Diaries of a Nokia Fan Boy

I just had the pleasure of viewing the rather interesting commercial that Nokia came out with for their N900 device. To be honest, I am seriously considering the N900, however I’m not made of money so we’ll just have to see if I can afford it.

The ad places you in focus group inside what appears to be either a mental institution or more likely a research facility. Both somewhat creepy and unusual places for phone development. The filming has a bit of a Cloverfield or District 9 feel to it, and starts off a little slow, but picks up rather quickly. There are two test subjects and two officials of sorts, the test subjects spit out import specifications for the ultimate phone, when the second test subjects starts going insane.

The entire idea is that the phone is not just a phone but a tool for content creation, sharing, spreading. The ad looks really good and is actually rather interesting, so take a look.

-Nokia FanBoy

via: Engadget (read)

It seems that Michael Gartenberg has once again updated his Entelligence column, and this time he comments on competition and FanBoy-ism in the mobile space. He raises a number of good points, mostly talking that competition is not a negative thing, and doesn’t have to be about being the next gadget-killer, but instead should be driven by the desire to succeed and make something better. I agree with him on the statement that if a company, a brand, or a series ends up dying out its not because some company came out with the respective gadget-killer, but instead its because that particular gadget got old, fell behind competition, and simply died through natural evolution.

Consider the old Palm OS. Once arguably the best in its class, had to be majorly rebuilt in order to keep Palm afloat. It wasn’t because the iPhone came out and suddenly killed that OS, its simply because the industry moved on, and Palm had to keep up.

Michael also comments on the positive aspects of FanBoys, but also suggests that many FanBoys simply down-talk the other devices and take their own devices to be all-powerful. His recommendation is to instead focus on the positive aspects of the gadgets of which you are a fan. This part of the comment particularly struck home, however after thinking about it I believe I already do this. I’m sure I still need to improve on many aspects, but then everybody does.

I highly recommend the article, its a great read, provides some important insight and a bit of humor along the way.

-Nokia FanBoy

read original post

During my readings today I stumbled across Engadget’s review of PowerGenix NiZn batteries. From a glimpse at the numbers in the review it looked like the batteries the batteries were a much needed improvement in the space of mobile gadgetry:

• 1.6V nominal Voltage
• 30%-50% longer usage on a single charge
• Better able to produce high current

While the review doesn’t specify, I’m guessing that Engadget was comparing the PowerGenix NiZn AA cells (known) to Energizer’s ‘Ultimate Lithium’ AA cells (unknown), in a Speedlight SB-600 hot-shoe flash (known). Anyone having used hot-shoe flashes knows just how demanding they are of batteries, and how quickly they can chew through them, so the test is good.

What surprised me is that they did not post the mAh rating of those batteries. Indeed, even after poking around PowerGenix’ website I could only find a mWh rating of 2500 mWh for a AA cell. Of course, wanting to compare to some of the high capacity NiMH batteries that rating was useless so I found a conversion:

mWhrs = mAhrs * Votlage * hrs (originating from P = I * V)
moving some of the variables around we get:
mAhrs = mWhrs / Voltage (since hrs = 1)
so:
mAhrs = 2500 mWhrs / 1.6V
mAhrs = 1560 mAhrs

That means that these batteries have almost half the capacity of NiMH (high cap NiMH ~3000 mAhrs). Now at first I found this quite confusing since 1500 mAhrs would not be enough to charge the flash 300-400 times. And then I realised that I’m in fact basing my comparison on a worst-case scenario for the batteries. First of all, NiMH batteries are afraid of fast discharge scenarios, and a hot-shoe flash is definitely a fast discharge, second of all, the hot shoe flash works much better with the higher voltage batteries (NiZn 1.6V vs. NiMH 1.2V). In fact, that assumption is built into the review as well, and I believe a different review would be required for longevity in low-current, low-power devices, perhaps a wireless mouse or keyboard.

So my conclusion is actually similar to Engadget’s: if you’re using the batteries in a high-power, high-current device such as a hot-shoe flash, then these batteries are for you. The otherwise, however, is unknown. While I would expect the NiZn to lose out in a low-demand scenario, such as a wireless keyboard, I just don’t know how well those batteries keep their charge. Case in point: my keyboard lasts months on four AA Eneloop cells, and at those time frames its the self-discharge rate that comes into play, not necessarily the capacity.

