Nokia E61i Review: Part 2 the Hardware Saga Continues with the Keyboard

In the first part of the E61i review I talked about how the handset looks and what it has to offer. Here I’m going to bring some of its hardware components into light.

 

Hardware quirks and what Nokia should learn

Nokia currently ships the light “Travel Charger AC-5″ with many handsets, particularly with many Nseries smartphones. However, the E61i comes with the big “Travel Charger AC-4″, and I can’t tell why. The AC-4 is twice bigger than the AC-5, and for a 150-g handset this is a clear downside. The same is true regarding the E61i’s USB cable and included headset. They’re not bigger than their Nseries counterparts; however, they follow Nokia’s old proprietary connection interface, meaning both of them use the same socket and that Nokia hasn’t designed a macro/micro USB port for the E61i. By the same token, take into account the fact that the E61i has just one rather mediocre speaker, depriving its owners of stereo audio playback.

Remember one of the questions I asked in the first part of this review? “Are Eseries handsets capable of replacing Nseries smartphones for conventional/non-business-oriented users?” As far as the E61i and its hardware specs are concerned, the answer to this question is a resounding “no”. Nokia tries to target business-oriented handset users with its Eseries smartphones, but in so doing it misses two important points:

• Businesspeople and executives aren’t robots – they need to be entertained with their beloved handsets, too. Apart from the expensive E90, no other Eseries handsets are so-called media-centric devices. A proprietary/cheap headset and a single speaker make a nice handset like the E61i rather uninteresting. Worst of all, the E61i doesn’t support the A2DP profile, and this is enough to force you to keep your stereo Bluetooth headset home.
• Unlike what Nokia strategists might think, many non-business-oriented people are truly interested in Eseries devices. I for one would have purchased a device like Nokia E61i if it only had two speakers and a2DP support. The 2MP camera is good for the E61i, though.

My point is that such a nice handset with a fabulous QWERTY keyboard shouldn’t have been designed with such average hardware specs, and that Nokia should lend more Nseries media-related features to upcoming Eseries devices. At any rate, let’s focus on the keyboard a bit.

When typing becomes a breeze

The E61i has four rows of keys: IMG: Nokia E61i keyboard. The first row from the top contains the following keys:

• Q, W, E, R, T, Y

They also serve the second purpose of typing punctuation marks and some numbers when combined with a key called “Function”. The Function key is located on the leftmost side of the fourth row from the top. For instance, if you press Function once followed by “W”, you’ll type an “at sign” (@). If you press Function twice, all subsequent keys which have associated numbers and punctuation marks type a mark or a number unless you press the Function key twice more. This combo gives you the following punctuation marks and numbers for the first row of keys:

• !, @, €, 1, 2, 3, *, +, =, ?

Similarly, the second row from the top contains the following keys:

• a/”, &/s, d//, f/4, g/5, h/6, j/#, k/(, l/), CLEAR

Here I’ve made use of “Slash” (/) to indicate that the Function key can be used to type a punctuation mark or a number when pressed in combination with one of these keys. Also, “g/5″ has a raised dot to help with easier tactile identification, and the last key in this row is the familiar “clear” key — known as the “C” key. The third row contains the following keys:

• Z, x, c, v/7, b/8, n/9, m/0, ó/-, Ä/’, ENTER

How can we type capital letters, you might ask. The fourth and final row contains two keys called “Edit” which act as the SHIFT key. When pressed once before a letter, it gets typed in uppercase, and when pressed twice, all subsequent characters are typed in uppercase till SHIFT is pressed twice to return the typing status to lowercase. This last row also has a key called “Chr”. When pressed, it brings up the familiar list of symbols. The keys found in this row are:

• Function, SHIFT, ,/;, ./:, SPACE BAR, ARING, Control, SHIFT, CHR

To type “semicolon” ( rather than “comma” (,) you should press SHIFT (not Function) before “comma” (,), and this is also true about “dot” and “colon”. Note that the SPACE bar is a bit bigger than its adjacent keys. One final note: to lock or unlock the keyboard press the left selection key (Key 1) followed by the Function key.

Useful hot keys

The advantage of a QWERTY keyboard is that you can perform important actions without resorting to menus. These are:

• Activate/deactivate Bluetooth: Function+Control,
• Activate Infrared: Function+Chr,
• Select text, SHIFT+Up, Down, Left or Right,
• Copy text, Control+C,
• Cut text: Control+X,
• Undo the last editing action: Control+Z,
• Paste text: Control+V.

Admittedly, switching from a keypad to a QWERTY keyboard isn’t as easy as one might think in the beginning because the keys are considerably smaller than their counterparts on a PC keyboard, and this requires some getting-used-to; nevertheless, the more you use it the faster you become accustomed to it.

