Category: Technology

With the advent of various programming technologies and their broad support toward a lot of stuffs, our needs have escalated over the years, making computers and similar automatic devices our friend, relative, and teacher and guides many times. The need for integrating our daily use devices to these machines has become more and more important. Finding the various fields
of application for the use of these revolutionary machines is not a new era of research, but even now it has much potential to attract the programmers for making it more functional for simplifying their daily life tasks.

A for Apple, B for Bumper

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There was a famous phrase in history books “Let them eat cake”, claimed to be said  by Marie Antoinette, Princess of Louis XIV, who said these words to her agricultural workers, when they were crying that they have no bread to eat. Well!! It looks like history repeats itself and we have another statement “Hold it other way”.

First let’s see the video of the Apple Press Conference held on July 16, 2010, many were wishing to see ..
Thanks to DeAchtergrondNL

 

Not discrediting Steve and his team for their great efforts, but sadly the conference last day, sure not going to solve the issues even if those been way ‘overblown’ as Antennagate now (in words of Steve himself).

Let me put why …

You need to understand and admit it BIG that there is an issue:

This was the song played by Apple in the press conference and though it was surprising to many that how Apple picked it, when it was uploaded on the same day, but it conveyed the same emotions that Steve and his team might be feeling now.

If you don’t like iPhone 4, don’t buy,
if you bought one and don’t like, bring it back.

 

Like the song says, the similar were sentiments behind the words of Steve as well.

The media loves a failure
in a string of success
the facts won’t ever matter
if they can make bigger messes

But is it only media?

It sounds justified on their part as Gizmodos screwed them big otherwise may be a retina display, front camera and FaceTime would have been more of surprise and selling point than they actually went like that ordinary on announcement day.

But now, its not just Gizmodos, you got every lead tech blog saying the same, you were due to respond. The above video was some sort of reaction to videos like this

 

The users reporting issue worldwide can’t all be wrong, specially when you yourself admitted that there is issue. You can’t say users to hold it other way or can’t grin teeth over them that you all are morons making all this issues out of nothing, when all leading tech blogs supporting it with evidences including Consumer Reports now (that eventually forced apple to bring this never precedent conference).

You are not being generous, if you get ready for giving free bumpers (costing 29$). Its a work around not a solution, you cant go away being arrogant that we given you bumpers (till September only), now what else you want? One didn’t bought a 1000$ phone for managing things with workaround.

Let me tell you that how one feel. Similar when your boss says that you may leave the job if you feel that some injustice is happening with you, we have no issue and will wave off your notice period and even will pay you one month salary. Can you leave?

You feel helpless and powerless from very deep inside coz you can’t do anything of them, you have no choice. There is only one iPhone people know about, the only thing to be shown off, the only thing that you waited for this much time, queued for hours and when got one, then you have to compromise and hear taunts from others, about which you can’t do a thing… coz you can’t make a complaint. You grin that why there is only one Apple, one iPhone. But …

A great read in the same regard might be the comparison article from Guardian that compares how iPhone 4 would be a debacle like Windows Vista been for Microsoft. Microsoft never admitted that Vista been a big failure and loss to those who bought it and same is being happened to iPhone buyers now.

Note that still there is one more pending issue with iPhone 4 that is proximity sensor issue, Steve already had admitted this one too and a software fix is on the way.

You screw it big when you blame others

Steve said that We are not perfect, Phones aren’t prefect. Every Smartphone has weak spots, only difference we made is to show it clearly and that’s where we screwed all things up.

Sorry Steve, it doesn’t help, it doesn’t help when you say that others have this problem too and its not unique to iPhone 4, when you say that you got highest customer satisfaction rating, when you say that you sold 3, 000, 000 in 3 weeks, when you say that only 0.5% people returned it or when you say that it drops hardly one more call per hundred than iPhone 3GS.

The screw up already started when Apple already got replies over their statement about comparing other devices with this self made debacle as RIM CEO says.

Its clearly been the design decisions that screwed it big. Apple decided to put the antenna outside as covering metal plate, so that they could reduce the size. The decision already damaged Apple in such a big proportion that wont be recoverable.