I guess every battery has its purpose, and this is a rechargeable battery that has long been missing from the options list.

-Nokia FanBoy

read:
PowerGenix
Engadget Review

[caption id="attachment_862" align="alignright" width="164" caption="BlackBerry Curve 8520"][/caption]I was taking a stroll through the mall with some friends over the weekend and I happened across a Rogers booth with some dummies displayed. And me and my friend started talking about the build quality of the two phones.

Immediately after picking up the BB Curve 8520 I felt like I was holding a cheap plastic toy. Sure it was lighter than the E71, but the cheap plastic made me want to turn away from it right away. Then having picked up the Nokia I felt like I was holding a real phone: there was no hesitation as to how long the phone would last, no confusion on the price range of it, it just felt like a solid piece of equipment that could take abuse.

My friend, on the other hand, had another idea. She felt that the lighter phone would benefit her more due to the reduced weight, and complained about the E71 as being “too heavy”. Of course this is also the girl that is regretting having picked a “pink Telus phone” as it is falling apart on her and generally not working as she would like it to.

Of course I understand that I was only holding dummies, and not the real phone. I would be the first to commend BlackBerry on their construction and durability (after all, my 8100 Pearl is still going strong after 3 years of constant use), however I believe that today’s feature phones should be constructed out of metal for its durability, and general appeal. But that’s just my two cents.

-Nokia FanBoy

Ok, so these are my thoughts on the future of mobile computing, and the writing of the article was inspired by a specific device envisioned by Ericsson’s Life in 2020 (flash). The opinions I’m going to present here aren’t new; in fact, the original ideas are as much as 3-5 years old.

To begin with, let me touch on the device that inspired me to write on this: Ericsson’s Spider Computer. The device, if a little creepy looking, isn’t necessarily that ridiculous. Its basically a miniature computer (think: pocket PC), with alternate forms of Human Interface Devices. Instead of the standard bulky screen, the device uses a miniature projector to project images onto a wall or other flat surface; and the hardware (or on-screen) keyboard is replaced by a laser keyboard projected onto a desk or, again, other flat surface. Now the idea itself is great, however there are a couple limitations: you need two flat surfaces, at least one of which needs to be a uniform color, preferably white (I know, white isn’t a color, bite me). There is no privacy, in the sense that you can’t hide what you’re projecting from someone else, and in a dark room it will disturb others.

Projected Keyboard

Projected Keyboard

Spider Computer - Folded

Now, lets consider the technology behind this idea, and this is now my own ideas. There are basically a set number of aspects: hardware (processor, memory, hard drive, etc.), video output (projector), input (keyboard), power (battery, or other), connectivity (WiFi, 3G, etc.), miscellaneous.

Hardware:
The hardware is pretty simple. I mean look at your regular smartphone: 500+ MHz CPU, 128+ MB RAM, 8+ GB Hard drive (including memory card), plus other necessities like GPU, various chipsets. Now this phone is capable of rendering high quality images, the quality generally constrained by the display as opposed to the processing power. The phone is also capable of rendering websites, performing calculations, playing music/videos, etc. So the hardware already exists.

Video Output:
The video output is also out there – just look at all the pico projectors out there. Those are large, agreed, but that is because they include a battery, processor, etc. The projector itself is actually no bigger than the top part of your thumb (you know, the one after the knuckle). So the video output is out there.

My vision is that the video output will be handled either by holographic screen projected above the device, or will project directly into your eyes or onto a worn headset. Of course these particular technologies are still a little ways off.

Input:
The input is easy: just search for “Virtual Laser Keyboard”. And sure, it still costs a fortune, but that device is ages old (generations in computing terms). So clearly, this is covered

My vision is that this will end up using muscle readings, or input via directly manipulating the screen and voice control. Of course, these too, are a little ways off and aren’t quite ready.

Power:
This gets a little tricky. On the one hand, we have wireless power and this device could easily benefit from it. On the other, it would be nice to take the mobile computer with you wherever you go, and for that you will need either battery (far too large for the time being), or solar (not efficient enough yet). So the power aspect is a little lacking.

Connectivity:
This really falls under the hardware section, as its really just another chip, but this is out there too. Maybe the only part of this that’s a little difficult is the power consumption of current generation chipsets.

