N95 gets telescope add-on! and i get it too!!

I just posted the other day about a 6x lens for the n95 as part of my Snap iT! series..and I'd concluded by giving a hint about a personal review for that accessory. And Guess what?! The guys at Brando just sent me a brand new Generic Mobile Phone Telescope.

This Generic Mobile Phone Telescope with flexible adapter to mount 7x18 telescope. It can use on most of mobile phones or PDAs. With this telescope, you can zoom to focus distant objects clearly and to make a high quality photograph easily.

You'll notice that with the telescope fitted on the n95 it actually looks like something from a Hitman Game!

Unlike what I'd figured, setting up the phone was very easy. In minutes of receiving the phone I'd got it all set-up and ready to shoot! To give you all a good idea of how much Zoom we can squeeze out of this lens, I've put up a video over here. After all seeing is believing! Especially in this case!! (don't mind the clarity, it's due to the 3GP conversion)


The lens is of very good build and is excellent bang for buck - I mean at 22 bucks it really is a steal! And what's more, all products bought this season get free shipping as part of their annual offer. Zooming is really easy with the lens and focussing is just as simple - you needn't worry if the image isn't perfect, the in-built Auto-Focus of the phone will set it right.

Another thing that needs to be pointed out is that when under image mode you'll see a dark shadow touching the corners, but that is easily cropped using the phones editor. The video doesn't have this problem though as shown in this video.

The second video featured is how to set-up the lens onto the N95, a simple little job as it is.

Things that went unnoticed..

Guess there's more to a Series 60 V3 phone than meets the eye.
Only recently did I come to know about the great alarm feature
and a way to disconnect GPRS instantly on our Nokia N95, the N95 8 Gb and the n95 NAM.

The Alarm Feature

You can put up numerous alarms on the phone simultaneously, each of
which can be scheduled to ring-up on working days, week days -
practically whenever you feel like it. The previous Symbian versions
required certain 3rd party apps for these functions to be used -
really sad considering that we're talking about the so-called
smart phones here. The S60 3rd Edition phone also has another feature
worth noting: The alarm will wake you up even if the phone's been
switched off! What's more, it will even ask you whether it can switch
itself on now that you are awake so that it can continue to help you
around..such a helpful dude huh? :)

Fast Disconnect

The GPRS connection can be hung up just as you disconnect regular
voice calls by pressing the Hang-Up button for 2 secs. Upon doing this
it will ask for a confirmation - it comes in handy when you're
entering areas wherein the data charges are sky high, or for any other
reason that you can think of.

If you guys have uncovered something else that you'd like other people
to know feel free to comment about it here.
Don't forget to check out the Xploit TiPs Here!

NFS : Pro Street on ur N95

Need for Speed: ProStreet will take the Need for Speed series in a new direction of gameplay. Instead of an arcade style of gameplay which has dominated the series, ProStreet will focus much more on realism and move closer to, but not into, racing simulation, and still with options to use driving assistants to make driving easier and more arcade-like. Unlike its predecessors, all racing in ProStreet will take place on closed tracks, thus making it the first game in the series not animating illegal racing behaviour since Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, hence there will not be any police in the game. Performance tuning will take up a large part of gameplay in a way that even a small adjustment of the shape of a car's body will impact its performance.

That was what wikipedia had to say about the NFS : Pro Street on your PC. The mobile version on the other hand has great graphics for a phone game and includes performance tuning too but to a limited extent. But all in all it's a great game to kill time on your morning commute or while on the subway.. just make sure you show-up for whatever you were travelling for instead staying hooked up onto the phone ;) The game features both a Quick race for gettin' the feel and a full-fledged Career mode in which you start with an old fashioned Toyota Corolla(1987 model i 'zink) and then you can earn money and upgrade to even a Nissan CT-R Prototype car or the good lookin' BMW M3 E92!!

Earn money either by winning race purses or by awesome drifting - which is easy provided u get the drift (pun intended ;) )

The tracks in the game are aplenty, and with all the Slipstreaming, "good lane" and drifting techniques to be learnt it'll keep you busy for a long time..just keep to the center of the drift bar or you could end up as road kill !