Nokia already pointed that they resolved such issues by keeping dual antennas; one on top and one on bottom and also with careful selection of material, so that no user may face this issue. Engineering companies and technical leaders behave in this way, not just saying one hand that we made the best phone of planet and on the other hand, we are not perfect like everyone else.

Let me tell you that I have tried to grip my Nokia N82 (that is a very old model from Nokia now) in each and every possible way, but it didn’t dropped a single bar. If someone could show me that N82 drops bar, then it would be a big time learning experience to me as I tried harder to produce a death grip over Nokia N82 and failed all the way.

It was interesting when one reporter challenged Steve to drop some bars from his Blackberry Bold and Steve denied it saying that it depends …

Figures don’t help you

You make joke of yourself when you say that we have state of art test facility, when you say that you have 17 anechoic chambers, when you say that you invested $100 millions, when you say that you have best 18 PhD scientist and engineers or specially when you say that you came up with “Advanced” Antenna Design. Neither it helps when you say that only 1.7% people returning their iPhone 4 that is nothing like panic as bg 1/3 of 6% return rate of iPhone 3GS via AT & T.

Even your figures said iPhone 4 drops more call than iPhone 3GS, while Steve say that people should be expecting half of the calls dropped, I will argue otherwise. This increase dropped calls percentage (by a big 1%) is even after well popularized fact now that there is a death grip one should avoid if use iPhone 4. I argue that even children around the world know that there is a death grip and they know exactly where it is, but still you are getting increased dropped calls. Nothing wrong?? Really??

You release one more version number to fix some formula of displaying bars, so that it could show less bars, which you were generously displaying more, out of proportion. Tell me one thing, you may start showing less bars, but will not people question that why adjacent Nokia Phones showing more bars at the same place, might be your basement and still there is no death grip?

Why people not returning their iPhone 4

  1. Its true that not all will have this problem. Reason is that particular X spot, is on the left bottom side of the phone, particularly affecting only left handed people more. Will someone show figures on how many iPhone 4 buyers were left handed and how much percentage of left handed users facing it? Still people could avoid it, enjoy the really well made phone with features and keep on showing off that they have the best Smartphone on planet (?).
  2. Its a phone that people waited over a long period, specially those with iPhone 3GS. Multi-tasking, retinna display and Facetime even if not biggest thing on planet, but sure are attractive things, if one think about living with just iPhone 3GS. What’s point in returning it, when you know that its not a problem with their model only, when you know that there is no fix on this, when you know that no other manufacturer has released something worth against it (Nokia N8 still keeping people frustratingly waiting and Samsung, HTC almost copying design model). If not iPhone when what else?
  3. You spent f***** 1000 $ over the same phone and now just have to return it that you can’t change your habits slightly? Doesn’t seem to a good idea na? Why not to change the habits when you already made compromise by selecting touch phones, when there are still many advantages with H/W keypads. Why not to make one compromise more, when you already made many by choosing first a most costly touch phone driven by costly apps? If you paid this much then why not some more and buy a bumper even if it screw some of its looks?
  4. Observers missing a great point, MicroSIM. No other manufacturer supports MicroSIM as of now, means if you go back from iPhone, then you need to buy another SIM. Trapped.. Do you feel?

So, it was just that people were feeling cheated when they were forced to buy a Bumper in 29 $ more, which was actually making it look bad and you were paying for making your device look bad. Congratulations!!! now Steve will pay for making your device look bad with a free bumper on your sleek iPhone 4.

Have a poll here … let me see what you all think over it.

 

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Explanation from Fring on Skype to Fringsters

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Just two hour back, I have receied the mail from Fring over the recent Fring-Skype issue following termination of Video calling facility on Fring though Skype. below is the content ..

Hello fringsters,

As you may have noticed, Skype has blocked fring. We are very sorry for any convenience this Skype policy has unfairly caused you.
As loyal fring users, you deserve an explanation: Last week, following the surge in fring video calling traffic, fring service to Skype was temporarily reduced . Unfortunately, Skype and their legal team demanded not to restore your connectivity to Skype via fring.
Needless to say, we are very disappointed that Skype is now trying to muzzle competition, even at the expense of its own users.
While we regret Skype’s decision to block fring, we are committed to continuing to provide you with market-leading innovation, to keep you in touch with your friends, wherever they are.

