Highly Anticipated Nokia N96 Cell Phone Begins Shipping

Long after the N96 specs were leaked it is finally being shipped to customers.

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced the availability of the much anticipated Nokia N96, its flagship multimedia computer in the iconic Nokia Nseries range. It boasts live TV, 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, turn-by-turn voice navigation, 16GB of internal memory that can be increased to 24GB with an optional microSD card, superior sound and music, N-Gage gaming and a stunning 2.8″ display. First shipments of the Nokia N96 have started and it will be available with an estimated retail price of EUR 550 before taxes and subsidies.

“The Nokia N96 is mobile entertainment at its best, a fitting flagship for our Nseries range. It defines convergence by blending phone and multimedia options seamlessly with the unique Nokia Nseries dual slider that makes discovering and sharing experiences easy. Watch live TV and video, take high quality photos and geotag them to specific locations or directly upload them online via the fast internet connection – it is all about taking mobile entertainment and communication to the next level,” says Jonas Geust, Vice President, Nokia Nseries.

Supporting live TV as it happens using DVB-H technology, the Nokia N96 delivers advanced television viewing across a number of channels. It is even possible to record favorite programmes to watch back whenever suits, be it on a train, in an airport lounge or in a café over a drink.

In many markets, the Nokia N96 comes pre-loaded with a blockbuster movie (title varies by region). Feel part of the action as it erupts through the vivid 2.8″ display and built-in 3D stereo speakers. Sit back, watch the plot unfold and enjoy the special effects hands-free, practically anywhere, thanks to a cleverly designed ‘kickstand’ on the back cover.

The Nokia N96 has the ability to store up to 40 hours of video content transferred from a PC via hi-speed USB 2.0 connection or found online with WLAN and HSDPA support. The Nokia Video Center offers access to a variety of content ranging from movie trailers and comedy to news from world-leading providers such as YouTube, Reuters and Sony Pictures. The Nokia N96 supports the most common video formats including MPEG-4, Windows Media Video and Flash Video.

Capture clear, bright, high quality video clips at 30 frames per second as well as sharp, defined photos with the 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED Flash. Images can be geotagged instantly to record the location and directly uploaded to online communities such as Share on Ovi and Flickr.

The Nokia N96 has an enhanced navigation experience that includes rich, easy-to-use maps with urban detail as well as satellite views. Voice guided turn-by-turn navigation – for walking or driving – along with the new City Guides that offer a great way to explore undiscovered places. It is even possible to upload and share personalized journeys, favourite places and great new finds online.

The Nokia N96 boasts an advanced music offering and can hold a music collection that entertains even more dedicated fans. People can create personal music playlists by downloading tracks from the Nokia Music Store and other online sites or synchronize PC and mobile libraries via hi-speed USB connectivity. Alternatively, the Nokia N96 offers RDS radio or a wide selection of stations via the internet.

Making the mobile experience even more personal, the Nokia Download! application provides a broad range of tailored content – including a selection of branded entertainment as well as personalized content – to ensure each Nokia N96 is as unique as its owner.

Related Info: Samsung i8510 Cell Phone is the Nokia N96 Cell Phone Killer

Nokia N85 Cell Phone – The Definitive Entertainment Package

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today unveiled the Nokia N85, the latest Nokia Nseries multimedia computer made to set new standards for mobile entertainment, gaming and sharing. Along with an eye-catching 2.6″ OLED screen and smooth, sleek finish, the Nokia N85 redefines the mobile experience. It boasts N-Gage gaming, music with in-built FM transmitter, 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and geotagging capabilities, three month integrated license for turn-by-turn voice navigation and high-speed connectivity, all in one device. This cell phone is expected to begin shipping in October 2008 with an estimated retail price of EUR 450, before taxes and subsidies.

“The Nokia N85 was created to be more than the sum of its parts, offering a complete mobile entertainment package designed for connecting, sharing and discovering,” said Juha-Pekka Sipponen, Director, Nokia Nseries. “The iconic Nokia Nseries dual slider design has evolved to become smaller and sleeker while integrating the newest features and services to deliver the best mobile experience to date.”

With a strong lineup of multimedia features, the Nokia N85 is taking the world of mobile convergence to the next level. Gaming, photos, navigation and music blend together with the newest Ovi and third party services via 3.5G HSDPA and Wi-Fi connectivity to make discovering and sharing experiences quick and seamless.

