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One features that many modern desktops and laptops have, is the ability to do a bit-for-bit factory restore. Basically restoring the machine to the very exact same state it was when it came out of the box with all it’s pre-loaded applications, settings and other customizations through either an included DVD or separate partition on the hard drive. So how does this apply to the mobile space? Let me tell you.

As it currently stands, I’m not aware of any consumer friendly way to restore Nokia’s current Symbian^3 devices to the exact out-of-the box state, without causing any negative effects. The N900 is one exception to this rule, with a procedure that restores it to the exact factory defaults, but this method is exclusively for the N900, which you can find here, but it’s far from the ideal one-click option that I would consider “consumer friendly.” Any mobile enthusiast would agree that a complete factory default is critical feature for these devices: I know many mobile users that like to restore their devices from time to time, clearing out “junk” and bringing back that smooth operation you had when you first got your device. Or maybe you’re selling your device or giving it to family member or friend, having the ability to do restore your device will not only give them that fresh out-of-the box software, but it will remove all private data and those other customizations that isn’t really relevant for them.

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As a Nokia N8  owner, I can definitely say that one of the added bonuses is the ability to charge via either the microUSB or the Nokia 2mm Charging connector. When comparing the N8 to the newer E7 I noted that the latter lacked this feature, perhaps indicating that Nokia was now  committed to using microUSB exclusively on their newer devices. After using the N8 as my main device, I’m convinced that they should keep both charging standards, especially in their high-end smartphones and these are here’s the reason why.

One charger for both device and accessories

One major difference between Nokia and other manufacturers is that they take accessories very seriously. Just look at the original Nokia accessories being offered for the N8 or E7 and compare this to the original accessories being offered for other devices by their manufacturers  and you’ll quickly  see one major difference: Nokia offers a lot when it comes to accessorizing your device.  Another difference, but one that’s not so obvious, is that most of these Nokia accessories don’t use microUSB, but instead Nokia’s own tried and true 2mm Charging connector. My Nokia BH-905, the BH-214 and even the BH-505 use the 2.0mm charger and not microUSB, probably due to size and space constraints. But the result of all of this is that you’ll probably end up with a microUSB charger for your device and a Nokia 2mm charger for your accessories. Why not have just one charger? With the N8 I can just keep this one charger for both my accessories and my device. Nokia E7 users, sadly, can’t say the same.

2 connectors, more chances of finding the right charger

Despite writing for The Nokia Guide and being a tech enthusiast, I don’t always have some fancy external battery or charger with me. Many times it comes down to ending up with an empty battery and having to borrow a charger from a friend or colleague. Some have USB chargers, while other have Nokia devices with the 2mm charger connector. Point is that having both connectors, increases my chances of being able to find something that will charge my device, enough to make or receive that very important call.

Also consider this, Nokia sold billions of devices and as a result there are millions or billions of these 2mm chargers around. You’ll be surprised at how many places people just happen to have these charger laying around, perfect if you need a quick charge.

I scratched my device with the microUSB!

If you look at the microUSB connector, you’ll notice that it’s quite sharp. I once scratched my N97’s screen when trying to insert the USB connector, my hand slipped and as a result I ended up with one deep giant scratch. I’ve hear similar stories where people with deep scratches on their device, all because microUSB connector. Even now when I’m connecting the USB cable to the N8 I’m very careful not to accidentally scratch the metal body of my trust N8. The same cannot be said about the 2mm connector, which has a rounded edge, making scratching your device almost impossible. It’s also a lot simple simpler: insert and your done. With microUSB I have to look at the connector to see which is the flat side all while being careful not to scratch the N8.

I’m sure many prefer microUSB, but as always having choices is ideal. I’m just happy that the 2mm charger is still around on my N8 and hope that Nokia continues this dual charging method.