On fring you can freely use the best mobile over internet communication like video calling, calls and chat anywhere (3G/4G/WiFi) on any advanced Smartphone.
So, if you are frustrated like us with communication barriers, and are just looking for a fun and easy way to stay in touch with your friends on the go, tell them about fring and

invite your friends to join fring here

We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to provide you with great mobile innovations.
Let freedom fring!

the fringTEAM.

 
What do you think on it? Please comment.
 
photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

You should have asked me for returning proto says Eldar

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Think that your phone got stolen and after a few days you come to know that its with someone, who already knows that its yours. What should be your response? If you are aggressive then you will go for hitting the man that why he didn’t returned or if you are mature then you will make a polite request that please return my thing back. What if the person doesn’t reply or ignore all your requests? What will you do?

Edlar N8 proto

Seems like a roadside bully story, but very strange that it’s now becoming today’s fastest growing trend in tech world. Reviews, pre-views, leaks, lost prototypes been such frequent incidences that even we started assuming that bloggers are above law and they have rights to tell people what they wanted to tell.

Somehow we sympathize investigative reporters that they risk themselves to bring insider leaks in great interest of public and whenever someone such even after using all legally wrong means get nailed by authorities, then we speak in support of him because what he did was in greater interest of public. But aren’t such trends getting much harder to be tolerated by even most polite authorities?

I could also discuss that what damage the early review of an unfinished product cost to Apple’s iPhone release, I could also talk that how a biased pre-review  of an alleged ‘stolen’ proto forced Nokia to announce a product much earlier before their team could even finish it. I could also also talk about series of biased posts from the man himself and also mention my own past with some similar situation, where I was like Eldar in start of my blogging days … but many analysts will be out there to talk on that. Let me go simple here.

I guess today in early morning, we got to see a post from a public consultant about smart phones named Eldar Murtazin, who claimed that some Russian officials contacted him in morning asking for location of mobile-review.com over the leaks of Nokia N8 as Nokia complained with them that their trade secrets has been stolen and misused to cause a confusion. Later even Nokia’s official words followed in.

Much more written there as facts, but in past everyone has seen that its been play of words only (which was the last handset from Nokia that he praised and didn’t called a fail? Not even Nokia 5800), but still he claimed the followings:

  1. Nokia never asked for returning the alleged proto (Not denying to have it)
  2. He tried to return, but no one replied his so important, generous and ‘numerous’ emails
  3. Nokia not trying to send thugs or trying to nail him
  4. Nokia hasn’t asked for closing down mobile-review.com or jailing Eldar

The issue is that Word of mouth been much important in now days for market and some times people even taking advantage of same. It was just caring for PR that Apple didn’t went for kill, when Gizmodo spoiled what was their years worth, it was just caring for same PR that Nokia could only said “we’d like our prototype back. Please”

Its their own prototype, even has mention of the same on it, stores are all around the globe that one could drop the proto back, but still they were helpless saying Please for their own thing and answerless since April 27, 2010.

Eldar’s excuse, he has been on ‘vacation’, so didn’t got any letter even if received in office, Nokia has no proof that he received any letter as he wasn’t in office. How innocent this guy is… even Gizmodo wasn’t. He also admit that Nokia sent him mail about sending their properties back, but what was his reply? He said which device in particular, I am testing many of them? Please mention.

One can really understand that how annoying it might be for a company that trying hard to nice with one, who even after stealing their property, ruining their strategies, ruining their PR and knowing exactly what they are talking about asks back that which proto you talking about?? Is their any law exists about own property, own expense, own hard work? Any moral?

May be we enjoyed Gizmodo, when he leaked out one of the biggest secret people were after, may be Gizmodo earned a lot from that. May be Mobile-Review.com earning good attention due to Edlar, but don’t you think that it will lead to worse for bloggers all around the world? Aren’t the respect or a little relaxations we blogger enjoy now days gonna be on sake, when some of biggies show such disrespect to laws and morals?