Few notes for screen reader users

If you use TALKS on the E61i, note that the TALKS key is the “Chr” key, so you should press “Chr” twice to bring up the list of symbols upon composing a message. Also, if you press the dedicated hot key to enable or disable Bluetooth or infrared, you’ll hear nothing; whereas if you press the copy/cut/undo hot keys, TALKS will announce a proper message. If you press Control+V to paste text, TALKS will speak the last pasted phrase.

Stay tuned for more E61i review articles …

Nokia E61i Review: Part 1 Welcome to the Eseries World

(Note: Click on URLs starting with the “IMG:” prefix to view their relevant images. The N82 has been used to take all pictures.)

 

Switching from an Nseries handset to an Eseries smartphone is like migrating to a foreign country. These two product lines are so dissimilar that you might think two different companies are behind their production if you’re not familiar with Nokia. I’ve been a huge fan of Nseries handsets for a long time, and am positive nothing can change this deep-seated interest. However, when I received an E61i from WOM World few days ago, I came to the conclusion that an ideal handset might not necessarily belong to the Nseries family. In this article and the ones which follow I’m going to bring the E61i into the limelight and answer the below questions.

1. Are Eseries handsets capable of replacing Nseries smartphones for conventional/non-business-oriented users?
2. What should Nseries handsets learn from Eseries smartphones?
3. What should Eseries smartphones learn from Nseries handsets?
4. What should be done to bring Eseries smartphones on a par with Nseries handsets in terms of worldwide recognition and acceptance?

 

What is Nokia E61i?

At first sight/touch, Nokia E61i reminded me of a solidly-built calculator. In fact, when my friends saw it one of them who isn’t familiar with the smartphone world said: “Does Nokia also manufacture calculators?” The E61i is a handset with a solid and metallic body, a full QWERTY keyboard with backlighting, and a 2 megapixel camera: IMG: Nokia E61i. The handset has a “messenger” or, to use a familiar analogy, a so-called “candy bar” form factor and the very first thing you notice upon picking it up is its spacious but quasi-PDA keyboard. It weighs 150 grams.

To produce a better picture, the E61i is slightly taller, quite thinner and noticeably wider than the N82. The extra width is due to the fact that the E61i accommodates a full QWERTY keyboard. In passing, I should add that I like the non-sliding design of the E61i because, personally speaking, I’ve not yet been able to come to terms with slider phones. Anyway, I should admire Nokia for producing a handset which doesn’t generate any creaks. Its body construction also surpasses all Nseries handsets very easily. I’m now wondering why the N82 doesn’t have a metallic body. Is it due to the fact that it belongs to the Nseries family? If so, I don’t call it a sound justification. The N95 more or less resembles the E61i in terms of body construction; however, all members of the N95 family are rather wobbly, even without taking into account their sliding form factor.

Important specs

The following spec list best describes Nokia E61i.

Operating frequency:

• Quad-band GSM/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900) with WCDMA 3GPP Release 99.

Size:

• Volume: 97 cc.
• Weight: 150 g.
• Dimensions: 117 x 70 x 13.9 (/11.5) mm.

Display:

• 2.8 QVGA landscape active-matrix color display supporting up to 16 million colors (320 x 240 pixels) with an active area of 56.9 x 42.7 mm.
• Display contrast and brightness control

User interface:

• S60 3rd Edition.
• QWERTY keyboard with backlight.
• Email key and LED indicator for new email.
• One Touch keys, Navi™ key, Power key, MyOwn key, and phonebook key.
• Volume keys and Voice key.

Imaging:

• 2 megapixel camera.
• Video recording.

Memory:

• 60 MB of internal user memory.
• Hot swappable microSD Memory Card support up to 2 GB.

Connectivity:

• WCDMA PS (packet switched data) with maximum upload and download rate of 384 kbps.
• GPRS/EGPRS (Class B, MSC 32).
• GSM CSD (circuit-switched data) up to 14.4 kbps.
• HSCSD (high-speed circuit-switched data) up to 43.2 kbps.
• Dual transfer mode MSC11, SAIC.
• Integrated WLAN.
• Integrated infrared module (up to 115 kbps).
• USB 2.0 full speed supported through Pop-PortTM interface.
• Bluetooth 1.2 specification.

Battery:

• BP-4L, 1500 mAh.

Locating the components

The small led in the upper left corner of the front side of the E61i is an ambient light detector used to control the backlighting and the display brightness. Therefore it serves as a useful power optimization tool. It also acts as a light-notifier for certain events, and the way it functions is customizable. The call speaker is located to the right of the light sensor, and the easily-detectable Power button is in the upper right side of the front panel. The huge 2.8 QVGA active-matrix color display is right above the D-pad: IMG: Nokia E61i display. The display does a great job of operating under the sunshine. Unlike what you can find on the N82, the E61i display doesn’t come with a robust surface protector; however, the display isn’t flush with the surface of the handset, and this offers a degree of protection. As the E61i has a generous 2.8-inch display, it can comfortably show 7 icons on the active standby screen along with other indicators.