Images courtesy: NokiaN8

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Have tried updating your N8 yet? Nokia just pushed a new FOTA update in the form of the “Quick Search Update,” a 1.2Mb file that promises to:

1.Search history suggestion for the Search Widget

2.Faster access to search engine, also another feature for the Search Widget.

3.Updates to better organize conversations

4.Update to make easier send photo’s with your phone.

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One of the preinstalled apps I’ve been excited to test is Nokia’s own Social Networks. After finally deciding to buy my very own N8, I wanted to give this a try. I’ve been hearing good things about in the sense that it works quite nicely with plenty of features and not just the basic. Until now I’ve been only using Gravity, but what I like about Nokia Social is that stays true to Facebook and Twitter’s look and feel, well at least if you can get it to work.

My issue with Nokia Social is that I can’t even get it to work and apparently its due to the fact that it checks for specific carrier, otherwise it simply won’t work! When I tried to setup the application with my Facebook and Twitter accounts it tells me to login with my OVI account, which I did and then I get a blank screen, with no way of setting up my social networks. My only option here is to cancel and exit the application.

After asking around it seems this application behaves this way when you don’t have a SIM inserted and when it detects a SIM from a mobile carrier which isn’t known or that hasn’t signed a deal with Nokia’s Messaging services. A quick call to Nokia also revealed that this service is “Carrier dependent.”

I was amazed. An unlocked phone, with specific features tied to specific networks? I quickly inserted a Truphone SIM card and voila, Nokia Social immediately started working, which basically confirms all of this. So now I was stuck with Social with now way of suing unless I moved or maybe switched to another carrier. Can you imagine if they did the same with the Nokia browser: not working because I was using an unknown or not supported carrier. Isn’t it just bits and bytes and it should simply just work? I bought an unlocked device and as a result I expect this to work with any carrier, using  any data plan.

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The  guys at Nokia Care have created a  PR1.1 Software Update release schedule for the Nokia N8. The same schedule for other  Symbian ^3 devices will be released soon. The list will be updated regularly with release timings for different countries and variants. So, if you still haven’t received the update, please check the follow lists:

-Nokia N8

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A headset that has a reasonable price, is splash resistant, wireless and even sounds as good  as other headphones in the $250 to $300 range? And did I mention that it even supports the futuristic NFC feature? Sounds too good to be true? Surprisingly such a product does exist and it’s called the Nokia BH-505. The BH-505 is one of those hidden understated gems, that doesn’t get much attention when in fact it should. Let’s take a closer look at the 505s and see what makes them so great.

The BH-505

The BH-505 is a futuristic looking beast, looking like something you’d expect a jogger to wear if you were to head ten years in the future and step straight out of a time machine. That’s nothing new for Nokia Nokia accessories as they generally tend to look very green, organic and futuristic. This is especially true for the BH-505, that seems to push the bar just a tad higher. This effect is further enhanced by the curvy shape, the choice of very neutral colors and lastly the fact that it is incredibly light yet extremely tough and flexible. In fact, when you first pickup the 505s it doesn’t even seem electronic in nature, let alone something that produces sound.

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PR 1.1 is now available for the N8, either via OVI Suite or as an OTA update.  The update now includes (Thanks to Allaboutsymbian):

• Web updated to 7.2.8.10
• Quickoffice updated to 6.4.166, editing functions now enabled on the N8 (i.e. don’t have to pay to upgrade), improved zooming functions
• Adobe Reader updated to 2.5.653
• Big update to Nokia Email; performance improved; ‘unread emails’ flag added to homescreen widget; meeting requests can be accepted directly from email invitations; maps integration, which means people can view the meeting location on the map when the address is mentioned in the location field in the invite
• General performance improvements
• Dialler now works in landscape mode
• Previous performance updates are rolled in and, in the full (Ovi Suite-installed, >100MB) image, there’s the facility to provide a better working starting point than hard resetting a PR 1.0 device

The most interesting part of the update is the inclusion of full office editing for the N8. This marks the first Nseries device that gets free office editing, something previously only reserved for the Eseries. It’s even more interesting when you consider the fact that the N8 is more multimedia/camera centric. Adding free office editing now further blurs the line between N- and Eseries.

