Ovi by Nokia - The door to Nokia's internet services.

In a paradigm shift, Nokia today introduced 'Ovi', its new Internet services brand name. 'Ovi' means 'door' in Finnish, and promises to enable consumers easily access their existing social networks, communities, and content.
As part of 'Ovi', Nokia has announced the Nokia Music Store, N-Gage, and Nokia Maps. As such, 'Ovi' at http://www.ovi.com will act as the gateway to all of these Internet services. It will be an open door to Web communities, enabling people access their content, communities, and contacts from a single place, either directly from a compatible Nokia device, or from a PC. The first version of Ovi.com is slated to go live in English during Q4 2007, with additional features and languages expected to go live during the first half of 2008. Part of 'Ovi', the Nokia Music Store at http://music.nokia.com will offer millions of tracks from major artists, and independent labels, as well as local artists, available only through Nokia. The store can be accessed via a desktop computer, or directly from a compatible Nokia device such as the Nokia N81 or Nokia N95 8GB multimedia computer. Consumers will be able to browse for new music, buy what they want, or add a song to their wish-list to download later. They will also be able to transfer purchased songs to their mobile devices. With the built-in music player, they will be able to create playlists on the go and manage their music collection. The store will open across key European markets this fall, with additional stores in Europe and Asia opening over the coming months. In Europe, individual tracks will cost 1 euro and albums will be upwards of 10 euros, with a monthly subscription for PC streaming of 10 euros. Also part of 'Ovi', N-Gage will offer an easy way to find, try, and buy great quality games directly from compatible Nokia devices. By selecting the N-Gage application on compatible Nokia devices, users will be able to preview available games, connect with friends, read reviews, or download free demos. Games can be bought either with a credit card, or by charging to the user's monthly phone bill. Electronic Arts, Gameloft, etc, are making some of their big brands available through N-Gage. The application is expected to be available for download at http://www.n-gage.com in November 2007. Meanwhile, Nokia Maps, as the name suggests, will offer maps, city guides, and more -- directly to compatible mobile devices. Commenting on Nokia's shift from mobile to Internet services, Olli Pekka Kallasvuo, president and chief executive officer of Nokia, said that the industry is converging towards an Internet-driven experience, and that 'Ovi' represents Nokia's vision in combining the Internet with mobility.

DVD that can Store upto 1TB Data !

Even as the world is hard put to decide whether it's HD-DVD or Blu-ray coming next, a Jerusalem-based company called Mempile has reportedly introduced an optical disc about as thick as a standard DVD or slightly thicker, which it claims can store up to 1TB or 1,000GB of data. What's more, the company claims that once the transition to blue lasers is done, the optical disc will be able to store up to 5TB of data.
Mempile's 1TB DVD sports 200 distinct layers, each offering 5GB of storage space. Unlike in regular DVDs, the layers in this DVD are not stuck together or stacked physically. Mempile claims the discs are made from a polymer variant called polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), which is a mixture of Perspex, Lucite, and Plexiglass. Incidentally, the discs derive their Yellow color from this compound. Also unlike typical DVDs wherein 2 dimensions are used to store data, Mempile claims it's DVDs use 3 dimensions in the polymer to store data. Mempile's new technology is currently restricted to WORM or write once, read many. However, the company intends to make read/write drives available in future. While Mempile's concept is not entirely new, the company claims it's prototypes are already reaching 600GB to 800GB of storage, with 1TB storage expected soon. However, from an industry perspective, Mempile needs to get it's discs/drives to market soon enough for these not to be overtaken by heavyweight rivals -- HD DVD and Blu-ray...

Microsoft Plans 1st Upgrade to Vista

According to reports, Microsoft plans to release Service Pack 1 (SP1), the first major upgrade to its Windows Vista operating system in the first quarter of 2008. Microsoft says SP1 is not designed as a vehicle for releasing new features, but for enhancements made to existing components.

In addition to updates to be released regularly, SP1 will include changes that address specific reliability and performance issues, support for new types of hardware, and emerging standards. The update is expected to fix some common problems that cause PCs to crash or freeze, while support for new hardware includes newer graphics cards, external monitors, and printer drivers. Moreover, SP1 will include: the ability to encrypt hard drive partitions, support for new file formats and system start-up methods; capacity for improved battery performance, increased speed with respect to copying files, and faster Internet Explorer (IE). In a blog posted yesterday, Nick White, a Microsoft product manager, wrote, "A small group of testers has been putting a preview of the SP1 Beta through its paces to help prepare for broader release. We made the choice to start with a very small group of testers because we think it's better for both our customers and for Microsoft to keep the beta program small at the start." The beta test version of SP1 will be released in the next few weeks to a small group of testers; while final release is slated for the first quarter of 2008.

