GMail Mobile Review

This is one of those applications that should be bundled in the phone, and I hope this is the sort of thing that we will see in OS9.2 Feature Pack 2 from Symbian.

GMail Mobile is a Java application so you get it for practically any other phone that supports Java and obviously a colour screen.

Weird thing is that lately the application takes quite long to startup, and I don’t leave it forever on as it constantly updates your emails, which is a good thing if you don’t pay your own bills, which is not my case.

The application even preloads your emails, so while you are reading one of them, the other one is already downloaded to your phone’s memory. The functionality is the same as the computer version, every single option that is important for an email client is present.

If there are links in your received emails, you can click on them and you will be taken to a mobile version of the website, but when it comes to attachments it’s a disaster, as sometimes I like to save my full resolution images.

The application also works on landscape mode without problems, but the basic option labels are misplaced as the program isn’t really designed for that purpose.

What the developer says:

• Faster, more Gmail-like user experience
  Gmail for mobile devices is fast and easy to use, with the same functions and look and feel as Gmail on the web. Once installed on your mobile device, you’re just a click or two away from the messages in your Gmail inbox.

• Automatic synchronization
  Your Gmail account stays synchronized whether you access it from your PC or your phone. Send an email from your mobile device and you’ll find it in the ‘Sent Mail’ folder on your PC.

• Searching
  Gmail for mobile devices allows you to search through your entire Gmail archive in seconds. Simply click on the search menu option and input your query.

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Translator package review: French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish

This is a series of programs that have phrases linked to sounds. The translator is clearly a native from the country in question, it is quite obvious on the Portuguese translation as the lady has a Portuguese accent. Basic translations are covered and it can be extremely helpful if travelling to a foreign country, as everything from Essentials, Travel, Accommodation, Food and Drink, Socializing, Shopping, Medical, Dates and time, Numbers, Emergencies is covered.

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Google Maps Mobile review

If it wasn’t for all the data charges, I could have been a big fan of this software. Google Earth with live tracking on your phone, quite an amazing feat, but unfortunately there is no way to fully cache the maps or buy them like that.

Another good feature about Google Maps Mobile for non-N95 users is the My Location, which is sort of A-GPS, it tracks down your location depending to what network towers you are connected to.

But for N95 users is another thing. On the version I use you can set up a route, but it never worked for me really, and the same with Nokia Maps, I can never set or search or a road, I always have to play with either marks or waypoints.

After few tweaks I believe Google Maps could replace Nokia Maps, or perhaps they will only concentrate on their Android platform.

What the developer says:

Real-time traffic — See where the congestion is, and estimate delays in over 30 major US metropolitan areas.

Detailed directions — Whether you plan to walk or drive, your route is displayed on the map itself, together with step-by-step directions.

Integrated search results — Local business locations and contact information appear all in one place, integrated on your map.

Easily movable maps — Interactive maps let you zoom in or out, and move in all directions so you can orient yourself visually.

Satellite imagery — Get a bird’s eye view of your desired location. (It’s like you’re there, we swear.)

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Windows Live Mobile review

Well this isn’t really the name of this bundle of applications, but this great software pack features a Messaging plug-in for Windows Live Mail, a Contact plug-in for your Windows Live Contacts and a simple Instant Messaging client, which has the basic desired functionality from any chat addict.

One curious thing is that Microsoft wanted to charge for the service, or atleast that I heard from many blogs are forums, but I still use it and they never charge me

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The biggest and perhaps only problem with the application is that it’s way too slow to download emails or get connect to your IM account.

Every mini application is started from the IM client itself, although the Spaces isn’t built in but it takes you to your web browser.

On the IM side, it is feature packed. You can send images, videos and even audios. You have a satisfying selection of emotions, the chat window is split screen and doesn’t lag at all, the User Interface is simply great. There is still the possibility of group chats, so I really don’t know why this couldn’t be featured as one of the best IMs ever. Of course Agile Messenger is probably the best, but this one isn’t that backwards.

On the Messaging and email side, there is a POP3 like email interface, where you synch headers, and then text and if you want you can download full size attachments.

What the developer says:

Windows Live™ is now available for select web-enabled Nokia devices. You can stay in touch easily using Windows Live Messenger and Hotmail® on the go. Manage Contacts, share photos, and browse the web — all from a device that fits in your pocket.