One of the good things i noted about the game is that unlike it's PC version the mobile version doesn't hog the system resources of the phone, a boon for N95 users. In fact it only takes about 7MB of RAM !

Here are some pics of the game:

The car..

The race..

The drift..

Whoops!
damn...

N95 Kaliedoscope

Nokia N95 is now available in 3 new colors, White, red and blue. But it seems that the new colors is only available in Japan by the provider “SoftBank” Lets hope that it doesn’t take to long before the new colors is available world wide . Check out the covers over here too at another post from dailymobile.

More pictures available at DailyMobile.

Expenses 2.0

SymbianGuru has updated its expense tracking software and released Expenses 2.0. The update has following new features implemented:-
Now application is password protected, and secures your expenses from unauthorised access
- The font and colour of the on screen reports became customizable
- User now can create own expenses categories, for sorting the expenses according to the needs
- Bug with big numbers import was fixed

Expenses for Series 60.3 organizes private and business expenses in quick and easy way. Comprehensible interface, quick but password protected access to
all expenses make Expenses to beloved tool for budget optimization.

Expenses 2.0 for Series 60 3rd edition track all kinds of expenses, create customized on-screen reports and export expenses records into CSV format for
MS Excel.

Expenses for Series 60.3 save your time and save your money, optimizing your budget. It is unbearable tool for home and business finance.

Key Features of Expenses 2.0 include:

1. Customizable list view of all your expenses, also with the personal notes
2. Secure password protection
3. Application options lets user personalize the main page view, report view, all used expenses types, currencies and payment methods
4. When recording a new expense, the most used expenses types will come first in the list to avoid much scrolling
5. Unlimited number of expenses categories can be created for keeping separately different expenses types
6. User can make a personal note to every expense
7. User can get the total of all expenses just with one click
8. Report on screen can be made, with custom data chosen for the certain period and fully customizable report view
9. Easy export MS Excel (universal CSV format)

Why Nokia? Why do you do this??

The N95 is indeed a great camera-phone. It has loads of great
features, 5MP sensor, 30fps video recording, auto-focus camera,
Carl-Zeiss lens, great color recreation, and a whole load of
customization features.

What it lacks is a Video Editor.

I know, I know, it does have one. But have you ever been able to use
it for editing one of those 5MP videos of yours? If yes you'll have
ended up face to face with the now famous slogan of the N95 -[b]
Memory full! Close some programs and try again.
And it flashes up even if you do close all programs, with the video
editor being the only open app. Neat little joke by Nokia huh? But i
think it sucks!
Why did they put in the video editor anyway?? I never understood why they did that..

Ah..and I think Nokia heard my complaints and responded to it
too..albeit in a sad kinda way.


It happened when they brought tout the N95 8GB. A phone that boasts of
128MB RAM, something that we'd begun to see only in computers from
2001. With that kind of RAM I would have been happy editing videos to
glory on my phone. But of course Nokia, by some strike of genius
didn't even include the feature in the handset. Now don't ask me why!
Why they did it, I believe, is, and will remain, a mystery for ages to come.



Update!



Now they plan to bring out the Nokia N96!

Even though Nseries stands for NextGen handsets the only nextGen the N96 packs is a different look - the features are more less the same as in the N95. You only get an extra 16GB of onboard memory and a dual LED flash, which isn'nt that bad., but it ain't worth the money no matter what anyone says!

N96 - is it worth it?

From what I've heard the N96 doesn't have anything new to go with it except the looks... This smartphone is based on the Symbian S60 3rd Edition operation system, with Feature Pack 2, and sports a DVB-H digital TV receiver and innovative kickstand for watching video on the handset’s beautiful 2.8″ QVGA display. There are connection options aplenty, including quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900MHz) and dual-band WCDMA (850/2100MHz) as well as WiFi and support for HSDPA for high speed data connections.