The D-pad can be located right below the display: IMG: Nokia E61i D-pad and keyboard. The E61i’s D-pad is the best of its kind – never compare it with those of the N82 or the N95! The D-pad and the Select key respond well to pressure without shaking. Since we’re dealing with an advanced Eseries handset, we should expect to find more buttons around the D-pad. The Menu key, the Phonebook key, and Key 1 are located to the left of the D-pad, and the Call key is placed under Key 1. As such, Key 1 and the Call key are smaller than their adjacent keys. By the same token, the Email key, the configurable MyOwn key and Key 2 are to the right of the D-pad, with the Exit key located below Key 2.

The huge QWERTY keyboard occupies the rest of the handset with 39 keys. I’ll talk about the layout of the keys and the way we should switch back and forth between characters and numbers in the next post; however, here suffice it to say that mastering the ins and outs of this keyboard is easy as pie, and that the key which is used to type both the letter “G” and the number “5″ has a raised dot for tactile identification. If you spend a day or so with the keyboard, you can type on it using just one hand, and I use my left hand to achieve this. The keyboard also provides excellent tactile feedback, and the non-square surface of the keys prevents our fingers from accidentally pressing neighboring keys.

The left side of the handset houses the Volume up and Volume down keys and the slightly recessed Voice key. The loudspeaker is above the Volume up key, toward the upper left side of the handset: IMG: Nokia E61i left side. It is worth mentioning that the speaker is located on the lower edge of the back of the handset so as to avoid the production of muffled audio when the phone is put down on its back.

The bottom part of the handset houses the charger port, the Pop port for connecting the USB cable and the headset, and the Infrared port: IMG: Nokia E61i bottom part. Alas, no 3.5 mm audio jack can be seen here. Both the USB cable and the headset should be with you because the E61i isn’t compatible with newer Nseries accessories. I wish it could use a macro-USB or a micro-USB port.

The back of the handset houses nothing but the 2MP camera whose lens doesn’t have a physical shutter/protector: IMG: Nokia E61i back. In keeping with the E61i’s body, the battery cover is fully metallic, and the cover slide into and out of its place when it is inserted or removed. The memory card can be inserted and removed without removing the battery, although the battery cover should be removed to do either of these. Oddly enough, the E61i package doesn’t come with a memory card. Finally, the top and right side of the handset don’t accommodate any components.

 

What we know so far

Before moving on to the next E61i post, we can conclude by saying that it:

• uses one of the best batteries Nokia has ever included with a handset,
• enjoys a wide range of connectivity options,
• offers a nice 2.8-inch display,
• comes with a well-designed QWERTY keyboard with backlighting and D-pad,
• isn’t creaky or wobbly,
• has a well-positioned speaker,
• doesn’t have a 3.5 mm audio jack,
• is on the thin but rather hefty size,
• makes use of a non-proprietary USB cable and headset,
• forces you to buy a memory card.

Nokia 5320 XpressMusic Announced

NOKIA PRESS RELEASE April 22, 2008 Nokia 5320 XpressMusic - Dynamic design, 3G social entertainment package Featuring a dynamic design with 3G social entertainment capabilities, the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic delivers exceptional music and web 2.0 access. With the innovative new voice-controlled Say and Play feature, consumers can merely say the name of a favorite artist or song to automatically play it. Offering an array of additional features, the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic device includes dedicated XpressMusic keys, a 3.5mm audio jack, up to 24 hours of playback time, an audio chip for hi-fi sound quality, extendable memory up to 8GB, HS-USB for fast music transfer and HSDPA for fast access to data. The full featured Internet browser, access to Ovi and Nokia Search 4.1 allow users to find and share media content and information with ease. In addition, dedicated N-Gage gaming keys and landscape view deliver a true gaming experience, while HSDPA provides fast access to N-Gage, which will be available for download. The Nokia 5320 XpressMusic is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of 220 EUR before taxes and subsidies.

Nokia BH-903 Review: Part 2 Keys, Performance and Conclusions

In my first post about Nokia BH-903, I talked about what makes this stereo Bluetooth headset unique among its competitors. To recap, it’s a 32-g headset with an in-the-ear style which is compatible with various V2.0 bluetooth profiles, comes with an OLED display and an internal FM radio, and provides more than 9 hours of music and talk time.

 

Keys

When you’re dealing with an ultra-light stereo Bluetooth headset, you should accustom yourself to its tiny keys and buttons, too. The BH-903’s keys can be found in two different locations. Music-related ones are located near the OLED display (that is at the end of two cables which connect the display unit to the earphones), and call-related ones and the microphone are on the small apparatus near the right earphone.