Miscellaneous:
Ok, this is the “nice-to-have’s”, the things we can live without but would be nice. For instance: audio output. I’m not going to write much in here, however you should understand that the device is never truly complete, and this section will be different for different people. So look at what you believe should fit in here and consider whether its realistic, and how far away the technology is from being available to the consumer, and how far away from being mainstream.

Putting it all together:

Well the sleek, spider-esque device that we see isn’t a reality at the moment, and at the moment we already see what we can have. I do believe, however, that the already built device could be reduced in size many times by simply designing the circuit boards and interconnections specifically for that device.

The only question that remains is the practicality of it all. I mean if its just for emergencies, we have our smartphones capable of doing the exact same thing.

And for prolonged use won’t make any sense since a physical keyboard will always be better than a virtual one. However the projector may be nice.

What would be nice to have, is a foldable display, which would unfold to 20″+, and have all the components built-in, while communicating with a Bluetooth keyboard such as the Nokia SU-8W.

Anyway, these are just my thoughts and opinions, maybe I’ll put it a little more concisely and create my own little page out of it.

-Nokia FanBoy

Ericsson Life in 2020
via: Engadget (read)

Ok, so these aren’t actually new phones, but Nokia seems to be releasing special editions of phones every now and again, and this one follows the same theme. These are basically Nokia 5530, 6303 Classic, and 6700 Classic, the only special part of them is a specially designed housing, along with some special bundled accessories, like a pink leather strap or a pink case. The phones do not seem to demand a premium for their lavish redecorating, and are already available for purchase in the UK on mobiles.co.uk. Really this isn’t anything special, but for the fashionistas out there these could make a nice accessory to an evening dress.

Now why is it that all the special editions seems to be geared towards women? I believe there should be more Samsung Giorgio Armani’s out there, and in a Nokia-smartphone flavor, not Samsung-dumbphone.

Nokia 6303 Classic

Nokia 6303 Classic

Nokia 6700 Illuvial

Nokia 6700 Illuvial

-Nokia FanBoy

Nokia 5530 Illuvial (specs)
Nokia 6303 Illuvial (specs)
Nokia 6700 Illuvial (specs)

via: Engadget Mobile (read)

[caption id="attachment_295" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Nokia"][/caption]So I was browsing the interwebs today and came up on a great article regarding the Nokia vs. Apple lawsuit, written by Engadget’s staff. The article looks at the validity of Nokia’s lawsuit, the potential consequences, as well as Apple’s next moves. I’m not going to summarize it here, but I will say the article was written with the expertise of a lawyer and paints a picture of Nokia that I am happy to stand behind.

Okay, that’s a lot to think about, but let’s just back up a second here and consider the big picture: this has nothing to do with Nokia’s handsets versus the iPhone in the marketplace, and everything to do with the fact that Nokia’s intellectual property is a critical part of making modern mobile phones work. The real questions are how much of that intellectual property is in the iPhone, and how much Apple’s willing to pay — and neither has a simple answer.

Make sure to read through the article as it outlines the lawsuit in great detail.

-Nokia FanBoy

via: Engadget (read)

Ok, so for those who do not know, Rogers has been running running an initiative called Rogers urVoice Panel. This is basically a website where Rogers puts up various surveys and registered users can fill them out, and leave their opinions. One of the initiatives on there has been the “Android Revolution” sequence of ads that have been running for all the Android phones. For answering the surveys users get entered into a chance to win a gift worth on average $50, however I would imagine that most that do it, do so because they want to have the input.

Well the latest, and rather very exciting panel, has been regarding roaming data plans. That is, if you go to the US (and US only so far) you can use your data without roaming charges. There were basically two ways they were looking at this: a dedicated data plan (presumably incompatible with the current data plans), or an add-on that takes care of the roaming charges so you keep your current plan. Now I have the 6GB data plan, and I’m getting a discount on that plan, so I think my choice is pretty clear: no way in hell am I giving up that plan. Now the idea is fantastic, I would totally go for paying an extra $5 or so per month and be able to use my data in the US, however if its going to be $15 extra per month, then I will be cheap and only add it when I need it.