A built-in GPS receiver works with the new Nokia Maps 2.0, preloaded on the N96, to keep you on the right path. Nokia’s updated Share Online enables the N96 to automatically geotag your photos and upload them to Flickr or Share on Ovi so that the world can see where you travel. 16GB of internal flash memory and a microSD memory card slot with support for cards up to 16GB mean you’ll never run out of space for photos, music, and games.
The N96 makes it easy to share your media with friends via a TV-Out cable and UPnP support. This slider smartphone is expected to start shipping in Q3 2008 with pricing set at 550EUR (US$802) before taxes and subsidies.

Specifications for the Nokia N96

Operating System
Symbian S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2
Band
GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz, UMTS 900/2100MHz
Data
GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA/HSDPA/WiFi
Size
103mm x 55mm x 18mm(4.1″ x 2.2″ x 0.7″)
Weight
125g (4.4oz)
Battery Life
Up to 9 days (GSM), 8 days (3G) standby
Up to 3.6 hours (GSM), 2.5 hours (3G) talk time
Main Display
2.8″ 16m color TFT, QVGA (240×320 pixel) resolution
Camera
5 megapixel with auto-focus
Video
Playback/capture
Messaging
MMS/SMS
Email
POP/IMAP/SMTP
Bluetooth
v2.0, A2DP (stereo)
Memory
Up to 16MB internal, microSD card slot
Availability
Q3 2008 (manufacturer’s estimate)
Other
DVB-H mobile TV support, GPS receiver, TV-out support, 802.11b/g, stereo speakers

See More Here!

An N95 on Val's Day is a perfect idea

Gifting your girl friend a N95 would be the best gift ever. But whatif you have it with a cute lil' pink housing that comes with a softsmooth finish? Now that would be really something 'cuz she'd know thatyou really put your mind into giving her something nice, rather thanjust spending money on the best in the market. And when her friendssee the pink N95 they're bound to ask about it. nice eh? ;) Did you know that Darla Mack also has a pink one!!

How to Make Your Cell Phone Battery Last Longer

While many of us now use cell phones everywhere, the primary benefit of cell phones remains their portability - however, so as to get the most out of your phone you need to get the most out of your battery.

Increase Time between Charges
1. Turn the phone off. This is probably the most effective and simplest way of conserving your battery’s power. If you don't plan on answering the phone while you're sleeping or after business hours, just turn it off. Do the same if you are in an area with no reception (such as a subway or remote area) or in a roaming area, since constantly searching for service depletes the battery fairly quickly. Some phones have an automatic power save feature, but it takes about 30 minutes with no service to kick in. By then, much battery power has been used.

2. Stop searching for a signal. When you are in an area with poor or no signal, your phone will constantly look for a better connection, and will use up all your power doing so. This is easily understood if you have ever forgotten to turn off your phone on a flight. The best way to ensure longer battery life is to make sure you have a great signal where you use your phone. If you don't have a perfect signal, get a cell phone repeater which will amplify the signal to provide near perfect reception anywhere.

3. Get the most out of your battery. Switch off the vibrate function on your phone, and use just the ring tone instead. The vibrate function uses up a lot of battery power. Keep the ring tone volume as low as possible.

4. Turn off your phone's back light. The back light is what makes the phone easier to read in bright light or outside. However, the light also uses battery power. If you can get by without it, your battery will last longer. If you have to use the back light, many phones will let you set the amount of time to leave the back light on. Shorten that amount of time. Usually, one or two seconds will be sufficient. Some phones have an ambient light sensor, which can turn off the back light in bright conditions and enable it in darker ones.

5. Avoid using unnecessary features. If you know it will be a while before your phone’s next charge, don’t use the camera or connect to the Internet. Flash photography can drain your battery especially quickly. If your phone has bluetooth capability, disable it when not in use.

6. Keep calls short. This is obvious, but how many times have you heard someone on their cell phone say, "I think my battery’s dying," and then continue their conversation for several minutes? Sometimes, the dying battery is just an excuse to get off the phone (and a good one, at that), but if you really need to conserve the battery, limit your talk time.