 

The OLED display and its surrounding buttons

The unit which is tightly attached to the end of the headset cables houses the display and a few buttons: IMG: Nokia BH-903 display and keys. Here Nokia engineers have tried to build the unit like a standard handset so as not to reinvent the wheel and make the lives of BH-903 users difficult. With this analogy in mind, if you take the main unit in your left hand, you’ll notice the Power button above the display (at the top of the unit). Holding it down for a few seconds switches the headset on, which is confirmed by a short beep heard through the earphones. To switch off the headset, hold the same key down for a couple seconds and you’ll hear a different beep to indicate that the system is no longer active. Also, the Power key can act as the lock/unlock key; that is, if you briefly press and release it, the headset is locked. To unlock the headset, you should do the same. The lock/unlock process is accompanied by two distinct beeps, and the OLED display helps you identify the lock/unlock status. At first, you might want to familiarize yourself with the display indicators, but the more you use the BH-903, the less you refer to the display.

The frequently mentioned OLED display is below the Power key and occupies about one-third of the attached unit. The display mimics the feel and look of a standard handset display as closely as possible. For instance, as you turn on the headset, the famous Nokia logo appears on the screen. By the same token, as you recharge the battery, the charging indicators can be seen there. When the headset is on but not used for about 10 seconds, the display goes to the power saving mode. In this mode, the display turns off for about 5 seconds and turns on for about 1 second at regular intervals. To activate the display when it is in the power saving mode, you should press any key.

Just below the display, a square area can be seen which houses several buttons. Most of these keys aren’t tactilely visible. The Previous/Rewind key is on the upper left side, and the Next/Fast forward key is located on the upper right side. These also act as the Scroll keys when the headset Menu is active. Just below these keys you can easily touch the slightly raised Selection key, useful when working with the menu. More interesting, however, is the touch-sensitive Volume key surrounding the Selection key. You should move your finger around the Selection key on the touch-sensitive area clockwise to increase or anticlockwise to decrease the volume, and the headset uses distinct beeps when the volume can no longer be altered either way. This is quite innovative and appeals to the style-conscious. The volume can easily be altered after spending a couple of minutes with the headset.

The Stop key is placed toward the bottom of the square area on the lower left side, and the Play/pause key is on the right side. The Menu key is situated below the square area toward the bottom of the main unit, and is useful when you want to access different functions of the headset such as the music player, the FM radio, recent calls and settings. By default, the headset turns on with the music player in the foreground and whenever you access music-related functions on your handset, the headset also switches to the music player. Just to clarify, the Settings option allows you to adjust the display brightness, manage Bluetooth devices, set the auto-keylock time, select a desired language and reset the headset. The headset settings can also be reset by holding down the Power key and the Answer/End key at the same time, and pressing the Selection key to confirm the operation while the headset is switched off. Finally, the charging socket is located at the bottom of the unit on the opposite of the Power button.

The call buttons

The small control near the right earphone houses the midget microphone on the back, the Mute key on the side, and the relatively bigger Answer/End call key on the front. When someone calls, you can press the Answer/End call key once to accept it, or twice to reject it. When no call is in progress, press the Answer/End call key twice to call the last dialed number. Pressing this key once ends a call during a conversation. The built-in microphone can also be used for audio-recording in spite of the fact that the microphone quality doesn’t match that of the handset microphone.

The FM radio

One of the benefits of a so-called cabled wireless stereo Bluetooth headset is that its cables act as the antenna for the built-in FM radio. To use this feature, press the Menu key and select FM radio. You’ll immediately hear the familiar sound associated with FM receivers.

To search for radio stations, hold down the Forward or Rewind key for about 2 seconds. To stop the search, you should press the Stop key. When the headset finds a station, the station starts to play and the name, frequency, and signal strength of the station are displayed. According to the BH-903 manual, the station name is displayed only if the station supports the RDS (Radio Data Systems) technology. Anyhow, to save the station in the headset, hold down the Play/ Pause key, press the Forward or Rewind key to move to the desired memory location, and hold down the play/pause key. To move among saved stations, press the Forward or Rewind key repeatedly. To pause listening to the radio, press the Stop key, and to resume listening, press the Play/Pause key. Finally, to stop listening to the radio and exit the radio, press the Stop key twice. I’ve found the voice quality to be pleasantly acceptable.

It’s worth mentioning that using the FM radio requires the memorization of these functions for the visually impaired because the headset doesn’t offer an accessible interface when it comes to using the radio. The same can be said about accessing the Settings or the Recent calls option from the menu.