I know there are many around with a complete bias and they are searching for one sided info only, but still I thought to engage the man himself on some irritating questions … see what happened today July 07, 2010

Eldar Accused Nokia for lying …

Statement from Nokia which Nokia deleted due to one problem 0 they are lying about any letter to me – google cache: http://is.gd/diCHF – by eldarmurtazin

I posted comment

@eldarmurtazin @pronamc @Nokianever mentioned that they wrote letters, they have publicly requested at first instance http://goo.gl/qDWU – by mrnitishkumar

Eldar’s reply

@mrnitishkumar no, they never ask me public, official statement from Nokia that they send me letter and i receied it (paper letter) – by eldarmurtazin

My reply

@eldarmurtazin Can you quote that office statement? I have saved the google cache page you post. Nothng like paper letter mentioned. – by mrnitishkumar

Eldar’s reply

@mrnitishkumar in Russian from Viktorija Eremina, PR director Eurasia, will translate later – by eldarmurtazin

When I was going to leave him on this 😉

@eldarmurtazin My email id is mr.nitish.kumar@gmail.com. Can you mail or post somewhere? We knw to translate. Btw article is online – by mrnitishkumar

Eldar’s reply in russian

@mrnitishkumar В частности, официальное письмо Nokia Corporation, доставленное ему с уведомлением".– by eldarmurtazin

I replied

@eldarmurtazin Its says "Nokia corporation delivered a formal letter to him as notice." Whose statement is this? Can you post some scan? – by mrnitishkumar

Eldar replied

@mrnitishkumar http://interfax.ru/society/txt.asp?id=144423 – by eldarmurtazin

My reply after reading the same

@eldarmurtazin A biased blogpost nvr a proof & you urself saying that letter not delivered coz u wr nt in ofc & 4 mail u reply which proto– by mrnitishkumar

Finally I got him irritated

@mrnitishkumar Interfax. check it. you post too much, sorry have no time to talk with you only. Dont care about you thoughts  – by eldarmurtazin

Yes!! Eldar.. you don’t need to care about thoughts coz you are so big for readers. Congr8s.

Its great that twitter is here and Edlar can’t just hold talking, we already have statement from past

edlar1

Why didn’t you mention that you replied which prototype in particular? I have many of them. Great answer. Eldar is sure much of innocent lad out there. He just got a proto down somewhere, may be bar again 😉 though to write post over it and then was so happy that went for a leave of month.

Eldar, sorry for bugging you… 😉

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar
http://nitishkumar.net
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Ovi Suit updated to 2.2.0.245

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Even if we don’t go as much investigative about such updates like All About Symbian do, but still we all love getting updates for devices, software’s everything. Isn’t it?

Being with a Nokia N82 going kind of boring now days in this regards at least. While we kept on hearing each week about some other Nokia device getting some updates, didn’t heard about any Nokia N82 firmware update since December 21, 2009. Good to hear about Ovi Suit at least 😉

06072010406

Though SymbianTweet spotted it first and I got a notice of it by Siraj’s tweet, but strange was the fact that it wasn’t visible in my Ovi Suit and I wasn’t alone with this. Anyway, I went for the official link and downloaded the Ovi Suit from there. Wasn’t sure that if it was going to be an updated one as downloaded the same few days back as well with the same file name, but yes… it was 2.2.0.245.. great…

06072010407

Have you ever thought that we always accept the user agreements without even reading? Dammn… I think iPhone 4 buyers should check their agreements as well if Steave might have already told them to hold the phone in certain way way very much since start 😉 lol .. poor they even updates not fixing their issues.

06072010408

I am not sure that installation asked for a reboot as while installation my disk ran out of space (it was too little due to some big download residing in C:\ drive only) and it failed for the first time and asked for reboot. I rebooted and installed the new updated version and it didn’t asked reboot after the same, so I guess it must not ask you too.

Well!! I should say All About Symbian like resources have made us lazy about investigations, but I tried to do some with my sleepy eyes and guessing by last modification date that the update was ready by July 2, 2010.