Prolong the Life of Your Battery
1. Initialize a new battery. New batteries should be fully charged before their first use to obtain maximum capacity. Nickel-based batteries should be charged for 16 hours initially and run through 2-4 full charge/full discharge cycles, while lithium ion batteries should be charged for about 5-6 hours. Ignore the phone telling you that the battery is full--this is normal but is not accurate if the battery is not initialized.

2. Keep the battery cool. Your battery will last longest if used near room temperature, and nothing wears on a battery like extended exposure to high temperatures. While you can’t control the weather, you can avoid leaving your phone in a hot car or in direct sunlight, and you don’t have to carry your phone in your pocket, where your body heat will raise its temperature. In addition, check the battery while it’s charging. If it seems excessively hot, your charger may be malfunctioning.

3. Charge your battery correctly, in accordance with its type. Most newer cell phones have lithium-ion batteries, while older ones generally have nickel-based batteries. Read the label on the back of the battery or in the technical specifications in the manual to determine which yours is. * Nickel-based batteries (either NiCd or NiMH) suffer from a phenomenon known as the "memory effect." If you charge the battery partially enough times, eventually the battery "forgets" that it can charge fully. A nickel-based battery suffering from memory effect can be reconditioned, which requires the battery to be completely discharged, then completely recharged (sometimes several times). The appropriate length of time between reconditionings varies. A good rule to follow for nickel-battery cell-phones is to discharge them completely once every two to three weeks, and only when you have a charger available. * Lithium ion batteries, on the other hand, do not suffer from the same memory effect. However, many devices that use lithium batteries have a battery meter, showing the user how much charge the battery has left. Starting with a battery's manufacture at the factory, lithium ions oxidize in the battery, shortening its life. After a certain amount of time, the battery exhibits slightly different electronic properties, which the device can only detect when the battery is discharged. This type of problem is known as a "virtual memory effect" and occurs when your battery meter can show a high charge, then suddenly drop to low charge when the battery is almost dead. Every thirty cumulative cycles, you should discharge lithium ion batteries until the phone gives a low battery warning, then recharge it. If you discharge lithium ion batteries to zero voltage, the internal safety circuit may open. In that case, a normal charger will be inadequate. Reconditioning ensures that the battery meter on a lithium ion cellphone is accurate (although it will not affect actual battery capacity). * Regardless of the battery type, use only a charger rated for your battery, and discontinue use of a charger that causes the battery to heat up excessively.

4. Store batteries properly. If your battery will be out of use for a while, disconnect it from the phone and store it in a cool place (the refrigerator is good, but freezing temperatures do not slow oxidation) and away from metal objects. Ensure that the battery is not exposed to moisture; try putting the battery in an airtight container or bag. Lithium ion batteries are not rated to operate at refrigerated temperatures, so let the battery sit outside the refrigerator for at least an hour before using it again. Lithium ion batteries oxidize least when they are stored at 40% charge. Never store a lithium battery at low voltage. Recharge batteries after storage.

5. Clean the battery contacts on the battery and on the phone. Over time, contacts may accumulate dirt. Clean them with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol to maximize the efficiency of energy transfer. In addition, if the contacts are two different metals, such as gold and tin, accelerated corrosion known as "fretting" occurs. Cutting the corrosion from fretted contacts often requires solvents, such as acetone or nail polish remover. Be careful: these solvent dissolve plastic, so use a Q-Tip to avoid damaging the battery housing or the phone.

Battery Failure Indicators

* The usable time after recharging is shortened. * The battery becomes unusually warm during a rechargecycle. * The battery becomes unusually warm during phone use. * The battery case often is swollen. This is detectable by feeling and viewing the inside/phone-side of the battery case. Also, when the battery is placed inside/phone-side down on a flat, smooth surface, it will rock and will sustain a spin motion. The case of a healthy battery is flat and will not sustain a spin motion. * The battery develops a hard spot. This is detectable on the inside/phone-side surface of the battery by gently pinching about the surface between one's fingers.