 

Concluding remarks

With all the details interspersed, you might be wondering if Nokia BH-903 is my desired headset. To be quite frank, it’s not. It’s true that with the BH-903 you get an FM radio, an OLED display and an ultra-portable unit, but I’ve never been a fan of in-the-ear headphones/headsets because I find this wearing style problematic, to say the least. Due to the fact that the headset uses small earphones, the audio quality it provides noticeably fails to match that of the over-ear Nokia BH-604 and Nokia BH-503. I’m bold enough to claim that the BH-903 isn’t for audiophiles; rather, it’s been designed to meet the needs of frequent commuters who want to carry as light and portable a headset as possible. Neither can it filter out surrounding sounds as efficiently as the aforementioned headsets. Also, as hilarious as it might sound, I’ve noticed that the BH-903 requires a pocketed shirt to house the display unit comfortably. Otherwise, the highly desirable OLED display would shamelessly move leftward and rightward when you take a stroll or you have to hide it under your shirt. Finally, I’ve found out that the BH-903 is quite sensitive to key touches; that is, the sound you hear through its earphones tend to lose or gain extra pitch as you press a key on either the handset or the headset. This also happens when the headset is connected to a compatible Bluetooth-enabled computer: namely my Dell XPS M1210 notebook which has Windows Vista SP1. All in all, Nokia BH-503 still remains my preferred stereo Bluetooth headset.

All said, I should admit that the BH-903 functions quite efficiently compared with other in-the-ear units on the market, and what I’ve mentioned regarding the BH-903 is typical of all in-the-ear headsets. Other than that, Nokia BH-903 has a high-quality microphone which is perfect for both telephonic conversations and audio recording. If your number-one need is a light headset with an OLED display, don’t hesitate to purchase Nokia BH-903.

 

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Comes with an OLED display,
• Offers decent battery life,
• Has an FM radio,
• Locks its keys manually or automatically,
• Allows accessing the “recent calls” list,
• Is highly portable,
• Appeals to fashionmongers,
• Enjoys innovative touch-sensitive volume keys,
• Uses distinct audible beeps and visual cues to indicate different actions,
• Comes with sturdy cables.

 

Cons:

• Its cables might get in the way sometimes,
• The in-the-ear style doesn’t provide a totally secure wearing experience,
• Offers average audio quality,
• Doesn’t have an accessible interface for the visually impaired,
• Would have been more comfortable with tactilely identifiable keys.

Nokia BH-903 Review: Part 1 How Shall I Describe Thee?

Have you ever tried to divide stereo Bluetooth headsets into different categories? If so, you might have come up with several benchmarks such as price, battery life, wearing style, portability, audio quality, range of Bluetooth profile support, and so forth. One or more standards of that sort might also play a role in your purchasing decision. However, these days another factor is increasingly pushing itself into our list, and it is use of an OLED display (or lack thereof). Such displays have become popular because they need very little battery power and don’t make their accompanying devices hefty.

When I decided to buy two Nokia stereo Bluetooth headsets, I tried to avoid headsets with OLED displays at all costs, and that’s why I went with Nokia BH-503 and Nokia BH-604. As a visually impaired Symbian user, I was afraid of not being able to utilize the features such headsets provide. Also, I was a tad concerned about their battery life.

 

The BH-903 and a turnover

When few days ago I received my Nokia BH-903 package from WOM World for trialing, I was so frightened by the OLED display and touch-sensitive volume keys that I decided to spend some time with the headset before publishing my reviews — I wanted to provide everybody with an objective viewpoint. The Nokia BH-903 comes with a pretty small package, reflecting its miniature size: IMG: Nokia BH-903 package,
IMG: Nokia BH-903 package half opened,
IMG: Nokia BH-903 package opened. The BH-903 is a sleek stereo Bluetooth headset which weighs 32 g: IMG: Nokia BH-903. It, I believe, is aimed at high-end customers with its +$200 price tag because currently you cannot find a smaller stereo headset with such a wide array of features in Nokia’s lengthy list of accessories. In fact, the BH-903 is as small as its wired counterpart which ships with the N82: IMG: Nokia BH-903 and N82 headset side by side. Had the BH-903 not been a Bluetooth headset, I couldn’t have told them apart by virtue of touching both.

Back to the features which make the BH-903 unique, it is an in-the-ear headset whose earphones are attached to the display unit via two relatively short pieces of stiff wire: IMG: Nokia BH-903 earphones and strap. It looks as if the BH-903 were a conventional wired headset with its connector removed. Basically, to wear the headset, you should place the strap around your neck and put the earphones into your ears. To adjust the length of the earphone cables, you should pull the cables toward or away from the earphones. A small apparatus can be found on the right wire (near the right earphone) and houses a microphone and a couple more keys which I’ll talk about in a later post.

 

What to expect from Nokia BH-903

These are just a few features which make the BH-903 a desirable stereo Bluetooth headset.

Weight:

• 32g.

Operating times:

• Talk time: up to 11h.
• Music time: up to 11h.
• FM radio time when connected to phone: up to 11h.
• Standby time: up to 150h.
• Charging time: 45 min to full charge.
• Talk time, Music time,FM radio time after 20 minutes of charging: up to 9h.

Interfaces:

• Bluetooth v2.0 with EDR specification.
• Headset Profile (HSP) 1.1.
• Handsfree Profile (HFP) 1.5.
• Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP).
• Audio Video Remote Control Profile (AVRCP) 1.0.
• Phonebook Access Profile PBAP.
• Nokia charging interface with 2 mm jack.