Not sure but probably there is something written inside WhatsNew.dll like “Qt plugin data 4.6.1”. Qt was here in Ovi earlier or not? Me dumbo.. don’t know.. but best guess is Ovi suit must be getting armed for Nokia N8 support. After all, Symbian^3 is functionally complete and only Anssi’s Go pending for the final device, so they should be updating Ovi Suit and services to get best exploited by their much anticipated toy. That’s seems a possibility due to the reason that I found none of the help file updated with this version, not a single one, means the updates are more of the inside nature or something that will be revealed later on.. for today, its just performance update or what AAS will report later on…

So, post me.. if you found something new and note that if you are not getting update in Ovi suit, then don’t forget to check from official site.

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Nokia N900 or Nokia N9, who got better looks?

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photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Layman’s take on possibly Nokia N9

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Whole world seems to discussing whether Nokia N8 is worth waiting for or why not to wait for Nokia N8 or how much true signal problems of iPhone 4 is and if that was not enough then Symbian or MeeGo kind of caused a bit of stir in mobile freak blogger community. In the meanwhile something old surfaces with real wings this time and surprisingly we are not that much discussing about it, coz we don’t even know the name… Is it real? Are they really waiting for Nokia World 2010 or something else might be a possibility?

n9-19[1]

For me Nokia N82, Nokia E52, Nokia E72 and Nokia N900 been the best shots from Nokia in their respective areas till date and now much of the expectations are being mounted on next coming Nokia N8, a complete touch screen phone with 12 MP Camera, 3.5” Capacitive screen and a brand new sleek look of Nokia for touch devices that were meant to bulky only from Nokia till now. But what happened to the device with 4” Capacitive screen and 4-row keypad that been rumored since long???

After the exclusive leak from Negri Electronics Blog, I am sure that most of the blogging community is waiting for this giant to be announced in Nokia World 2010, but perhaps I have a different opinion here and I think that it might be less likely that it would be announced in Nokia World 2010, at least with this specs. Let’s see why …

It was made to be Nokia N98 not N8-1 as being said: The presence of just 8MP camera without Carl Zeiss, existence of old OS in prototype, name in firmware as N-Series and not being announced even after being rumored since long when no one had even a slightest idea about Nokia N8, sure hints that it started before N8 or even since when the new naming conventions started.

The theory get supported by the fact that whenever a series get elevated in model numbers, then the specs been always upgraded almost without exception.. we got no Xenon in case of Nokia N86 but it was a better 8MP camera with Geo-tagging support, though here in this case, we find a different pattern, which kind of convince me that we are not going to get this beast with current specs displayed.

 

It has a look like N8, it has a marvelously built keypad, it has bigger 4” screen, it has capacitive touch, it has nHD Display (640 X 360), it has front LEDs, it has HDMI Out.. means everything either equal or better than coming Nokia N8, so qualifies for being Nokia N9… right?? But wait… no signs of Dolby Audio, 8 MP non-Xenon Camera sure hints that it can’t be a Nokia N9 for sure. Then what it is?

Things suggest that it was a successor to Nokia N97 and was expected to be launched just after Nokia N900 with probably Symbian^1 at that time, but continuous and unexpectedly harsh comments over Nokia N97 kept Nokia on back foot and scared about launching this one.

Nokia took its time to find issues with Nokia N97 and figured out that it wont be a good thing to release such a powerful thing (it would have been Nokia’s first capacitive screen otherwise) with a much criticized OS. That explains the surprisingly long delay before launching any actual flagship model after their Nokia N97 Classic. They wanted to launch this, but were forced to take a U-turn as they didn’t expected Nokia N97 to fail this much miserably and that came to disrupt all the plans.

Why I am saying that they can’t release it in current specs?

Reason is the same as I explained in above paras. It doesn’t fit into naming scheme of Nokia. Its not one of the X-series that showing up with frustrate looking bulky model, neither it can be a C-Series that it being expected as Cheap series. Even video in the firmware suggest that it was a N-Series (Don’t go over printed C-0, all protos get mentioned like this), but lack of megapixels in camera mark it as not more than a N7, but then that should not have a 4” Capacitive screen neither a better OS (Nokia already said that next N-Series Symbian might be only Symbian^4 or MeeGo).

So, for sake of consistency, I am expecting them to upgrade the camera, place the Xenon inside and then working over MeeGo inside, only then it makes sense to call it a Nokia N9 as I doubt if the current version with Negri, has Bluetooth 3.0 inside, I say its not there (let Negri confirm that), but before that there seems no chance of this set to see official limelight.