Engage and interact

The Nokia N85 is pre-loaded with at least 10 made-for-mobile N-Gage gaming titles that jump off of the screen thanks to the dazzling OLED display and a voucher to activate one full game license. Dedicated gaming keys light up when the device is in landscape gaming mode to further enhance the action-packed experience. A state-of-the-art 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and bright dual LED flash captures clear, sharp images as well as DVD-quality videos at 30 frames per second. Combined with A-GPS it is possible to geotag favorite pictures to see where each photo was taken using the Nokia Maps application or online sites such as Share on Ovi or Flickr.

Each Nokia N85 comes with an 8 GB microSD card, up to 30 hours of music playback time and its high-fidelity sound means favorite tracks can be enjoyed virtually anywhere. Build a personal music collection from the millions of tracks and playlists available from the Nokia Music Store or other online music vendors, or synchronize PC and mobile music libraries via USB cable. Alternatively, consumers can enjoy RDS radio or a wide selection of stations via the internet The 3.5 mm audio jack makes connecting a top-quality headset simple and an in-built FM transmitter lets the Nokia N85 play wirelessly through a car or home stereo to really crank up the sound.

While it comes out of the box with a multitude of powerful functionality, the pre-loaded Nokia Download! application makes the Nokia N85 truly customizable by offering a wide range of bespoke content. This includes an outstanding selection of world-class branded entertainment content, the latest in mobile gaming and dynamic applications so users can really make their device their own.

The Nokia N79 Cell Phone Tops the Candybar Category

In spite of the fact that we can’t praise a cell phone without actually using it, it seems to me that the Nokia N79 is the best candybar handset manufactured by Nokia. This means that even the N82 will no longer carry the title of the best candybar Nseries handset. Just take a look at the following N79 specs:

• Stylish Nseries power emphasized by two different front covers – and five Xpress-on TM smart back covers. Three smart covers are included in every box, so the N79 can suit any occasion. The display theme changes automatically when new covers are attached.
• FM Transmitter with direct access to the Nokia Music Store, power for up to 24 hours of music playback plus 3.5 mm headset connector and dedicated music keys for non-stop music enjoyment.
• 5 MPX camera with Carl Zeiss optics, geotagging and dual LED-flash for high-quality images and DVD. Quality video and easy upload to Share on Ovi, Flickr or YouTube.
• Discover new places with turn-by-turn voice navigation, pedestrian navigation, city guides and 15 million points of interest with Nokia Maps 2.0.
• Includes a 4GB microSD card and supports up to 8GB for carrying a wide selection of songs, photos, videos and games.
• Size: 110 x 49 x 15 mm.
• Weight: 97g.
• Display: 2.4” QVGA (240×320 px) with up to 16M colors.
• Memory: Up to 50MB internal memory, 4GB in-box micro SD memory card.
• Talk time: Up to 210 min (3G), 330 min (GSM).
• Stand-by time: Up to 406 hours (3G), 370 hours (GSM).

So far, we know that the N79 is the smallest candybar Nseries handset. It’s also the first candybar Nseries smartphone to offer dedicated music keys. However, these are not enough to make the N79 shine. The following features have been taken from N79 technical specs page.

• BL-6F 1200 mAh Li-Ion battery.
• Browsing time with packet data (maximum): 5 h 54 min.
• Video playback time (maximum): 4 h 24 min.
• Video recording time (maximum): 3 h 30 min.
• Video calling time (maximum): 2 h 20 min.
• Music playback time (maximum): 29 h.
• Gaming time (maximum): 4h.
• Slide cover for protection and camera activation.
• Video recording file formats: .mp4, .3gp; codecs: H.263, H.264.
• Audio recording formats: AMR, AAC stereo.
• Video playback file formats: MPEG4, AVC/H.264, WMV, RV, Flash Video, H.263/3GPP.
• Video streaming: MPEG4, AVC/H.264, WMV, RV, Flash Video, H.263/3GPP.
• Audio streaming.
• UPnP music streaming.
• Digital stereo microphone.