Tips

* Regardless of how well you care for your battery, it will die eventually. When it does, you may be able to have it refurbished by sending it to the manufacturer or bringing it back to the retailer. If it cannot be refurbished, or if you just want to get a new battery, be sure to recycle it, either by returning it to the manufacturer or retailer, or by bringing it to a recycling center. Most major retail electronics stores have drop-off boxes for recycled phones. * You should not have to turn off your phone to charge it. Most battery chargers deliver more than enough current to power your phone and charge it at the same time. Doing so will not lengthen the charge time, and leaving a phone on allows the user to be aware of its fuel gauge, so that you can remove it when the battery is full. * When using a car charger, do not charge the battery when the inside temperature of your car is hot. Wait until the car has cooled before you plug in the phone.

Note:

* Do not store a lithium battery with a very low charge for a long time, the battery monitor will draw a small current, which might cause a 'deep discharge' which may cause damage to the battery. * Avoid cheap, knockoff chargers as they may cause excessive battery heating. * When buying lithium ion batteries, be aware that oxidation begins at the time of manufacture, not the time of first use. As such, older lithium batteries will have reduced capacity (about 20% per year stored at room temperature). If you buy a battery at a clearance sale price, expect that you will get less life out of the cell phone. * Never dispose of old batteries in the trash. Batteries contain toxic metals, and electronic waste from batteries and other electronic components is becoming a major problem. Improper disposal of toxic batteries is illegal in many jurisdictions.

N95 in pink!

Some real ccol pics of the N95 in pink clothing, i luv it.. reminds of a post that I'd done some time back..
I've included one pic here, you can see the rest of them at Dailymobile.se.

DLNA for n95-2

Espoo, Finland - Nokia announced yesterday that the Nokia N95 8GB had the distinction of being the first ever mobile phone to receive Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) certification. The DLNA is a body advocating the interoperability of wired and wireless consumer devices. For the consumer, this accolade translates into convenient and intuitive connectivity between your DLNA Certified home electronics devices, personal computers, and your Nokia N95 8GB.

DLNA technology enables multi-vendor home ecosystems of consumer devices by building a common connectivity platform for a variety of multimedia experiences. This vision is fully in line with the Nokia’s aspiration for openness and seamless interoperability between devices and services from different brands.

Read the rest of this post at dailymobile.se

Koss P9 - perfect for Mobile users on the move

The Koss P9 In-Ear Headphones with Volume Control features a convenient volume control feature that can be easily adjusted on the fly. Lightweight with a comfortable behind-the-head design, these headphones are made to be worn for long periods of time and are perfect for listeners on the go. Compared with the regular headset available with the N95 the Koss P9 offers almost the same output in terms of sound, but the added bonus is that it has much more stylish looks.

One of the other applications that I found for it's side-firing design is that it's more wearable than usual headsets when your on a motorbike - it's design is kind of aerodynamic that there's less chance of the headset falling off when you're at high speed. Moreover the side-firing technology means you're more likely to hear horns and other external sounds from your surroundings - leading to a safer experience. Obviously no one would use Noise Cancelling Phones when on the road - you won't even hear the Traffic Police man's whistle!!

On the other hand it's sound isn't that much of a reason to go for it. It lacks the bass that Koss advertises so much, and the some frequencies are really bad. Upon comparison with the Standard Nokia headset that comes with the N95 - the Koss P9 is somewhat 80% there.

Straight, dual entry 4 foot cord Plug 3.5mm
Impedance 16 ohms
Weight .7 oz.
Sensitivity 100 dB SPL/1mW
Distortion <1.0%
Cost: 9.99$

ARGH n95 Screen Flip?

I saw this post at the Nokia Forums the other day. It seems someone's N95 has decided to incorporate Samir's rotateMe app all by itself - ending up rather Topsy-Turvy..
This is the post:

nicbh New User Posts: 1 Message 1 of 1 Viewed 11 times		Okay my n95 has started flipping the screen upside down (neither of the two regular ways it would go) randomly. Especially if I turn it off and on again. Any suggestions?
29-Dec-2007 02:58 PM

If any of you can help him out, please do so - this is the link.