That would be another question that geeks will wish Nokia N8 or this one with a bigger screen and keypad? For me, its awesome and bound to attract more geeks than Nokia N900… sure much of beauty than bulky Nokia N900 with the same amazing keypad. What do you think? Tell me…

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Symbian or MeeGo? What’s been wrong with Nokia and what should be done?

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Even after shaky start and complaints about reception issues (even admittance now), big figures from Apple were already a pinch, then rise of Android backed by today’s God Google, Bada from Samsung riding up on some really beautiful pieces like Galaxy-S, had really got us thinking, if Nokia and Symbian lost the battle of making a truly amazingly Advanced OS and attracting developers around. Many hopes are on next coming Symbian^3, MeeGo, Nokia N8 and Nokia N9, E7 etc .. but will Nokia really be able to match the needs this time?

The question I have asked in first para of this post, Ricky Cadden sure thought the answer in negative and decided to express disappointment with Nokia rather than Symbain itself. We should say that besides the bashing from Edlar when we weren’t expecting this (?). Symbian-Guru.com Is Over … that really has came up as a big blow to many of us, who strongly wish to stand on the side of Nokia. I am really left with thinking that …

Are late releases and escalated expectations over Symbian^3, MeeGo, Nokia N8, Nokia N9, E7 etc gonna be fatal for Nokia?

First of all, why there is this much frustration about Symbian and Nokia, when they seems to doing every best thing for consumers? Are you really given up over Nokia or wishing to bargain more?

Let me count a few  issues …

What’s been the biggest damage to Nokia and Symbian? N97?

Not only Symbian-Guru, but there will be thousands around, which will come up with only one name… Nokia N97 Classic. The most infamous part of Nokia legacy perhaps destroyed the years goodwill for Nokia and as much they tried to cover it up, things went worse and its getting worsen now due to only the fact that even today, Nokia N97 making the top of the shelf for Nokia. It might be harsh to say, but somewhere everyone of even Nokia fan now understand that each sold piece of Nokia N97 becoming a nail to coffin for Nokia-Symbian.

The much over priced phone (even now) was seriously underpowered and frustrated hell out of users. Consumers kept on crying for some firmware update to fix the issues, while Nokia’s probably worse understanding of RAM requirements, had already insured that it will never be repaired. 

If Nokia really survived the blow of Nokia N97, then it was Nokia N900… only that bring back the hopes that Nokia could do anything right. Nokia N900 still stands as the best resistive screen of whole planet and it does each and everything right… either it be experience, which was unbelievably natural out of the box, either it be integration with existing services like flicker, skype, Gtalk, Yahoo, MSN etc. or it be hardware design and support. Some think that best choice for Nokia was to exchange all Nokia N97 out there for Nokia N900 in free.

What’s kept developers disappointed with Nokia? Nokia knew that they been terribly late in touch phone segment (that’s being touted as Smartphone segment now days) and Symbian was only trying to adopt the touch, never seemed really built for the same. Some think that best choice would have been for Nokia, if they could have joined hands with Google (they couldn’t as both of them are of Giant and dominating nature) rather than joining hands with Intel, but that’s business and you can’t really blame them for that.

But what about Developers? Aren’t you making them nuts? For what they should program? Symbian? In a mid level language C/C++? Are you real? Symbian^3, Symbian^4, Maemo, MeeGo? Should they get back to college to learn all these?

I really can’t blame them much, Nokia probably got impression from Microsoft vs Apple Vs Linux that its hard to remove impression of something that you been grown up with. They thought if they leave Symbian from here, then they would be needed to start-a-fresh and the fight would be on turf of their opponents and they know that would not be something easy. To complicate things more, there been strong supporters for Symbian itself and legacy of Symbian was kind of unforgettable for even worst rivals, how could Nokia had think of leaving Symbian so easily?

If we talk about reasons, then Nokia was a manufacturer first and still they provide the best of hardware in best of price (leave alone Nokia N97 and Booklet 3G). They were making Good OS for non-touch phones (nothing could be more productive than a Nokia E72 or Nokia E52) and they were adding super excellent things like Ovi Maps and all. They were in a league of their own and been the best for “Phone” market and they are even now.