As the detailed specs list shows, the N79 comes with a BL-6F 1200 mAh battery, supports audio/video streaming, provides a digital stereo microphone, and ads AAC to the audio formats it can record. I believe these are enough to take any Nseries handset one step forward. If the right-mounted speakers are better than those of the N82, I’ll definitely get an N79 as it reaches Iran.

Related Info: Nokia N79 & N85 To Be Announced Today

Nokia N79 Cell Phone – Powerful Fusion of Technology and Style

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today unveiled the Nokia N79, the latest addition to the Nokia Nseries range that combines intelligent and customizable design with a fully-loaded multimedia computer. Behind its sleek exterior, the Nokia N79 is a technology powerhouse. It offers a full range of multimedia experiences including integrated navigation, music with FM transmitter, high-speed connectivity, superior web browsing, at least 10 pre-loaded N-Gage games and an advanced 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics. The Nokia N79 is expected to begin shipping in October 2008, with an estimated retail price of EUR 350, before taxes and subsidies.

“The Nokia N79 packs cutting-edge technology into a compact design – a characteristic of the iconic Nseries – that allows people to discover, create and share their passions with others,” said Juha Kokkonen, Director, Nokia Nseries. “It has been designed for those who want a device that is as appealing as it is powerful and comes with interchangeable covers that have automatically matching screen themes. This balance of performance and style means that it is a powerful and defining step forward from the popular and very successful Nokia N72 and Nokia N73.”

Perfect for the style conscious, the Nokia N79 comes with Xpress-on smart covers that are available in five cool colors: Light Sea Blue, Espresso Brown, Olive Green, White and Coral Red. A combination of three of these comes with each Nokia N79.

The convergence of photos, music and navigation in the Nokia N79 combines with high-speed 3.5G HSDPA and Wi-Fi to make it quick and easy to share experiences on websites, blogs or online communities.

Experience new discoveries

The innovative technology packed into this colorful offering means that accessing a rich pool of services to further enhance individual experiences is seamless. Log on to online communities like Friendster, Flickr or YouTube or click through to Nokia services such as the Nokia Music Store, N-Gage, Nokia Maps and Share on Ovi, an online service that enables consumers to share personal pictures and videos from their mobile devices.

The 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED flash and video light captures sharp, clear images and video that can be edited immediately, without the need for a PC. Images can also be geotagged to specific locations. What’s more, the Nokia N79 comes packaged with a 4 GB microSD memory card that makes it possible to store around 3,000 songs, approximately 2,500 pictures and up to four hours of DVD-quality video clips that can be organized by albums or tags and uploaded directly to Share on Ovi or third party services. The addition of a sliding lens cover helps protect the top-quality lens when not in use.

Nokia Maps makes it easy to explore and navigate new surroundings by accessing more than 15 million points of interest (POI). In-built A-GPS providing turn-by-turn navigation – for walking or driving – comes with a three month integrated license on the Nokia N79.

A Friendster widget will also be made available for the Nokia N79 via the WidSets service. This will allow people to browse Friendster friends’ profiles, view and post shoutouts, upload pictures taken with their handset, and browse their own and friends’ photo albums. All this enables more effective communication with friends while away from a computer using the Nokia N79. New users can even register for Friendster directly on their device via a link to Friendster’s mobile site (m.friendster.com), create an account, and instantly begin participating in the Friendster global community.

To ensure each device is as distinctive as its user, customizable features are available at the Nokia Download! store, a one stop personalization shop, already embedded in Nokia Nseries devices. It lets consumers create a unique experience for themselves by offering easy access to a multitude of popular ringtones, branded entertainment content, the latest in mobile gaming and dynamic applications for personalizing mobile devices to the user’s own preferences.

Related Info: Nokia N79 and N85 Cell Phones To Be Announced Today

Nokia N79 and Nokia N85 Cell Phones to be Announced Today

If nothing goes awry, Nokia will be announcing a few cell phone handsets today. The new multimedia computers which will hit the market next month are the N79 and the N85.

As a candybar handset the N79 which is said to complement the N78 features a 5MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics and a dual LED flash. Its lens will be protected by a sliding camera cover. It also supports Geotagging. The N78 hosts an FM transmitter, a 3.5 mm audio jack and dedicated music keys. The handset supports up to 24 hours of audio playback. Nokia Maps 2.0 is also on board to make use of the built-in GPS receiver and a 4GB microSD card is included in the sales package. Simply put, it is for the style-conscious with its “Xpress-On”-like covers and its 2.4-inch display.

