Two Nokia devices recently got firmware updates: the long in the tooth, but what some consider to be the last great handset out of Finland, the E71 (pictured above), and the first capacitive touch screen device out of Espoo, the X6. The X6 is now running version 30.0.003 and All About Symbian say that several of the built in applications, such as Ovi Maps, Ovi Store, and the web browser, have been updated to newer versions, plus stability and performance improvements were felt after the update was applied. Next up is the E71, one of the sexiest consumer electronics devices to ever leave a factory, which hit version 501.21.001 according to The Nokia Review. Same story here as with the X6, several of the built in applications were upgrades and there are also some performance and stability improvements.
To find out which firmware you’re running, simply go to the dialer screen and type in *#0000#. To upgrade the firmware on the older E71 you’re going to need a microUSB cable and Windows running computer. The X6, since it’s running a later version of Symbian, has over the air updates built in. It’s still advisable to backup your data, because you never know when it comes to software updates. Unlike Apple, HTC, and Samsung, Nokia doesn’t upgrade their core system software, meaning the X6 and E71 will never see the latest version of Symbian, and while some may view that as a bad thing, people get new hardware because of new software. That and everyone likes a fresh device every year.
Are you the kind of person who bought either a Nexus One or Apple iPhone because of the guarantee that you’d receive future system updates? How’s it working out for you? Are you happy, or do you lust after the latest bits of glass and metal that line up store shop windows?