Then it came the competition with HTC and Apple, when they entered the market with touch phones and same time with RIM, when they grabbed Business with their QWERTY. Note that Nokia didn’t lead, they adopted and reacted. They reacted to RIM with their E-Series/ Nokia Messaging and to Apple with N97, 5800 and all… Like my Boss often said, proactive work make you win and reactive work will only keep you on toe. Nokia seems to be on toe.

You already doing a lot, releasing new handsets back to back, coping up with new technologies being introduced each day and entering new fields every next month, then it happens sometimes that you can’t come up with the tag of being best for everything you do. Nokia winning over RIM in many senses, but touch seems to be sloppy turf to them since start (Nokia N900 is exception) and Apple a hard contender than others.

Its not that Apple is doing great .. high figures of sold iPhone4 handsets involve mostly earlier iPhone3GS users, who are just upgrading their phones for a nominal cost from their provider, obviously in hope that it would get something better than earlier. They obviously have no other choice after living up with Apple till now. The part to worry about is, number of developers being attracted and number of apps being made for them.

Developers making apps for Apple are on smooth turf as even if thing evolve then they have to update themselves in minor ways like VB people evolved for VB .Net, more over, they have to keep only two or at most three devices in mind but with Nokia.. its been complicated due to its wide catalogue and rather tougher development with Symbian and now its seems to be a real nightmare after ‘debacle’ of Symbian.

Is Nokia not aware of this OS dilemma?”

Its not that Nokia has gone under panic completely and just trying out here and there. Its just…  not easy to leave the things which kept you on top over the years and even now. It was hard for them to realize that Symbian might be efficient, could be improved and polished well, but it wont be able lure developers due to its inherent difficulties in developing apps with it, specially due to a larger range of products people expect a Symbian App to support.

The announcement that Nokia N8 is last Symbian based N-Series had its strong reasons and indications, which if would have taken in right sense, then there were not that disappointment all around that someone would be needing to say that they lost hopes with Nokia. Why Nokia?? Your disappointment been with Symbian, isn’t it?

Symbian^3 was announced to be based upon Qt and reasons behind the same were to provide a smooth transfer of existing Symbian developers over Qt, which will be compatible with MeeGo and all…they engineered a brilliant hardware in superb cost (in fact a bit cheaper than they could have afforded), so that more and more people could be attracted to the same and so developers might have their reasons for developing on Symbian^3 due to popularity of N8. That was better to them in longer sense even if they get much lesser margin on Nokia N8 handsets. Later on Nokia N9 and E7 like devices were aligned to be launched with MeeGo, which will already be having as many apps as people might have developed for Nokia N8 already.

You can understand that a Smartphone with superb hardware is of no use till you don’t get developers from all the globe giving nights over developing apps for the same. It really frustrates when now days, we see every second big app saying its available for Android and iOS only (not symbian) take even basic WordPress app for example.

If Nokia haven’t sensed the disappointment about Symbian, then they were not doing it  this way that release Nokia N8 with Symbian^3, advertise it big, create sensations all around and then switch all other high end Smartphones over MeeGo all of sudden. They are not that big fools if you think of it in their shoes. Unfortunately, this was only way to do what we wanted them to do.

What frustrates? Why some of us thought that no hopes left?

Definitely many questions will be raised after closing of Symbian-Guru and World of Nokia as these two been staying on top for long and also were among the few fans in subsidized markets like UK/ USA. Closing of these two really shakes your faith that if really something left here with Nokia.

When someone releases and handles these many products as Nokia does, then you are bound to frustrate if starts making mistakes with even one or two. There is a rule that “Your two good things could be never heard, but one mistake will be known by whole world”. Same with Nokia.. but there are not just a few mistakes.. in fact kind of many..

Just for example, You got overwhelming response on Nokia N82 camera and performance of Nokia E72, but you never thought to make a device with a camera like N82 on E72 with Xenon of course.

I should say, we have seen best of Nokia in pieces. Their catalogue is full of efficient and effectively priced devices. Nothing on this planet could beat a E52 in T9 and same with Nokia E72 in QWERTY.. if you are giving up over Nokia, then either you haven’t seen these two devices or just wish to have fancy things rather than real.

