Symbian^3 was shown up at the Mobile World Congress at Barcelona and here we are greeted with demo videos for Symbian^4 which surely leave us disappointed a lot.
It’s been hyped a lot, and especially after Windows Phone 7 Series, we expect a lot from the newer and upcoming operating systems. It did not live upto expectations. We were expecting a breakthrough in mobile OS with some unique innovation but guess what we got? Three home screens which are widget ready. They have kept the touch sensitiveness very high and this OS revolves all around it.
What is surprising is that after so much hype and time, we get this? We were expecting something better. Nokia, you’ve got to work real hard! The videos we’ve got are extremely short, like about 30 seconds but enough to give a glimpse of what’s going to be out there. This comes into production in early 2011.
Nokia is coming after Google Maps with the latest announcement of making Ovi Maps completely free to provide step by step and driving directions and they promise you, to expect No Additional Charges!
This is a strategic move that will be the game-changer for the industry
says D Shivakumar, Managing Director, Nokia India. This truly could be? I mean remember the time when they added camera’s to Nokia phones and they soon became the largest producers of camera’s in the world!
Nokia’s Ovi Maps has got a unique hybrid technology and essential features required for navigation. With this step, they make Navigation available to over 50 Million cellphones. Currently there are about 27 Million devices using navigation systems on their cellphones.
They would support Voice navigation for 76 countries in over 46 languages and maps for 180+ countries currently and expanding!
This would be a massive gear up against Google Maps as Nokia would have a advantage providing inbuilt systems for their navigation then Google maps as Nokia is selling more cellphones then Google.
Five key features that sets Ovi Maps apart:
1. No hidden costs
Everything is free! Only data charges apply!
2. Best global coverage
You take your mobile with you wherever you go in the world so, as standard, voice guided navigation for both pedestrians and drivers is available for 74 countries in 46 different languages and there are maps for over 180 countries. This gives you the best maps with the largest global coverage for free.
3.No network connection required when navigating Avoid expensive, battery-draining network connections with Nokia’s unique hybrid technology. Maps can be pre-loaded on to your Nokia smartphone so you can set Ovi Maps to offline mode, saving battery power, and the navigation system will still work. This is particularly useful for those worried about data connection costs when travelling abroad or when you are travelling through areas with little or no network coverage.
4. Unique hybrid technology
Ovi Maps is built on an advanced technology called hybrid vector maps. Vector maps are high quality but less data intensive and allow you to continue to navigate even if you lose your network connection. This means that maps downloaded or updated across a network connection are about half the size of bulky bitmaps used by other mobile map providers. The hybrid technology ensures that, unlike other providers, any downloaded map data is stored on the device for future use.
Currently 10 smartphones are supported which include Nokia N97 mini, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia E72. They will be adding more phones to the list. If your device is supported then you can get the maps here.
Press Release after break.
Nokia makes worldwide walk and drive navigation free on smartphones
ESPOO,FINLAND: Nokia today announced plans to make walk and drive navigation free on its smartphones as part of a new version of Ovi Maps, available for download at www.nokia.com/maps. Nokia’s mapping and navigation software has been specifically designed for mobile use and is based on unique hybrid technology. The new version of Ovi Maps will include all essential car and pedestrian navigation features, such as turn-by-turn voice guidance for 74 countries in 46 languages, and traffic information for over 10 countries, as well as detailed maps for over 180 countries.
“We want to make using your mobile for navigation as familiar as using it to send a text or take a picture. We believe that making the best maps with voice guided navigation available for free will be the catalyst to do this,” explained Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia. “Why have multiple devices that work in only one country or region? Put it all together, make it free, make it global and you have something that is truly useful and can help you get round almost any city in the world whether you’re on foot or driving.”
According to D Shivakumar, Managing Director, Nokia India, “This is a strategic move that will be the game-changer for the industry. We believe that offering the world’s best maps with full navigation features and premium content at no extra cost will be the catalyst that drives mass market and penetration of mobile maps in India.”
This move has the potential to nearly double the size of the current mobile navigation market. For Nokia, removing the costs associated with navigation for drivers and pedestrians allows the company to quickly activate a massive user base to which it can offer new location features, content and services. This is part of Nokia’s strategy to lead the market in mobile maps, navigation and location-based services. The move is also in line with Nokia’s vision that the next wave of growth will be centered on the location-aware, social internet — as the ‘where’ people are doing things becomes as important as the ‘what’ they are doing.