Sales package:

• Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-903.
• Nokia Compact Travel Charger AC-5.
• Spare pair of earphone pads.
• Print User Guide.

 

Early verdict

In spite of the fact that I’ve been using the BH-903 quite extensively for the past few days, I want to preserve the description of its keys and performance for upcoming posts. However, at this point suffice it to say that the BH-903 is a fabulous stereo Bluetooth headset, even for visually impaired users. That is, I can now fully control the N82’s music functions via the headset after getting used to its tiny keys. Of course, the internal FM radio is horse of a different color. More on the comparison between the BH-903 and its over-the-ear siblings later . . . .

Nokia BH-503 or Nokia BH-604: Which One to Buy

Yesterday I posted an article about Nokia BH-503 and compared it with Nokia BH-604. I also tried to highlight what either of them is intrinsically capable of doing. However, if you’re still wondering which one to buy, it might not be a bad idea to read my observations below.

 

Stereo Bluetooth headsets and built-in microphones

As we all know, stereo Bluetooth headsets come with built-in microphones. In general, these microphones are inferior to the ones found on different handsets. For instance, built-in headset microphones cannot come close to what the N82’s microphone offers. Nonetheless, we should choose the best built-in microphone when it comes to buying a stereo Bluetooth headset. I’m confident that the BH-503 has a relatively better microphone if you compare it with the BH-604. The microphones are essentially the same upon taking calls, but if you use an application like ALON MP3 Dictaphone to record surrounding sounds the difference becomes obvious. As far as ALON MP3 Dictaphone is concerned, the BH604 generates a noticeable hissing sound when its microphone replaces my N82’s microphone for recording purposes. The BH-503, however, does a better job of recording surrounding sounds without inserting extra noises into the recorded file.

 

Stereo Bluetooth headsets and Symbian screen readers

If you use a Symbian screen reader to access your handset features, I highly recommend that you go with the BH-503 rather than the BH-604. While both headsets function equally well on my XPS M1210 notebook with JAWS 9.0, the BH-604 generates annoying speech cutouts at the beginning of utterances on my N82. This means that if you press a key on your handset, wait for a few seconds and issue the second key, you won’t hear most of the phone’s response. This is not an issue with the BH-503. Besides, the BH-604 usually produces high-pitched sounds which can be easily caught by many users’ ears. The BH-503, on the other hands, never changes the sound frequencies in a way that its audio is quite similar to the audio which is generated by the handset speakers.

 

The last word, for God’s sake

Technically speaking, although both headsets make use of V2.0 bluetooth profiles, Nokia BH-503 is a better stereo Bluetooth headset for both sighted and visually impaired handset owners. If you use either Nuance TALKS or Mobile Speak, the BH-503 should be your top priority even with its higher price tag.

Nokia BH-503 Review: Stereo Bluetooth Headset for Fashionmongers

You might have read part 1 and part 2 of my Nokia BH-604 stereo Bluetooth headset review. The BH-604 is one of the best stereo Bluetooth headsets I’ve ever seen, and the +18-hour battery life it offers cannot be easily ignored. I currently use it at home as my major headphone because it’s also compatible with my Dell XPS M1210 notebook.

 

Why buy a new headset then?

On the face of it, my BH-604 satisfies all my audio-related needs. However, it cannot be easily worn in outdoor environments due to its bulkiness. The BH-604 offers a stable headband which is to make sure the headset remains secure while moving around or taking a walk. While Nokia has done a great job with the headband, the earcups are so big that they might make you feel a bit uncomfortable in the public. What’s more, if you wear the headset for more than, say, 20 minutes, you should take care of your hair after removing it because the headband tends to alter your hair. Obviously using a comb in a taxi and in front of those who are still staring at a big headset isn’t everyone’s preference. That’s why I decided to look for a second stereo Bluetooth headset with similar functions but with a special focus on wearability and fashion. My pursuit continued for a few days until I came across Nokia BH-503. I was also lucky enough to buy a $160 headset at a rebate price of $90.

 

What is Nokia BH-503?

In terms of keys and functions, Nokia BH-503 is in essence similar to Nokia BH-604. That is, all BH-503 keys are located on the right earcup and it allows users to move back and forth among songs, move forward and backward in a track, alter the playback volume, stop/pause/resume the playback, receive calls, and switch to the music player application. However, the BH-503 has smaller earcups and offers a unique approach to the issue of wearability by means of a laid-back design. Put differently, it has a neckband rather than a headband: IMG: Nokia BH-503, taken from Nokia. Unlike the BH-604, the neckband isn’t a mechanically-adjustable tool, and might require a bit of getting used to. Once, however, you are accustomed to the neckband and the tiny earhooks which have been designed to keep the headset in a solid position, you’ll never put it down. The BH-503 weighs 105 grams, offers more than 11 hours of talk time and music playback, comes with the Nokia Compact Travel Charger AC-5, and, like the BH-604, has a soft carrying pouch. It is compatible with various V2.0 Bluetooth profiles including A2DP and HSP, and can be paired with any A2DP-compatible device using the universal “0000″ passkey. All BH-503 keys can be found on the right earcup and, unlike the BH-604, it has no sideway keys. The only minor issue I face upon using the BH-503 is that the Volume Up/Down keys are upward buttons, meaning I should press either of them using my index finger while holding the bottom side of the right earcup with my thumb.