Olinari Silver USB Dog Tags

Ever since USB drives came along, different companies have been implementing various innovative ideas to not only spice up their form, but also utility.

Until now, you've been able to flaunt stylish USB drives around your neck, or wrist; how about adding some security with this kind of style? The Olinari Silver USB Dog Tags gives you a combination of style and security by discreetly letting you carry your data around in a fashionable way.

This funky piece of jewelry houses flash memory, which keeps the drive away from the public eye. If you fancy the design in the picture, then there are more options for you to choose from. No price details are available as of now.

Nokia 5310 & 5610 XpressMusic phones!

To be launched shortly are the new XpressMusic handsets of NOKIA namely 5310 & 5610.


Lets have a look to both of them.


NOKIA 5310 XpressMusic ->



Features :

• Dedicated music keys for instant access to favorite tunes
• Up to 4GB storage space for your growing playlist
• Switch between songs and calls without disruption
• Stylishly sleek and small in design
• Vibrant QVGA (240x320), 16 million color display Bluetooth, integrated speakers and enhanced S40 player
• Tri-band EGSM 900/1800/1900 MHz Volume: 44.8 cc

Dimensions:
Weight: 70.2 g
Length: 103.8 mm
Width: 44.7 mm
Thickness: 9.9 mm

Camera:

Integrated 2 mega pixel camera with 4x digital zoom

Memory:

Combo memory with 64 MB flash and 32 MB RAM
Hotswap microSD memory card slot

Connectivity:

Bluetooth 2.0
USB 2.0

NOKIA 5610 XpressMusic ->



Features :

• Cutting-edge, media-centric design with 2.2" scratch-resistant window
• Iconic Music Slider Key for unique sliding user interface access to music
• Crystal clear Hi-Fi audio enabled by dedicated audio chip
• 3G for fast downloads and video calls
• 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and dual LED flash
• Fun applications to stay connected and explore Web 2.0
• Quadband GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• Dualband WCDMA 850/2100 MHz

Dimensions:

Volume: 75 cc
Weight: 111 g
Length: 98.5 mm
Width: 48.5 mm
Thickness: 17 mm



Other highlights:

• 2.2’’QVGA, 240 x 320 pixels, 16 million colors display
• Active display area: 33.5 x 44.7 mm
• Ambient light sensor to optimize display brightness and power consumption
• S 40 user interface, 3rd edition
• 5-way navi key, two soft keys, send and end keys
• Side volume keys with zoom functionality
• 2-way spring loaded Music Slider music key
• Organic user interface
• Active standby screen
• Context dependent Music Slider light
• Nokia sensor

Memory:
512 MB built-in memory
Options to expand up to 4 GB with microSD card

Connectivity:
Bluetooth 2.0
Local / remote over-the-air (OTA) synchronization with SyncML
Local synchronization with PC using Nokia PC Suite
Micro USB connector with USB 2.0 Full Speed
2.5 mm AV connector

Nokia N81 Gaming Mobile to the lot of N-Series

After the N-Gage and N-Gage QD, we didn't see any gaming mobiles coming from Nokia. The N-Series came about, and now it has finally brought along another gaming mobile phone - the N81.

The N81 will be showcased in London along with the release a couple of XpressMusic phones that includes the 8GB N95. No details about the phone have been disclosed as yet.

360 Degree Speakers

Designers Emanuele Patton & Michele Menescardi have come up with dodecahedron (a solid figure with 12 sides) design for speakers that can create a 360 degree surround sound experience.

These speakers called Quasar spread sound all over in a room, such that the sound is at its best in all corners. You could place these speakers anywhere in the room and you won't be able to identify the source of the sound. It is still not confirmed as to how good the system will actually sound.

This concept hasn't been yet put into production; people like JVC will probably pick it for its line-up.

NOKIA N95 ~ Is this what computers became?

The much hyped & cherry on the cake to the NOKIA's N-Series cellphone is out now! Lets see where it stands!Presenting a review of this handset.
________________________________________________________________________________________ "Is this what computers have become?" they say in their promotion for the Nokia N95, which seems to have the muscle to power you with a PC in your pocket. The first of the N series phones to be released this year, N95 has had its share of popularity pre and post release.


Whats in the package?
The N95 has a very standard package. I'd like to point out at the earphones packaged, they are nothing what one would expect when paying the price one has to for a multi-feature screaming like this.

• Nokia N95 (handset)
• Stereo Headset with Playback controls (with 3.5mm jack on the volume control)
• 2GB microSD (with SD Card Adaptor)
• USB Cable
• Composite Cable
• Charger
• Manual & Software CD
  
  

Outlook & design->
The N95 has a unique design. It's essentially a slider, but what makes it unique is its ability to slide up to reveal playback controls, as well as slide down that gives you a neat widescreen display.