According to research firm Canalys, the number of people worldwide using GPS navigation on their mobile phones was approximately 27 million at the end of 2009. With this announcement Nokia potentially grows the size of this installed user base to about 50 million by enabling smartphone owners, with compatible devices and devices that will be made compatible shortly to activate free drive and walk navigation through a simple download of the new Ovi Maps. Nokia will further grow this base as it quickly adds more smartphones to the compatible devices list. Canalys also estimated in 2009 that the installed base of smartphones with integrated GPS was 163 million units worldwide, of which Nokia accounted for more than half (51%) having shipped cumulatively 83 million GPS devices.
“This is a game changing move. By leveraging our NAVTEQ acquisition, and our context sensitive service offering, we can now put a complete navigation system in the palm of your hand, wherever in the world you are, whenever you need it – and at no extra cost,” continued Anssi Vanjoki. “By adding cameras at no extra cost to our phones we quickly became the biggest camera manufacturer in the world. The aim of the new Ovi Maps is to enable us to do the same for navigation.”
Google has called all its press mates to gather at their California office on 5th January , 2010 for a press conference and discussion.
Put on your thinking hats. Obviously you might be thinking that this is surely related to Google’s Phone, Nexus One which is running on Android OS.
With the launch of the first Android-powered device just over a year ago, we’ve seen how a powerful, open platform can spur mobile product innovation. And this is just the beginning of what’s possible.
Please join us in Mountain View on January 5, for an Android press gathering.
See, it didn’t take a lot of time to join the dots. Google is doing it Apple style, ha? This could be the public announcement of Nexus One features and specs, which were already leaked out by Engadget.
Everything buzzing up. Rumours suggest that Apple is working on something. It maybe a larger, better iPhone with higher resolution or perhaps a Apple Tablet with 7″ Screen.
Let’s have a look over the possibilities,
iPhone 4G
Motorola’s Droid has a large screen along with Google’s Android 2.1. Lots of new features, especially the extra search features. Whoever said that, “Apple won’t ever add new features until it is forced by it’s competitors to do so” and so that goes true here.
iPhone OS 4.0
Reports also confirm that OS 4.0 for iPhone also has been found in the wild by App developers under their statistics as in the case Pinch Media’s app.
5 Megapixel story stands true here because Apple had placed a huge order (40-50 Million) for Megapixel CMOS Image Sensors from Omnivision, the current provider for iPhone 3GS’s 3.2 Megapixel sensors.
iPhone 4G?
News is out that this new generation iPhone would be only shown at the January event but it will be finally kept on sale sometime later.
iPhone 4G is going to get a high resolution screen and a larger screen and as i said earlier, this is much needed or Apple will go BooHoo against the other competitors. Apple is selling large number of iPhone 3GS which is around 10 Million but this may halt down with competitors coming up with kickass phones, Palm Pre, Motorola Droid, HTC’s Droid Eris and many more!
Apple Tablet
Apple Tablet?
This one may be near to reality than anything as BoyGeniusReport claims it that it has maximum chances to appear at the January Event.
This is supported by multiple rumours. First of all, Apple asking all it’s premium app developers to provide them with apps of higher resolution although this could also be the case of iPhone 4G.
While the rumors of a 10″ tablet was floating around, now it’s being said that its a 7″ tablet.
The tablet will be having a similar OS to that of iPhone and will be functioning exactly like it but with extended features along with better screen resolution obviously and few better apps, and maybe a front camera too which might bring Video conferencing finally to the device.
Finally
No one knows what maybe true. But i really want both of them to be true! Waiting…
Feeling sorry for Windows 6.5 which crushed all the expectations, similar to something what happened with Windows Vista. Now till windows comes up with something as good as Windows 7 for your mobile you would probably like switching to Android, Google’s open source OS which powers Motorola’s Droid
Here’s a how you can do it.
Format all that data on your HTC Windows Mobile so that, no problems later and you can expect better performance.
Download Android for HTC from here. A complete package with Android for HTC.
After downloading it’s time to download HaRET. You need to download this app because this app will allow Android to run in the Windows Mobile environment and reboot as Android. Note : The Phone won’t boot as Android on starting because it’s dependent on this app.
After Downloading all the files it’s time to spread them over your external storage, unzip all the files on your external storage or internal storage in case of HTC Diamond. Be sure to unzip all the files in the Root Directory.