 

New discoveries

In my post about Nokia BH-604 I stated that I can’t use the playback keys on the headset to control the music as I connect the BH-604 to my notebook. Well, it seems that I’m partially wrong here because this just applies to Winamp. Both Nokia BH-503 and Nokia BH-604 are fully compatible with Windows Media Player 11 and can move the user back and forth among songs. As another upside, I just discover that I can take advantage of the headset microphone to record using ALON MP3 Dictaphone. This means that if, for instance, I go to the seaside and decide to record the wave sounds, I need not keep the N82 in my hands as I wear the BH-503.

 

Final thoughts

As I have the experience of using two fabulous Nokia stereo Bluetooth headsets, I suggest that you take into account the unique features each one provides before making the final decision. Do you want superior battery life? Go with the BH-604 as it provides up to 18 hours of talk time and music playback. Do you need a fashionable headset for outdoor use which doesn’t make you feel a tad uncanny? Select the BH-503 as its eye-catching design generates nothing but admiration. Do you fancy a super-loud audio volume? Choose the BH-604 as its cups fully cover your ears so as not to let extraneous sounds in. Are you in need of a relatively small headset? Buy the BH-503 as its 105-g weight cannot be compared with the 250-g weight of the BH-604. Finally, is your uttermost concern audio quality? Snap up either of them and you won’t be regretful about following my advice. Currently the BH-503 is slightly more expensive than the BH-604.

Nokia N82 Black Announced

Finally yesterday Nokia announced the impending availability of the N82 black with a €400 price tag. However, the fact that this new N82 variant will have both Geo-tagging and Sports Tracker built in means that we’ll see a new N82 firmware release very soon. The Nokia press release follows.

 

Nokia N82 in black - Postcards from the cutting-edge

 

Multimedia computer excels as travel companion with photography, navigation and Internet connectivity Espoo, Finland - Nokia today unveiled the Nokia N82 in stylish black, bringing a blend of state-of-the-art imaging, integrated navigation and high-speed Internet connectivity to the Nseries range of converged devices. This jet black multimedia computer enables people to “geotag” the images they capture - allowing them to not only be saved by date, but by location as well. This adds to a line-up of compelling photography features, including a 5 megapixel camera, Carl Zeiss optics and a Xenon flash. Not only does the Nokia N82 take great pictures, array of advanced connectivity features makes it easy for consumers to share their discoveries, journeys and locations.

The Nokia N82 in black is expected to start shipping within weeks, with an estimated retail price of approximately 400 euros, before taxes and subsidies. ”The Nokia N82 is made for storytelling,” says Juha Kokkonen, Director for Nokia Nseries devices. “As one of Nokia’s leading-edge connected camera, the Nokia N82 in black captures people’s journeys and discoveries. With built-in A-GPS it even helps people to find new places by pairing ‘contextual’ information with a wide array of connectivity features such as Wi-Fi and HSDPA. We make it easy for consumers to quickly share those moments as they happen.” When it comes to camera capabilities, the gloss-black Nokia N82 is set to wow world travelers and photography enthusiasts alike. The 5 megapixel camera, powerful Xenon flash and Carl Zeiss optics, ultra-fast camera activation, autofocus with a dedicated assist lamp, fast reloading between shots and DVD-like quality video capture all ensure that special moments can be captured “picture perfect” - even in low light conditions.  Taking advantage of its integrated A-GPS functionality and high resolution camera, the Nokia N82 automatically tags images with capture location metadata, making it possible to view the capture location on a map either on the Internet or on the device itself. When it comes to sharing, consumers can upload their pictures or videos directly from their Nokia N82 to services like Share on Ovi, Flickr or YouTube. By installing Nokia’s exclusive and free Sports Tracker application, consumers can share their whereabouts and travel route with others on the Sports Tracker website - including the capture locations of images. The Nokia Sports Tracker is a GPS based activity tracker that runs on Nokia smartphones. Information such as speed, distance and time are automatically stored in the application, and can be shared with others.  Urbanistas explore the world to showcase this exciting application, several explorers took off across the globe, each with a GPS-enabled Nokia N82 as their travel companion. On

www.nseries.com/urbanistadiaries , people around the world could follow these intrepid travelers, and share the experience in near real-time through images captured on each explorers’ device.

The Sports Tracker widget tracked the explorers’ location and marked the spot where each image was taken on a constantly updated map. The widget has now been embedded in many blogs and social networking sites.  So that everyone can track and share their own journeys, stories and pictures with friends - just like one of the explorers - the Sports Tracker mobile widget will soon be made available with many new and existing S60-based converged mobile devices.

