 devices.

The Nokia N97 mini works seamlessly with Ovi Store where users can add new applications, widgets, ringtones and other content to their device. It also sports Ovi Maps and comes with integrated A-GPS and compass along with with voice navigation for driving or walking. Over 155,000 points of interest are also available through Lonely Planet guides and restaurants through Michelin Guides.

Up to 12 days standby time are on offer and up to 28 hours music playback (in offline mode). The 5-megapixel camera comes with dual LED flash and video light, along with a Carl Zeiss Tessar lens. The 8GB of on board memory can be expanded to 24GB with the addition of a 16GB microSD card.

The Nokia N97 mini will be available next month for an estimated retail price of EUR450 before taxes and subsidies. Check out our preview gallery below. And see the Social Media Release here.

X3 Announced

STUTTGART, Germany – Joining the all-new Nokia X6 music device is the new Nokia X3, the first Series 40 device to come Ovi Store enabled. Sharing some of the X6’s design cues, the Nokia X3 slider sports a 3.2-megapixel camera, a diminutive frame and 2.2-inch screen. Stereo speakers, dedicated music keys and support for up to 16GB of storage via microSD card make for a nifty mobile music device. The X3 also sports an active homescreen where users will be able to see their contacts, friends and current music playing. Music lovers will also be able to continue listening on flights thanks to flight mode.

Bluetooth 2.1 is supported with stereo audio profiles for wireless musical enjoyment. Wire fans will be able to use standard headphones thanks to the 3.5mm headphone jack. Full speed USB 2.0 makes music transfer quick and easy and music can be managed via the Ovi Player PC client and Windows Media Player 11.

Messaging is well supported too. Alongside a common inbox for SMS and MMS in conversational view, Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging is supported and Nokia Messaging 2.0 brings users’ existing email and IM accounts to the device.

The Nokia X3 goes on sale in the fourth quarter of 2009 for an estimated retail price of EUR115 before taxes and subsidies

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