Know what’s up

• See your Windows Live contacts and their online presence

• Send audio messages or digital photos via Windows Live Messenger

• Easily change your Messenger display picture to match your location or mood

• Enjoy quick and easy offline access to Windows Live Hotmail, complete with photos, video, or voice recording

• Upload photos to your Windows Live Space directly from the Nokia Gallery

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Screenshot by Antony Pranata

Quite a useful application especially for us reviewers or even common Symbian enthusiasts. You can choose on what format to save pictures, where to save them and even customize the shortcut.

The software can be also used in Pictbridge printing, where web pages cannot be printed, you simply take screenshots and play with the paper so that you can fit quite a few images in it.

What developer says:

Screenshot for Symbian OS is a FREE program to take screenshot on your Symbian OS mobile phones (UIQ or S60). You can capture screenshot and save it to a file in JPEG, PNG, BMP or MBM format. The screenshot can be sent directly to a PC via Bluetooth or infrared and another mobile phone. Furthermore, you can customize the shortcut key, file name and delay of capturing. It supports continuous mode that allows you to capture screenshot every a few seconds.

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Besides a camera with 5 megapixel, Power LED and autofocus, there isn’t anything special on the device, until I noticed that the music player can last 15 hours! That could be clever engineering or just a huge battery.

The phone still incorporates Magical Touch by DaCP™, and if it’s that bloody irritating touchpad from LG Chocolate, I advise them to take it off.

I leave you with a quote from Samsung:
At only 12.9mm thin, it is equipped with professional photographic functions including a 5 megapixel camera. Soul answers today’s customer needs as the perfect digital camera and multimedia mobile combined into one single device. Features such as face detection, image stabilizer and Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), which are very up-to-date features even in today’s digital cameras, are also equipped in Soul.

Users can enjoy super-fast Internet access through the 7.2 Mbps High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) browser and share images or video taken with the phone. With 7.2 Mpbs HSDPA, users can also download songs at a faster speed compared to average 3G networks. Soul is also perfect for music listeners with features such as Music library navigation, digital power amplifier by ICEpower® technology by Bang & Olufsen ICEpower.

And obviously the specs:

Source: Engadget and Akihabara

As mentioned in most blogs, the N96 surely seems like a dual slide N81, bundled with N95 specs.

What isn’t very interesting are the specs, I am really wondering why the Dual LED was chosen instead of a powerful Xenon, surely the N96 doesn’t live up to the standards of Nokia flagship phones.

Another disappointing feature is the mediocre battery power, there isn’t much that can be done with 950 mAh battery, especially if the product you are creating is better than a Nokia N95.

One improvement is being Quadband, which means that 3G speeds could be achieved anywhere in the world where you find a network. Of course that brings the battery issue again, how can HSDPA speeds be maintained, say if you leave you IM on background, the battery will most definitely run out very quickly.

GPS can also be discussed, I’m quite happy with N95s GPS on the latest firmware version, I don’t allow it to connect to network and I still get a lock under a minute, but for the N96 they could have implemented the long awaited Sirf Star III. The battery still plays a role here, on a N95 the battery runs out in 3 hours from fully charged, if you leave the Maps running with a GPS lock.

Camerawise, 5 megapixels aren’t enough anymore, especially when you are talking about a N9x, and the competition that is coming up this year. A good thing though is that you will be able to use the flash during video recording. A extreme disadvantage of the camera is the lack of optical zoom, which sounds like tradition on Nokia phones.

A feature only really marketed in the rare Nokia N92 and N77 is the DVB-h, but again the battery life isn’t promissing, and I remember how I couldn’t even watch a movie on the DVB-h enable Nokia 7710.

Specs:

• Quadband EDGE
• Dualband HSDPA 850/2100 MHz
• DVB-H Class C
• 92 cc volume
• 125 gram weight
• 103 x 55 x 18 mm
• 16 GB internal memory and microSD slot
• 950 mAh battery
• 6.1 cm (2.8 inch) 320×240 display with 16 million colors
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• WiFi (802.11b/g)
• AGPS
• 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens that also does VGA video recording at 30 FPS, Dual LED flash that can also be used when video recording!
• S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2 (Flash Lite 3 enabled web browser included)
• microUSB

Source: IntoMobile