Seems like your done with it. Ahem, i forgot that you should make sure that the Startup.txt is the one matching with your Cell Phone Model. The Default Package came with RAPH100 but you need to find out the exact code, just Google your model name to get it.
It’s time to enjoy stuff after hardwork! Start HaRET app from your Windows Mobile phone and wait for it to reboot as Android. There you go!
This hack only works with HTC’s Touch Pro and HTC Touch HD as well as HTC Diamond but you can try it out with other models and if it works your surely lucky enough! Thanks KongTechnology!
There were some cool ads thrown by Verizon on AT&T insulting it off, on it’s coverage limits, and especially the “There’s a Map For that” ads which made AT&T blow it’s temper so much to file a lawsuit against Verizon.
It wanted Verizon to remove those ads as they were misleading to customers and created a wrong impression of the network in public. There wars always go on, and it’s funny to see what different ways they come up to sue each other.
Here’s Verizon’s answer to AT&T’s lawsuit,
AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s “There’s A Map For That” advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts… AT&T now is attempting to silence Verizon’s ads that include maps graphically depicting the geographic reach of AT&T’s 3G network as compared to Verizon’s own 3G network because AT&T does not like the truthful picture painted by that comparison
So they say reality? I am damn sure, the court judge would be thinking his brains out to rule out the decision in favour of any one party!
Here’s a nice Smacky Commercial from Motorola for it’s upcoming phone, DROID. Well, the last ad which was spooking at iPhone – Yeah, it does it, was funny. Here’s another smart one which will be coming to Televisions soon.
Peter Schneider, head of Maemo Marketing, Nokia Corporation confirmed November as the launch date for Nokia N900. He said:
The Nokia N900 is a great example of what we and the open source community have been able to achieve with Maemo software. We are working closely with open source developers and for example, at the Maemo Summit in October, we loaned 300 pre-production units to get more feedback from the community. This feedback is extremely important to us and as such we also want to provide the best user experience with the Nokia N900. We expect it to start shipping during November 2009
Previously Nokia’s Internet Tablet was expected to arrive in the late part of October but that is all part of the history now.
Vodafone is the worst Cellphone service provider i have ever dealt with.
You might have heard about the Caller Tune Stuff? Yes, the one where the caller gets to listen the song when he calls the other person. Here’s what happened with me Today.
About 2 hours back i received a Text Message with the Following Contents,
As Per your Request Caller Tune has been activated on your Vodafone mobile phone. Rs. 30 will be deducted as monthly rental. To deactivate send CT to 144 (Toll Free)
What the hell? I never ever called them up or sent any message to put up any caller tune. When i was thinking about this i got another message which made to go haywire, really. Just read it.
“Pardesia Mr Natwarlal’ has been set as your Caller Tune for 90 Days for all Caller. To Search for more caller tunes sms song/movie name to 55655 (free)
Now let me rip it apart.
Never did i Ask for any of their kind services.
Instead of deducting Rs. 30 they deducted a hell lot of money, and now my Balance is around -35 bucks. So i don’t think cutting off Rs 74 was a good idea.
It says, canceling the Caller Tune is Toll free. First of all the song, Natwarlal watever is so sick. I wanted to cancel it off, which i can’t because my service is bared, and as far as i read it did mention somewhere it was Toll Free, Correct?
Not just 30 Days, but the caller tune has been set for 90 days so for 3 months, people will make fun of. Good.
When i call up Vodafone Customer Care, first off i get some Machine telling me “You Service is Bared…. bla bla..” After several attempts i am able to make it up to some guy, who asks me to call in the morning.
What Piece of shit is this exactly? I can’t Call anyone. When people call me they get to hear some 1995 song?
I need to say, Vodafone service just sucks. Well, this post is not just for me but for so many people who are facing the problem but can’t have a say. Not just 1 person, if we calculate even if they do such things to 1000 people they make good money out of it. This is just so sick.
And not this one problem. Drop calls are the biggest problems too. I wonder how much money they make by such things.
My Message to Vodafone -
If Your Listening, you probably know how much your service sucks. If it goes this way users will get fed up of your services soon. Your Service sucks.
Anyone else having such experiences? Share it in the comment to make your voice heard.
Note : I’ll Keep you guys updated on what’s happening with this matter.