It is also possible to share and compare travel routes or workouts with friends or the Sports Tracker community. Others’ journeys can also be browsed by location, for example to find a more exciting travel route. The Nokia N82 is a true travel companion and supports microSD memory cards of up to 8GB which allow the device to hold the user’s choice of up to 3,600 high-resolution pictures, 5 hours of high quality video capture, up to 6,000 songs or all of the available regions for the Nokia Maps application.

One Charger for All Seasons

As someone who should recharge a good number of handsets and accessories on a daily basis, whenever I want to purchase a new device I take into account how it is going to re-gain juice after it runs out of power. However, I’ve been fortunate enough to see that Nokia has decided to ship many of its recently manufactured handsets and accessories with Nokia Compact Travel Charger AC-5. This light-weight nifty device allows me to carry a single charger for the handsets and accessories I move around. What’s more, I just keep one charger at hand while I’m at home without being forced to think about where to find a specific charger for handset X and another for accessory Y.

Handsets like the N81, N82 and stereo Bluetooth headsets like Nokia BH-503 and Nokia BH-604 use the compact charger mentioned above. To be more specific, if you visit the compatibility page for this charger, you’ll find 62 handsets mentioned there, and the page doesn’t include compatible Bluetooth headsets. As such, this is one of the huge advantages of staying with the same company for handsets and accessories, because there would be a good chance of using one charger for all of them. I sincerely hope Nokia continues this trend and also expand it to, say, USB cables or, to the extent possible, to batteries.

My Concluding Thoughts on the N81 8GB

It’s now more than 20 days that I’ve been extensively using the N81 8GB courtesy of the terrific people at WOM World, and it’s about time that I wrapped up my previous reviews and thoughts.

Why go with the N81 8GB?

In this day and age and with handsets like the N95, N95 8GB, N82 and iPhone dominating the market, you would think there’s little room for the N81 8GB to maneuver. That’s definitely true. However, not all of us are keen on purchasing the very latest feature-rich gadget. Nor oftentimes do we have the financial means to secure the purchase of such a device. As such, the following potential handset seekers might be interested in taking a serious look at the N81 8GB:

Audiophiles

For those who want to ignore non-audio features of a device and get a high-end music-oriented handset, the N81 8GB is the best and the cheapest choice out there. Controlling the music from all open windows, offering the best and the loudest Nseries speakers, accepting both standard wired headphones and Bluetooth headsets, providing 8GB of internal memory and decorating all these features with wireless internet access and a pretty standard camera make the N81 8GB appeal to music lovers. If they are lucky enough to get the Bose noise-canceling Qc 3 headphones, they won’t let go of their handset very easily.

Above-average handset users

It’s not fair to call the N81 8GB an average or a mid-range handset. The current price tag of $424 at Provantage clearly indicates it. So, other than music-obsessed folks, who’s going to get the N81 8GB? Mediocre cell phone users who are willing to take their handset experience to a more advanced level, but aren’t yet ready to take a stab at something like the N95 8GB or the N82. For many people migrating to more feature-packed handsets involves a progressive process, so the N81 8GB most likely appeals to this group.

Slider phone seekers

If you’re not in a position to accept slider phones as your day-to-day handset, you’ll never gravitate toward the N81 8GB. Let’s clear up this point: the N81 8GB offers the best sliding mechanism I’ve ever seen; however, for someone who can’t live with such phone the quality of the sliding tool doesn’t really matter. This also applies to the N95 which belongs to the high-end range of Nokia handsets, and many people have decided not to buy it only because it doesn’t follow the monoblock style of cell phones.

What could have made the N81 8GB a more desired handset?

Let me delve into my dreams and see what Nokia developers could have designed to make the N81 8GB a more successful multimedia computer. First and foremost, the N81 8GB could have offered more distinct and tangible front navigation buttons. Even after gaining a good deal of experience with the handset, 70 percent of my “Menu” key presses incorrectly activate the “Call” key, and vice versa. The same is true about the “Clear” key and the “Exit” key. Also, the music-dedicated keys are located near the joystick, and some might find this arrangement annoying. Worst of all, the keypad keys are virtually indistinguishable tactilely, thereby making typing characters and phone numbers a headache specially when you’re in a hurry and need to get your message across as fast as possible. The Power on/off button isn’t without its share of criticism with its nail-prone design either. Finally, I could never make the Navi wheel perform a single operation on the N81 8GB in spite of the fact that I enabled it in the Settings window the day I received the N81. I hope Nokia does a good deal of fine-tuning on this innovative feature in handsets like the N78 and the N96.

It’s a bit dejecting to say goodbye to a handset which I’ve come to respect and use for a couple of weeks. I’m sure I won’t ever forget the ultra-crisp and loud music which the N81 8GB played to my ears.