The phone is one of the lightest N series phones that I have come across. It weighs 120 grams, for its size that is quite okay. The dimensions are 99 x 53 x 21 mm. The phone weight is minimal because of its plastic build; add to that the neat distribution of weight throughout the phone. It's comfortable to hold in your hand and not slip off.


N95 has a 3G camera to the right of the earpiece, just above the screen. Next to the camera is a small LED for flash. The 16 million color-TFT screen of this phone is simply awesome with a size 40 x 53 mm and 240 x 320 pixels resolution support.

Below the screen is the menu key cluster: Two menu keys, a Main Menu key, 5-way D-pad, Shortcut key, two keys one each to answer and hang-up calls, Clipboard key and a Clear key form the cluster. The Clipboard key and the Clear keys are placed on a thin strip of metal and do pose accessibility problems. There were a lot of times when I meant to hit the clear key but ended up closing the application because the placement of the hang-up key being adjacent to it. The 5-way D-pad is easy to use and so are the other keys in the cluster.

Slide the phone upwards and the keypad is revealed. The keys here have a neat blue backlighting and are comfortable to use. The backlight starts to work automatically according to the light conditions you are working in.

As I mentioned earlier, sliding the screen down changes the orientation of the screen giving you a widescreen effect, followed by the shortcut menu to appear. You can edit or add more shortcuts to this menu from a predefined list. The playback controls are above the screen when the slider is pulled down or on the left of the screen when in its widescreen orientation. This unique sliding feature of the N95 can have its drawbacks. For example, it was quite irritating to keep sliding the phone up/down while surfing because while doing that you do need to do quite a bit of typing. Plus the plastic build of the phone creates a slight creaky noise when the slider is pushed up.

On the top left side of the phone is the left speaker of the phone and just below it is the 3.5mm stereo jack. You can either directly attach your headphones or the provided headset to it. The stereo jack also supports a composite cable via a 3.5mm pin. This way you can move the display to an external device and enjoy it on a bigger screen. In the center, on the left side of the phone is the IR port of the phone. Towards the end of the left side is the microSD card slot with a sturdy dust cover.

On the top right side of the phone is the other speaker. The speakers are loud and give a nice stereo sound effect. Just below it are the volume control keys of the phone that double as a zoom in/out buttons when in camera mode. Towards the bottom of the phone are two hotkeys: one, a hotkey to Gallery and the other is the Camera button. The camera button starts the camera application only if the camera lens shutter is open. The placement of the camera button falls in the area where one would ideally grip the phone. This way when you tend to hold the phone a bit firmly, the camera application keeps trying to open. If the keypad is locked, then it keeps displaying the message to unlock keypad.

The back of the phone has about 30% of the portion taken up by the camera. The lens has a neat manual shutter to protect it from dust. Also, there is a large single LED for flash. The rest of the 70% of the phone's rear is plain, covering the battery compartment.

On top center of the phone lies the power button which also doubles as the profile selector. At the bottom left of the phone is the charging port. In the center there is a miniUSB port for transfer and PC sync. The mouthpiece of the phone is placed to its right.

Interface & multimedia->
The N95 is a smartphone and goes without saying that it is a Series 60UI. The interface is built on Symbian v9.2, the latest of the series. Symbian phones have always been slow and inspite of the 200 MHz processor, they haven't become any faster. Therefore, as one would expect, the N95 too is quite slow and keeps you waiting while opening or working in applications. The phone is generously fast through the menus atleast. The phone has 120 MB of internal memory that is way more than any phone I know; add to that, the bundled 2 GB card which makes for sufficient amounts of space to hold your data.

The pre-installed applications on the phone are as follows: Quick Office, Adobe PDF, Zip, and Barcode. The Barcode software helps by scanning barcodes and reveals details stored in the code. There is also a GPS application installed that entails maps of about 100 countries. Pre-installed games consist of Snakes and SRE.

The N95 has been portrayed as a PC, which is an alternate way of saying that it is convergence of both business and entertainment. But it still stays that N-Series is the 'N-tertainment' range of phones from Nokia. The multimedia capabilities of the N95 are no doubt, quite a bundle. The phone has a standalone music player that immediately starts with the press of any playback controls which are revealed when you slide the screen down. The large screen with its high resolution makes for pleasurable viewing of videos.
The other part of entertainment offered by the phone is its camera which we will look at in detail.


Camera->
The N95 has a 5 MP camera, which is the highest resolution available in a phone. It also has auto focus and flash to help you attain the best image quality. The camera has a focal length of 5.6 mm and digital zoom of 20x. Here the digital zoom is limited to 10x. The lens used is Carl Zeiss, which should generally be considered as a quality assurance stamp. But some how, that isn't the case with the combination in N95; the phone does a lot of image processing after the image is captured. This not only takes a lot of time before the image is sampled but also puts in some amounts of blur in the image when viewed at full resolution on the computer. There is a feel of oil paint used in the final image. The images when viewed on the phone look brilliant, but at the actual size of 2592 x 1944 pixels you cannot help but notice that they're not that great. At the end of the article I've placed images and the links to the images full resolution.

The camera auto focus is much like those seen in any other phones with the same. The irritating part was the sound that it made while focusing. It felt like the lens snapped very time it focused, I guess it's a build issue. There are a lot of modes to capture images in: Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports, Night, Night portrait and User Defined. The User Defined mode is a complete custom defined mode where you can customize the mode as per the scene, flash, white balance, exposure compensation, color tone, light sensitivity value, contrast and sharpness. All these customizations are also available when clicking an image in the default scene modes. There are three types of flash: Auto, Red Eye and on/off. There is also a Sequence mode, wherein you specify the time gap between pictures and the phone will do the capturing automatically. You can set it anywhere between a 10 seconds to 15 minutes gaps. There is also the Burst mode that comes under the sequence mode, this allows you to keep capturing photographs until you release the camera button. There is a gap of about 3-4 seconds between each click. The video capture of the N95 is VGA (640 x 480). It captures video in .MP4 format. Here the digital zoom is limited to 10x. The video capture rate is 30 fps. A one minute video would take around 20-25 MB of space. The scene modes are available in video as well. The only drawback in video is that the flash doesn't remain on as in the Sony Ericssons; therefore, videos captured in the night are pretty bad. There is a red LED in the flash area which keeps focusing while shooting, because of which there is always some red tinge seen in the video captured at night.


Audio Video ->
The audio quality of the N95 is average. The sound can't be compared to the likes of the Walkman series. Place it against its own in the N-Series and it's the best sounding. As I mentioned in the bundle, the earphones bundled along weren't the ones I'd expect to see. They were small and came off as soon as there was some breeze blowing. The good part is that both the phone and the headset's playback control unit have 3.5mm jacks. That makes it possible to connect your own headphones to either the phone directly or the headset. The moment you connect the headset or your headphone, the phone provides you with a list of options to choose from; Headphone, Headset, TV-Out Cable and Music Stand. All of these connect through the same port and that is the reason why you have to specify, else it won't start channeling the audio to the port. In the headphone mode you will have to use the phone to answer calls, while with the headset you can answer them through the inbuilt microphone of the headset.

I faced problems with the headset of the phone, it was as if the headset's playback control unit was faulty. It wouldn't change tracks, increase/decrease volume etc., basically not working.

The phone uses Real Media Player to play video files. It supports all the standard phone video formats. Videos watched in the widescreen mode were real fun.

Connectivity ->
The N95 has most connectivity options that phones these days can offer. It obviously has GPRS Class 10, which is a very basic feature these days. The list continues with HSCSD, Class 32 EDGE, 3G, WiFi 802.11 b/g, Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP to enjoy stereo quality music wirelessly, the ancient Infra-red port is included as well along with a USB v2.0 for faster file transfers. On attaching the USB cable, the phone gives a list of options like the list of options seen when attaching the headset. Here the list reads: PC Suite, Mass Storage, Image Print, and Media Player. The USB transfer speeds aren't the fastest, but are quite acceptable. The given adaptor for the microSD card is much better to transfer data to the card via a memory card reader.


I mentioned earlier, the screen of the N95 makes for a widescreen display. Surfing on this widescreen was absolute fun via WiFi. It was quite troublesome setting the phone for WiFi and I decided that I'd provide you guys with a guide; so you'll have to wait for that special, in case you do end up buying this phone.





Battery ->

The N95 has a 950 mAh battery. In simpler phones this rating of battery provides really good battery life, but for a powerhouse like the N95, this ain't sufficient. Under standard conditions the box states 220 hours of standby and 6 hours 30 minutes of talktime. In reality, it did nothing close to that. The phone managed to last 10 hours and at times crawled uptoto 12 hours. The usage in these hours included about 3 hours of music playback (through headset), 1 hour 30 minutes of talktime and less than 30 minutes of WiFi. All this got the battery drained out in just half a day.


So ultimately ->

Pros-> Carl Zeiss 5 MP lens, Autofocus with flash, 2GB microSD, A2DP
Bluetooth v2.0, WiFi, Light Weight, 3G.
Cons-> Plastic Body, Slow, Lots of Image Processing, Poor Battery Life,
Slightly Cramped Outer Keys.