Nokia Beta Lab's Conversation

Overview

Conversation is a messaging application that allows you to follow your conversations, organized by individual contact. In addition, the application provides an easy way to reply to messages, and continue the conversations.

After installation, the application will appear in your device as an application shortcut, and as a new tab in your Contacts application.

Installation instructions
Your have to install two separate files in the order specified below. Also, we recommend that you use the latest software available for your device.

1. Install Nokia Internet Services Support Package to the device memory (not to the memory card). Note! If you have Gizmo or Windows Live already installed, you don't need to install this support package.Download (SIS, 730 KB)
2. Install the compatible version of Conversation application HeRe.

Have a great time with your conversations! ;)

nice..

Nice little video but I saw it a few days too late I guess :( Guess being on the Information Super High Way by itself won't get you anywhere, you need to have an aim.. Anyways here's the video for all of you who'd missed out on it as well...Special thanks to Clement Clarke Moore, and to all of you out there, be safe, be happy, and enjoy life to the full.

And we bring to you..

Hey guys and gals! Guess what, Nokia's very own WOM-World is going to send me a N800 next week so that I can spend some time reviewing it. And since I won't be needing my N95 then, I'm going to send it off on a vacation - to the Nokia Care Center - for some rejuvination therapy ;) It seems to be a little out of shape lately, with creaking slides, light leaking sides, and a multimedia button that makes a ticking sound..not to mention the system crashes! They seem to have increased after I updated to v20!! It's been long since I've played with a touch screen..my last touch was a 7710. Anyways, the N800 posts will start rolling in a week, so if anyone has anything that you want me to try out on it, just ask. Ciao!

Coming soon..

Given over here are the most awaited phones among smartphone freaks as of now, and they include the sleek N81-like N96, the elegant E61, and Nokia’s WiMAX phone. The specs put up here may not be what actually does come out, but it will give you an idea of what to hope for. Assuming that they do come out.

1) Nokia N96

Nokia N96 is simply out of our imagination. This phone is specially designed with two keyboards.
The main features of the phone are
• It weighs only 115 grams
• It has 10 GB internal memory
• Has digital speakers
• Has 4 speakers
• 6 mega pixel camera with optic zoom
• Has 3.2 inch screen with 16 million colors
• Bluetooth, Wifi , infrared and USB 2.0
• FM Radio
• Phone is available in two colors
• GPS
• Touch screen
• MP3 and MP4

2) The second upcoming mobile is E61

This phone is a great gadget for communicating through email. The features of Nokia E61 are as follows
• better Email with one touch
• You can view and edit email with quick office and acrobat reader
• Its connectivity speed is very high( 3G)
• You can take the advantage of voice features as VoIP calling and conference calling
• It has 2 mega pixel camera

Nokia’s WiMAX phone in 2008

Nokia had revealed that it will launch WiMAX in 2008. Till now only North America and Europe had wireless Technologies on 3G and 3.5G. In supporting Intel wireless standard Nokia will Motorola and Samsung. Nokia did not mention any details about this product. But this cell phone is going to be very stunning. The only information about this product is that it comes in two styles i.e. mobile and fixed locations. This cell phone is going to be eye catching and outstanding.

Courtesy http://mobilemanic.co.uk

NokMote in action!

Our beloved Samir, the creator of RotateMe is going to bring out yet another great app, and this one too is based on the newly found 3d accelerometer of the N95 and other similar smart phones running the S60 V3 platform. This app allows you to control your phone completely using shakes and turns. Really nice way to get things done when your alone, but in public, people may laugh at you.. ;)

It's called the NokMote..(rolling drums)...




http://www.bysamir.fr
http://www.forummobiles.com

N95 Accelerometer & FlashLite

Watch this video. FlashLite can also do this with the help of N95 Accelerometer APIs. It's been created and edited by Abhijit and Ganesh and Debashish Paul and has been hosted at http://designtraffic.blogspot.com

N95 Popcorn Magic!