What peaked my interest in this, however, is the close proximity of this particular Panel to Google’s announcement of Google Maps Navigation. If you recall, I noted that the solution wouldn’t work for me since I would have to have something else for the US so as not to incur data charges. Well this changes everything. Of course this makes me think that Rogers knew about this for a little while (or a long while), and this is their response: a way to increase your monthly fees while providing you with more service. I’m definitely happy that they did so, but I do wish that it wouldn’t take companies like Apple and Google to force Rogers to bring in cheap data plans, and realistic roaming rates.

But I guess at the end of the day I am just a consumer, so I will stay happy with whatever services I can get. I’m already getting an amazing deal from Rogers as it is, so I won’t complain too much.

-Nokia FanBoy

via: the strangeness of my mind

Well here’s some game changing news – Google is releasing a free, turn-by-turn, voice guided navigation client.

I’m sure we’ve all used Google Maps on our respective devices, and I’m sure we’ve used them with a purpose they were not intended for: navigation. A number of people have been complaining to me that Google needs to pick up the pace and release a navigation client a-la TomTom or Garmin. Well it appears they finally have.

Google Maps Navigation is coming out with Android 2.0, however knowing the online hacking community I’m sure earlier versions of Android will have it too. The new features introduced in the new software are pretty cool:

• Google search (obviously)
• Turn-by-turn directions
• Voice guidance, including street names
• Aerial map and satellite view
• 3D aerial satellite view
• Street-view of your next turn or destination
• Constantly updated maps (Vancouver was updated with Street-view during the summer)
• Taking into account of traffic conditions (sadly I believe Vancouver is out of luck on this one)
• Route caching in case you lose signal (but if you deviate off route, then you’re again out of luck)

Besides these, Android 2.0 will support device-wide voice commands, so finding a good coffee could be as easy as saying “navigate to a coffee shop near me”.

All of this is nice, and the features will certainly be game changers for many people (I know I’m going to be trying this out), however I’m a little worried about re-routing. For instance, I don’t like using Garmin because the re-routing takes so long that once its done I’ve missed the turn already, while TomTom and some others seem to be good in that sense.

There are also some down sides. For instance, if you do not have a data plan on your phone, then you’re out of luck since downloading and storing maps on the phone is out of the question. Sadly, this means that for me this can’t be the only guidance system either as I like to travel to the states and do not wish to pay the high data charges.

Most interestingly is the effect this is going to have on the GPS industry. With TomTom and Garmin stocks down already, this will be an interesting year or two.

Make sure to check out the video in the read link.

Update
Video of the interface in use, and official website:

-Nokia FanBoy

official website
via: Engadget (read)

Ok, so I may be a little late reporting on this, is a couple days old already, but I wanted to take a special look at it. I mean this is kind of a first of its kind in public production; that is, if 3,000 units can be considered public. So in short, its a fuel-cell based electronics charger. It has a built-in lithium battery with enough juice to charge two devices, and from what I can tell uses a 14mL fuel capacity which is used to charge that built-in battery. It uses concentrated methanol as fuel (so forget taking more than a single charge supply on board a plane). The Dynario will go on sale tomorrow in Japan for $352 CAD (29,800 Yen), with cartridges available in sets of 5×50mL for $37 CAD (3,150 Yen), or a little over $4 per charge of the internal battery.

So then how is it different from whats currently out there from a consumer point of view? Well the device doesn’t require a wall outlet in order to recharge that internal battery. Meaning if you forget to charge it before going out just fill the fuel tank in 20 seconds and go on your way. You can also take more fuel on a long trip if you know wall outlets are going to be scarce, such as for camping. Of course if you ask me, camping is to get away from the city life, and that includes electronics. But fine, there is the convenience aspect of it. But then the down side: its larger and more expensive than the alternatives. Taking a couple extra batteries provides the same effect, costs about $10-$20 on eBay, and is a fraction of the weight and size. You can also purchase one of those portable battery rechargers for $50-$70, which will provide anywhere from 2 to 6 charge cycles, and will still weigh less and come in a more compact package. But more importantly, you can take both the extra batteries or the portable charger on a plane with you. Although to be fair, the Toshiba Dynario does seem to have a “cool” factor associated with it, even if only in the geek circles.

So in conclusion, I think this is a neat idea, I’m sure it will have a small niche market, but don’t expect to see me with one.

Dynario and Fuel

Dynario Charging a Device

-Nokia FanBoy

press release
via: Engadget Mobile (read)