Nokia N900 was something that was exactly the right thing to bet on and it is even now and will be even after release of Nokia N8, but that thing was never backed up by Nokia in the way, they foolishly kept on nailing themselves with promotions of Nokia N97.

N900 reached India by now with a price that would stand higher than upcoming Nokia N8 (without HDMI, without 12 MP, without Xenon, without Capacitive, without Bluetooth 3.0, without that sleek looks). Just thing like this frustrates and made us think if Nokia really understand what a consumer might want. 

Highly frustrating release schedules

No one in the world make as many handsets as Nokia make, but at the same time, no one make people wait for the right things as much long as Nokia does. Either it be N97 or N900 or N8, its always been the same story. We understand that its not Apple that you could keep on hiding something this much long, when your people inside are much excited about their new venture and accomplishments, but still it was better if the time difference announcement and release would have been at most 2 or 3 months.

I don’t accept the pressure due to a biased review, because its the same story with C3, C6 and E5 as well. We are still waiting for an E5 even if they aren’t from some another planet. They are made of just a bit polished things and for no reasons need to be kept away for this much long.

Moreover, what are you trying to achieve by confusing people? India gets an N900 when Nokia N8 around the corner in less price, then it will possibly Nokia N9 with MeeGo, 4” screen and HW keypad (already stunned us by design, check the video)

 

Now, you tell yourself that what one should buy? Its not a soap that you have to wash away in weeks, its hard earned money and though its true like chicks that there would always one more beautiful around, Nokia could have managed a better time schedule about their devices.

Somewhere I think Nokia being let down by its developers as Hardware of every Nokia either N8 or N9 or E7 seems to be right and perfectly in place, but wait is for developers and developers. Does this really take that long even after years of experience with hundreds of devices and many fan blogs showering opinions on good and bad?

What Nokia still holds as their best?

  1. Best of Hardware: Being technology leader since long, Nokia keeps the advantage of technology for best of the signals, best of the battery and best of the camera.
  2. Best of experience to fit things into pocket of common man: Probably this been their biggest asset and biggest loosing side. Except N97, they never tried hard over big bucks and always kept their prices reasonable. They didn’t made products for people having big money and bashing from top over things that didn’t matter for common man, Layman.
  3. Wide range of products: Either its be cellfone or smartphones, Nokia been synonym for them. Whatever your needs might been, you always looked for one name and it rarely disappointed.
  4. Best of PR: Perhaps even after long trust over Nokia devices, I wasn’t into that much writing over Nokia products, if Womworld/Nokia wasn’t here. They know to engage people, they know to interact, they know to adopt and they know to serve what people ask for. But they do it for mass, not for self acclaimed people asking for things for sake of a cream breed.

What could bring Nokia back again?

The biggest and most important question… and no one could answer exactly …. we just could give our views. Whatever others might be saying, but Nokia seems to be right on path now with N8 and later aligned sets like N9, C7 and E7, but they seriously needs the positive waves from our sides.

  1. The confidence of developers: They seriously need the confidence of developers back and needs to assure them that the market share of Nokia will be unrivaled.
  2. Disciplined releases even if few: Many times some of Nokia device just don’t make any sense like last two designs we seen with Nokia C7 probably and that X5 competing Samsung Corby in looks. I don’t even that much favor devices like X6.. they could have done better. And please either deliver products in short time or don’t let them out in wild for making videos of them.
  3. Choose a proper shape for a series: If designs of Nokia N8 and Nokia N9 are some patterns, then this makes a lot sense. Trying too many designs doesn’t show that you are catering all kind of audiences, but it shows that you lack in confidence to sweep people’s opinion your way. It would be great, if resemblance of Nokia N8 and Nokia N9 may really establish a pattern and I wont mind, if they keep the same looks for all touch devices. Nothing bulkier like X6 please.

Sure, there are personal views and could be added with your comments and conversations as even we don’t exactly know that what would be best for larger audience with contrast tastes.

Thinking to close the post here, but I really want Nokia to surprise us by releasing Nokia N8 with a Keypad variant on the same day .. may be that could make up for the delay and could save people like me from being frustrated.

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar