This time Symbian-Freak takes a stab at the device everyone has been hyping up. After using one for a week all I have to say is "meh."

It’s all specs, the user experience isn’t quite perfect yet.

For all those who are stark mad about this device be sure to check out Mobile-Review and All About Symbian’s review.

The HTC is comically large. I thought the E90 was massive, but it looks like a RAZR compared to that monstrosity.

Check out this weeks episode of "The Smartphones Show"

A more detailed comparison available for your reading pleasure can be found over at All About Symbian.

Forget the N95, Steve Litchfield says the E90 is the ultimate multimedia computer. With a 3.2 megapixel camera and the same VGA quality video as the N93 and N95, why wouldn’t it be?

I got to play with one of these extensively at the summit and I honestly feel it just isn’t for me. The E61i is what holds a piece of my heart and I’m sure there will be future models in the same form factor that will add GPS and better photo taking capabilities.

There is even another form factor I want Nokia (NYSE: NOK) to start using. Have any of you seen the HTC P4350:

It’s nice to have overdraft protection on your checking account. No worrying about getting charged ridiculous fees for going a few cents past your balance ($30 penalty for a $0.25 overdraft?!). Orange liked the idea so much that they are introducing their new “Reserve Tank” overdraft protection service on all their pay-as-you-go plans. But, instead of protecting you from outrageous overdraft fees, “Reserve Tank” makes available an extra £2.50 worth of minutes for emergencies (like running out of minutes in the middle of nowhere).

Orange users need only text “TANK” to “2002″ to setup their “Reserve Tank.” When users don’t have enough credit to make a call, a simple call to “450″ will open up access to the user’s “Reserve Tank.” Any credit used from the “Reserve Tank” will be deducted from the user’s next re-fill; with the caveat that calls will cost 20% more when using reserve minutes.

source

I once proclaimed on my blog that I love Nokia (NYSE: NOK) and Tommi Vilkamo was quick to respond that a company can’t love you back. Why is that?

Companies these days try to push their brand a little too hard in my opinion. The human aspect, that real connection, is what most international corporations lack. When Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) started their Channel 9 project I immediately got hooked. The company was no longer composed of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, but real developers who would explain concepts on a white board and break down what decisions were made and why, on whatever project they happened to be working on. I watched the creation, the struggles and the shipping party for Windows Vista all on that one website. In the beginning it was about the demos, that’s the instant gratification of seeing something cool, but things started getting interesting when you created a thread telling people why you think a feature stinks and how it could be improved upon. One Note is on my list of the top 5 pieces of software ever written and I got a chance to have a conversation with several members of the team developing it.

How great does that feel? How awesome would it be if you could attach a list of names to your favorite device? The designers, the testers, the engineers.

Here is a fun fact: In 2006 Nokia spent almost 4 Billion Euros on research, that is 500 Million Euros more than what they spent on sales and marketing. Don’t you want to know what some of those projects are?

Project Finland is simple. I want to bridge that connection between the Nokia enthusiast and Nokia as a company. Topics would range from devices, operating systems, the research teams and even the networks. The majority of Nokia employees are situated in Finland, so why not go directly to the source?

I know what you’re thinking, can’t I just send them an email? Nothing on earth will ever replace real live human interaction. The Mikko Röntynen I saw on stage at the S60 Summit in Spain isn’t the same guy who I sat down with at a pub in New York City. Phil Schwarzmann does a fantastic job with his Voice of S60 podcast, but it isn’t enough to quench my appetite for knowledge. By limiting himself to S60 related matters he restricts the amount of content available. I know Series 40 has absolutely nothing to do with S60, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to know more about it!

Back to Finland however, it was a country I knew nothing about until I started Ring Nokia. Finding articles that cross pollinated information about the world’s cell phone leader and this Nordic country with a population hovering around 5 million became a daily occurrence. It wasn’t long before I started reading more about Suomi just so I can put Nokia’s history into context. Around 4 months ago when I had a chance to meet a Finn for the first time at CES 2007, that was when I knew this was a country I had to scoop out.

I don’t remember her name, but I do recall the long line of people asking her the same question over and over again: What are the specs of the Nokia N93i? I think she was a little bit stunned when I broke the cycle and actually asked her how the flight was. We ended up having a 15 minute conversation that had absolutely nothing to do with the phone in her hands, but instead centered around her country of origin. My interest was growing exponentially and I knew this is somewhere I wanted to visit.

Here are my plans for project Finland thus far:

• I personally want to save up 10,000 Euros and then look for people who want to help me rebuild Ring Nokia from the ground up.
• Advertising will be placed around my content, but it has to be extremely relevant.
• I will try my best to find a job in Helsinki, but if I could live off advertising revenue and keep on doing what I love, writing, then the more content I can produce.
• I’m not looking to become rich off Ring Nokia, not at all. I just want to surround myself with like minded individuals who are open to enjoying meaningful conversations and debates on a variety of topics. Learning new things is fun, learning how people perceive things differently than you do is priceless.
• I will attempt to reach the top 2 phone resellers I currently know of: Carphone Warehouse and Expansys, to see if they are interested in such a project.
• The average Finn makes 30,000 Euros a year, if I can achieve that then the rest of my salary can go back into the hands of my sponsors or to charities. I can’t emphasize enough that this is about the experience, not the bank statements.
• My initial capital investment would need to be around 6,000 Euros. One high end desktop, one ultra portable laptop, one camcorder.
• Ring Nokia turns one year old on November 19, 2007. If I could be there by that time then I know I will achieved success.

Nokia isn’t going to sponsor something like this. I don’t even know if I’m a dot on their radar, but with the right resources and dedication I think I could make a name for myself.

Why does the world need such a blog?

• Differentiation: Cell phone blogs fall into two categories: too general or too specific. Ring Nokia is neither and I will never try to be a blog about cell phones; that market is saturated.
• Omnipresence: Nokia is so large that I have had several employees thank me for covering what the company is doing as a whole as opposed to knowing what is merely happening within their department.
• Perspective: As an outsider looking in I’m inherently going to have different views about what this company is doing than the people inside it. If you stay somewhere long enough you lose touch with the rest of the world around you. No one is talking about the fact that the CEO keeps confirming he wants to increase presence in America, yet the quarter results indicate that a massive reduction (20%) of employees is taking place in the US.
• Appreciation: A market share of nearly 36% doesn’t happen by accident, there are a lot of people who love Nokia and want to know more about the brand. Most will only care about the phones, but there will always be a select few who want to know everything they possibly can.
• Debate and enlightenment: With such focus on one company, the debate will begin from Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE), Samsung, LG, etc fans. They love certain aspects of their devices that Nokia’s do not have. Let them voice their frustration and maybe Nokia can learn from them. I for one am amazed that as a baseline phone OS, S40 is more comprehensive than S60.

It will be difficult, but if it was easy someone would have started a blog like this a long time ago.

Thoughts? Comments? Questions?

Update: I think I sparked some confusion. Greenteeth thinks I’m asking my readers for cash, this is not the case at all. I’m just laying out where I want Ring Nokia to be in a few months to a year and trying to locate companies who want to help me achieve this realization.

Wouldn’t it be cool if we could network our Windows Mobile Pocket PC, Xbox 360, and Zune for some truly mobile gaming? Sure it would, and Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) seems to think so too. The monopoly company recently filed for a patent detailing a network with a Windows Vista/XP machine, Xbox 360, Windows Mobile Pocket PC, and Zune all working in harmony, sharing component resources over the network – sharing processing power, memory, storage, and connectivity components. The devices could be connected over Bluetooth, WiFi, USB, Firewire, docking station, and even through a 4G network.

Check the larger image, after the link, to get an idea for how this works…

Read the full article »

Bell, the premier CDMA operator in Canada, has announced its new broadband wireless modems for use on their recently expanded EVDO Rev. A network. The three new modems are based on Novatel’s 720 design, and comes in three flavors – PC Card (Merlin P720), ExpressCard(Merlin X720), USB(Ovation U720) – and will pull down data at a theoretical 3.1Mbps, with 1.8 Mbps of upstream bandwidth. Now, Canadians can get some Rev. A action, whether it’s ExpressCard, USB, and PC card.

via: electronista

The rumored upgrade to ATTingular’s 8525 smartphone has been released and is officially available for download. The upgrade was slated for an April 25 release, so it’s a bit late to the party. Cingular 8525 users can expect the upgrade to enable the promised PTT (push-to-talk) functionality on the re-branded HTC TyTn. Oh, and the upgrade will replace the “Cingular” branding with the new “AT&T (NYSE: T)” logo.

via: engadgetmobile

Those of you squirming in your seats for the latest Cybershot-branded mobile phone, from Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE), have reason to celebrate. The Sony Ericsson K810 Cybershot handset has been released and will ship from SonyStyle on May 3rd. Hong Kong gets the honor of getting the K810, so get that hefty international shipping fee ready – not to mention the $479 pricetag.

via: justamp

If you just can’t wait ’till this Friday, the 4th of May, there’s good news! The Windows Mobile 6.0 Standard upgrade, that T-mobile (NYSE: DT) promised us, has been leaked and is now available for download. As you’re already aware, the “Standard” version of the new Windows Mobile OS is made for smartphones without touchscreens – like the T-mobile Dash. The most notable difference is the plug-in for the home screen that allows you to play music without having to navigate down to the media player.

Howard Forums users have found the leaked ROM for download. You can find the link here.

via: hofo