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Nokia Vine is an application that allows the user to post online or live broadcast their adventures.  It is similar to Sport Tracker in that it continuously tracks your location via GPS.   The main difference is that you have the capability to add multimedia to your journeys.  For example, you can travel from point A to B.  During this journey if you take photos,videos, listen to music it will add it to your “Vine”.  I tried surfing the Internet as well and it did not add that to the “Vine”.  If live broadcast is used, people can see your actions and journey in real time.  Otherwise you can have the option to upload it later.  People that look at your “Vine” will be able to enjoy your journey verbatim as though they were also present.  While it seems like an interesting concept, I didn’t really understand it.  I didn’t like the feeling of having a “Vine” and having that posted online.  It would seem fun if you were on a trip but for everyday use I’m not so sure.  Kudos to Nokia for thinking outside the box with this application but I guess its not for everyone.  I will be leaving for CES this coming week and will have a “Vine” of my journey from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.

Ive had the Nokia E63 for almost two weeks and what can I say, its a perfect phone for someone that wants a messaging beast with S60!  I decided to try something different and made a quick hands-on and comparison video.  Enjoy!
*FYI: I filmed this using a Sharp SH-01A, a mobile device :).

The trial with the N78 left me with something that I would desire in all handsets that would come from Nokia, the FM transmitter.  This feature allows users to stream audio over an FM channel.  I find t this feature is great for impromptu sharing or just using it as a dedicated music device in your vehicle.  I understand that the quality of FM streaming isnt the best, but its better then nothing. 

Although I did get a chance to stream music over radio, I wasnt able to test navigation and other audio, if this can stream voice navigation directions to car speakers it would greatly increase the usability of Nokia Maps and many other audio based applications.  In the Los Angeles area most of the FM stations are currently in use so I had a difficult time finding a station that would clearly stream audio, both car and in  home.  Sometimes the audio would be clear without interruptions, other times there would be hiccups.  It is a possibility that Los Angeles just doesn’t have any open FM stations (took me forever to find a decent station to use), or something to do with the sensitivity of the FM transmitter.  I hope to explore this more when I am able to receive a trial of the N85 (which is a newer device that has FM transmitter feature).  But I have to ask myself is this a true tool or gimmick to pack more into phones?

Nokia Messaging will be a service that combines email and IM services into one portal on Nokia handsets.  This is a great leap forward with the gaining popularity of IM and Email services that are being used more frequently on mobile devices.  Nokia has set a time which will Q01 of 2009 to start the launch of the messaging service.  Many of Nokias devices ship with the messaging application but in its current form it has no use, no preset IM clients.  I look forward to using this application when released.

Nokia has finally come back to U.S. soils with the release of the ATT branded 6650.  This sleek, slim phone sports a 2MP camera, clam shell design, custom light keypad, 3G and 1500mAh battery.  While this all sounds impressive R.Cadden from Symbian-Guru picked one up on contract to test and analyze how branding effects the unit. Hit the link for the full read and see if this unit worth the 2year contract and how Nokia fares in reintroducing the U.S. to S60. 

FULL LINK

User SR1329 from HoFo has uncovered an old article (dating 2007) regarding Nokia’s patented touch screen vibration technology, Haptikos.  Many handsets on the market today support physical feedback but this involves the whole phone vibrating.  Haptikos offers technology that will emulate actual physical buttons on a touch screen with clicks, and button depression.  This sounds very similar to the technology that is seen on the yet to be released BlackBerry Storm.  Whether its the same type of technology is unknown.  But it seems as though Nokia’s is more specific to each button while the Storm is more of a whole screen depression.  What comes to mind is that I was expecting seeing this technology on the upcoming XpressMusic 5800, but it will not be featured on this device.  So I can only assume that this technology might be featured on the upcoming N-series touch device from Nokia.  Only time will tell.  Hit the link for the full read, Enjoy.

http://www.intomobile.com/2007/11/06/nokia-shows-off-some-seriously-cool-haptic-feedback-touchscreen-tech-haptikos-takes-haptic-feedback-to-a-whole-new-level.html

As some of you may know various bloggers have been challenged by WOM World to “Face the Task” and use a N96 for various challenges.  So far I havent seen too many interesting submissions, until last night.  Jonny Bruha from ThoughtsOnS60 has posted his 3rd Task submission, and boy did I enjoy it.  Great way to blow the competition away JB!  Enjoy!

http://thoughtsons60.com/2008/11/15/challenge-3-fill-it-with-fireworks/

Ricky Cadden has released his weekly episode which discusses the newly released Nokia 6650 from ATT.  He does a quick overview of the phone and for the most part finds the handset an incredible buy.  He also quickly gos over the newly released Motorola S9HD, Tankzors and Nokia E63. Enjoy!

FULL LINK TO SYMBIAN-GURU

BGR has uncovered the first pics/specs of the handset code named Wahoo.  According to the spec sheet it supports US 3G which means most likely it will be coming to ATT.  Interestingly it has a suretype keyboard ie the BlackBerry Pearl and is a flip form factor.  Most likely case this model will be introduced to combat TMobile Blackberry Pearl Flip.  Specs include:

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE
• Dual-band UMTS/HSDPA (850MHz/1900MHz
•  2.2? with a 240×320 resolution inner display and 1.36? with a 128×160 resolution outer display
• 2.0 megapixel camera with flash
• Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP
• Four hours of UMTS talk time
• Sadly a 2.5mm headset jack

FULL READ LINK

The big shaftola for the US/NAM owners of these devices but for others you will be able to update your E71 and E66 with a new firmware.  The firmware includes the following:

Nokia E71 SW releases 110.07.127 

This SW release contains 
the following new features:
Gimlet 9.2.1.381 (Nokia Email Service version) in user disk; gimlet is visible only in countries where service available, otherwise hidden. 
Improved Email Set-up Wizard to check availability of Nokia email service 
This is visible only in countries where service available, otherwise hidden. 
Mail for Exchange 2.5.5 
Maps 2.0 release from wk 30 
VoIP baseline from wk 31 
Switch4 from wk 32 
Startup settings from wk 31 
Catalogs 3.1.50 from wk 32 
Y drive for WMDRM protection files 

Changes/improvements made to
MCU SW version 110.07.127:
Email set-up improvements 
Maps 2.0 improvements 
Music library refresh function performance improvement 
Browser improvements 
Bluetooth improvements 
Camera improvements

Corrected Items from
MCU SW version 100.07.76 
Email for Exchange – Synching improvements 
DUT does not connect to BT stereo headset (SEM HBH -DS970) and car kit (SM HCB-120) 
Y-drive visible with PC Suite 
EAP-FAST authentication improvements 
Unable to start maps when memory card is full 
Camera - Picture cannot be taken correctly after zooming in max

List courtesy of Symbian-Freak

FULL LINK