Introduction

As somebody that’s passionate about music, I prefer a very specific combo: in-ear type earphones with a portable amp. The reason is simple, if audio is your number one priority, this combo easily outperforms any other setup. An added bonus is the fact that in-ear earphones basically act like earplugs, passively providing lots of sound isolation.

As always, there’s a catch: this setup isn’t that very portable or convenient: In-ear earphones, usually called In-ear-monitors or IEM require a tight seal in order to perform, requiring the need to be placed uncomfortably deep inside the ear-canal. For this reason they also require constant cleaning and it’s also the reason why IEM are not something you could share with others.

Another difficulty comes from the fact that you need to put them in correctly, requiring specific techniques like slightly opening the jaw or moisturizing the sleeves. Many first-time IEM buyers usually don’t know about these techniques and end up with a subpar listening experience. They are extremely effective at blocking out all sounds, meaning that throughout the day you’ll find yourself constantly taking them out just to have a normal conversation.  Lastly, there’s also the issue with wires and lugging around an amp isn’t my idea of fun.  I needed something more practical which brought me to the Nokia BH-905 and the updated BH-905i. Armed with almost $500 worth of 905 goodness I set to answer the question: IEM (Shure SE535 and SE425), 905 or 905i?

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Nokia has several Bluetooth headsets like the BH-609 and 607 with a “My own key” function, basically a dedicated key that can be customized. The cool thing about this is that the customization can be done on the phone and that it wirelessly  reprograms the headset via Bluetooth. Earlier devices required a small program called  the Nokia Accessory Setup Application, but newer Symbian^3 devices have this function built-in.

I wasn’t even aware of this until I connected the BH-609 to my N8, because strangely the manual informed me to download the Nokia Accessory Setup Application, but the OVI Store quickly showed that this program was incompatible with the N8. After pairing the BH-609 a menu popped up with many options to customize the headset on the phone itself! But after accidentally closing this menu I was left clueless as to where it could be found.

It turns out you have to go to: Settings>Phone> Nokia Accessory. This menu doesn’t appear until your headset is paired and connected to your Symbian^3 device. Once there it can give you info on your headset like the battery life, hardwar version, software version and model number. Most importantly you can change many functions like the initial volume, indicator lights and the My Own Key button. Afterwards it just a matter of “sending” the settings to the headset without connecting a single function. I do wish the My Own Key had more cusitmization options, like for example giving it the option Play/Pause music as it’s currently limited to just just a few options. It would be interesting to see if somehow the firmware of the headset can be upgraded using this method.

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The current trend of thin, large screen slate-type smartphones might offer more power and lots of screen real-estate, but due to the the lack of a stand they sure make it more difficult for you to just glance at the screen and get the information you want. As screens get larger and widgets more advanced, it’s seems like every new generation of devices seems to be able to show more info at once, on a single screen. Yet at the same it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find a device that can stand upright or sideways on its own and actually allow you to see what’s on the screen, without having to pick it up, sort of like a night clock.

Earlier devices like N96, N86 8MP made it easy due to the inclusion of a kickstand, while smartphones with a flip-out keyboard (E7, N97) also have an angled screen that make this possible. The same can’t be said about the N8, for example. It’s even worse with those 4.3” monstrosities that can’t stand upright, at least not at an angle, requiring you to constantly pick it up. Holding a phone upright, even for a 15 minute video can get tiresome. I’ve had my share of trying to balance my N8 in front of a heavy device, only to find the angle not quite right or the device falling flat.

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Recently I reviewed the Nokia Silicone Cover CC-1005 and while it looks extremely good it does take away from the design of the N8 in the sense that it  covers the entire device with the silicone material, hiding the beautiful design and metal body. The idea behind the CC-3000 is that offers some protection, while still allowing you to show of the N8’s striking exterior. Is this better than the CC-1005? Which of the two should you get? Let’s find out.

The CC-3000 is a hard cover case made out of a soft touch plastic. Nokia is offering it in Pink, Blue, White and Black, but strangely leaving out the original Grey, Orange and Green. The chosen colors for the CC-3000 are indeed attractive and colorful, but it’s a mystery as to why there not offering a matching case for all the original colors. I can’t think of a single reason why they weren’t able to manufacturer the case in these colors. Nokia’s design department should have known that someone with a Green N8 is likely to look for a matching Green case. They could always do some mixing and matching by going for other colors, but without any doubt some will be disappointed by the lack of a corresponding case. Not offering these colors is a missed opportunity.