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While looking for a good IM client for the N8, it quickly became clear that there wasn’t one, at least not the official ones. While there are options like Nimbuzz, Fring or even Palringo, I still prefer the official apps like the one created for 5th edition by Microsoft or even the official Nokia created apps. So I continued my search at the usual places:

1.There’s a Nokia Messaging for IM on Nokia Beta Labs for the N97 and N97 mini, but that doesn’t seem to work on the N8.

2. IM for Nokia is a great official Nokia IM app I used before on the E72. No updated version for Symbian^3.

After doing a bit of a research, I found an interesting answer to my question: The N8 already had IM built-in, but for some reason it hasn’t been enabled…yet. As you can see on the video above, it was enabled and working on pre-release firmware. (At 0:45min)

This seems to be supported by a number of sources. Rafe at Allaboutsymbian for example says that: “In early previews of the N8, Nokia Messaging for IM was present on the device. However, this has been left out of the launch firmware. It’s not clear why, but it seems likely it will be made available via Ovi Store or included in a future firmware update.”

Some users tried installing a newer version of IM on the N8 and were informed that: "Cannot install component. It is already installed." Even Nokia’s http://messaging.nokia.com site (which now directs you to another URL) says that “Your Nokia Phone has IM built in”

So as it stands, the N8 does have built-in IM for all the major clients, but it simply hasn’t been enabled and all of Nokia’s previous add-on solutions do not work with the N8 or any other Symbian^3 device for that matter. When done, this feature could easily be enabled on future firmware releases for the N8.

While this isn’t  high priority as this functionality can easily be added through third party applications, I certainly hope that Nokia enables this feature soon. This is especially true for users who prefer the official Nokia applications. The fact that it even has a widget with added functionality is another reason why they should quickly make this available. Judging by the pretty much finished product in the video above, it probably won’t take long.

What IM client do you use on the N8?

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You know the drill: getting a new phone usually means getting a matching case and perhaps even a screen protector. The reasons vary, but many times it’s to protect your device, you just want it to look good or perhaps even for resale value when you do decide to sell it. Problem is that I always felt that I had to, but I didn’t want to.

Sure, a screen protector helped in preventing scratches, but makes using the touch screen an  uncomfortable task. It’s simply not as smooth, especially true for multi-touch devices, like the N8. Responsiveness aside,the screen simply doesn’t look as good as without the screen protector on, no matter how much they tell you that there using some amazing “clear screen” technology. For these reasons I always felt like my beautiful screen was stuck behind this piece of plastic that I must use, otherwise I would have to live with scratches or anything daily use throws at my screen.

The same can be said about using a case. It adds bulk and you constantly have to get your device in and out of some of these cases. By the time you’ve managed to get the device out, you’ve probably missed the shot or the phone call. While there are some models that allow you to use the phone with the case on, you still have the added bulk that takes away from the design. Or even worse,  you’re stuck with some hanging flap, like with the N900 and it’s CP-408 case.

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Nokia has been really pushing updates lately: for their core apps, software updates, porting or creating software necessary for Symbian^3 (Like Nokia Internet Radio) and even a steady stream of cool beta apps. Now they really seem to be getting creative and I like this direction they are going.

Nokia Bubbles is a product of Nokia’s Beta Labs that completely replaces the black standby screen with clock and unlock button, instead giving you more useful alternative. They are using the concept of bubbles to not only unlock the device, but also go straight to a specific task. Basically merging unlocking and shortcuts in one neat. 

Nokia could very well be a sign of how Nokia wants to change the UI. We know a new browser, including some major updates are coming and now we have the first building blocks of a possible new standby screen. Things are really starting to move in the Symbian camp. Let’s just hope Nokia keeps the momentum going. Nokia Bubbles can be downloaded here.