Update: Nokia has now created the CC-3013, CC-3001 and CC-3002 which are available in Grey, Orange and Green, however these cases are either two-toned or have a glossy material. In my opinion, Nokia should still update the CC-3000 and include these missing colors, especially for the single color and soft-touch material.

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Nokia N8 cover

As a camera-centric device, the N8 almost begs for an “always-on” case that doesn’t require you to constantly take it out and put it back in, matching the N8’s “ready to shoot” philosophy. Could Nokia’s own Silicone Cover CC-1005 be that case?

The CC-1005, as the name suggests, is a silicone case made specifically for the N8 and is Nokia’s first foray into the silicone case business, which traditionally has only been about cases made out of leather or cloth. The 1005 is available in 4 colors, (almost) matching the 4 colors available for the N8: Blue, Black, Green and a Pinkish Red. I say “almost,” because even though Nokia is offering the Pink CC-1005 color, there is no matching Pink N8. As you know by now the N8 is offered in Orange, so it’s a mystery to me as to why Nokia wasn’t able to create a matching case. If you’re the owner of the Orange N8, you’re pretty much out of luck here, unless you decide to settle for the Pinkish Red color or choose one of the other three colors.

Compared to cheaper silicone cases you find on Ebay, the 1005 offers a case that’s not too thick or too thin, yet it still able to keep it’s shape without deforming from the simple act of taking it off. Unlike the those really thick silicone cases, that add way to much material, the 1005 seems to have gotten it just right with just the right amount of padding without looking too chunky. On the other hand there are those cases that are way too thin that wiggle and shift just from holding the device, this is not the case with the CC-1005.

Worth noting however, is the fact that this shade of Blue is quite a bit different than the Blue on the N8 itself, going for a darker  Blue instead of the N8’s more neutral light Blue. In the image above you can’t quite see  the true shade of Blue of the case, but what you can see is that the two colors don’t quite match fully. For most this should be fine and overall it does look  good on the N8, but those looking for the colors to match exactly should look elsewhere. The case is also very easy to put on or take of and doesn’t add any measureable weight to the N8. What it does add however is much needed grip as the N8 is a very slippery device.

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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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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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As the first unboxing of the E7 starts to hit the web, we can now get a better idea as to what’s included in the box. There’s been some discussion on what will be included, specifically whether  the Nokia Adapter Cable for USB OTG CA-157 and the Nokia Adapter for HDMI CA-156 will come in the box. The E7’s product officially doesn’t mention these two accessories, but the video above clearly shows these two accessories.

Maybe Nokia decided at the very last minute to include these or  this could just be a case of specific packages for specific regions. If you’re thinking of getting the E7, it might be wise to check what’s included in the package before clicking on that buy button, but the video above gives us some hope that maybe you won’t have to buy these accessories after all.

We’ve talked about Powermat, the wireless charging system before and even recommended it as one of the ultimate accessories for the N8. Here’s some more good news if you have an N8: a charging case for the Nokia N8, targeted for early Q2.  These Powermat cases usually are a hard case that has a built-in receiver on the back. This way you can simply put the N8 on the mat and it immediately start charging. It will also sense when the battery is full and instantly stop charging, a very elegant solution and definitely one I’d be interested in for my N8.

Judging by the image above it will probably be a black-only case at $39.99. Powermat this promise Powercube batteries that could replace the batteries for other Nokia devices like the 5800 XpressMusic, but it’s slow starting to look like they abandoned that idea for these cases.

Find out what else the Nokia N8 can do for you, by visiting the Dial-a-phone website.

Source: Engadget

We showed you what we consider to be the ultimate accessories for the N900 in part 1 and 2. Now it’s the N8’s turn, just in time for the holidays.

Case

Nokia Carrying Case CP-500

Here at The Nokia Guide we usually tend to prefer Nokia cases and it just happens that the N8 is probably the devices for which Nokia made the most amount of cases for. That’s 13 different types of products or 34 unique products in the Cases & Styling category! So there’s plenty to choose from here. But for the Ultimate Accessories for the N8, we will have to go with the CP-500. It’s available in a regular leather or snake leather print. The N8 rests in a plastic shell where all side ports and buttons are accessible, there’s even an opening for the camera. This does mean that camera module and lens are exposed.

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