The N85 features a 2.6 AMOLED QVGA (240×320 pixels) display that supports 16 million colors. The OLED display results in a faster response time, refresh rate and uses less power in comparison with LCD displays. A 5MP camera with support for Geotagging ships with the Nokia N85. There are also dedicated gaming keys and 10 pre-loaded demo titles to try out and you will be able to choose 1 game to have for free. Other features include a built-in FM transmitter, GPS and a 3.5 mm audio jack. The handset supports up to 28 hours of audio playback. The N85 will offer an 8GB microSD card with the sales package. The so-called non-candybar handset will be available next month.

Stay tuned for the detailed specs. In my opinion, if the Nokia N79 speakers produce crisp and clear audio, this handset can possibly beat the N82 – the N79 has dedicated music keys while the N82 doesn’t. Also, it comes with a more powerful battery. Being a candybar lover, I’ll do my best to grab the N79 once I’m assured its speakers are better than those of the N82. I’ll wait for the complete specs, though.

Samsung i8510 Cell Phone is the Nokia N96 Cell Phone Killer

If you think Nokia’s upcoming N96 would shake the cell phone arena with its various multimedia and professional features, you should take a look at Samsung’s newly announced i8510. This handset offers the following awesome features:

• 8 megapixel auto focus camera with dual LED flash. Camera functions / modes include Smart Reader, Image Stabilizer, Auto-Panor ama Shot, Smile Shot, Blink Shot, Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), and Face Detection. The camera can also capture video at VGA (30 frames per second) and QVGA (120 frames per second) resolutions. On board software for editing images and videos (Movie Maker and Storyboard applications) are available.
• Dimensions: 106.5 x 53.9 x 17.2 mm.
• 2.8 inch, QVGA screen with 16 million colours.
• Integrated GP S with support for A-GPS.
• Integrated accelerometer sensor used for automatic screen rotation.
• Optical sensor, taking the form of a touch pad (as on laptops) like control in the centre of the D-pad.
• 16GB of internal flash memory and a microSD card slot support cards up to 16GB in size (SDHC).
• Support for HSDPA at 7.2 bps (3.5G) connectivity on 900 and 2100 Mhz WCDMA bands, quad band GSM, Bluetooth 2.0 (including A2DP support), WiFi and USB 2 (Full-speed). WiFi will enable DNLA (UPnP) support for audio and video.
• 3.5 mm audio jack, support for MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA (including DRM), AMR and RealAudio audio formats, stereo FM radio (with RDS) and DNSe audio technology. Digital Natural Sound engine (DNSe) is an audio enhancement technology used across a portfolio of Samsung products and helps to produce higher quality surround sound.
• Video playback formats: DivX, H.263, H.264, WMV, and MP4.
• Runs S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2.
• Will ship with 2 embedded games: FIFA 08 (EA) and Asphalt (Gameloft).
• Battery: 1200 mAH with quoted talk time of up to 300/510 min (3G/2.5G) and stand-by time up to 330 / 310 hrs (3G/2.5G).
• The phone will be released in Europe during August and in the rest of the world during September.

Just compare i8510’s 1200 mAH battery with N96’s 950 one and you’ll notice the difference. Also, the Samsung handset – which is called INNOV8 – has an 8MP camera compared with the 5MP camera of Nokia smartphones including that of the N96. To be honest, it’s the first time I can’t find Nokia at the very forefront of high-end smartphones, but I’m sure Nokia will come up with something soon. Moreover, the manufacturing of such non-Nokia handsets is good for the S60 platform as this phenomenon will convince more developers and users to gravitate toward the OS. Last but not least, it would be interesting to see how the I8510 and the N96 will compete on the market. Both are to reach customers in August/September so stay tuned for a good number of hands-on reviews.

The Nuts and Bolts of Nokia N78 Cell Phone Taken from a Trusty Source

You’ve probably read various Nokia N78 reviews on the web, and I’m not going to weary you with such a review now. However, most of what you read below originates from the message my friend, Stephen Giggar, sent me. Steve’s nickname is “doctor phone, and he’s also sent a good number of comments to my blog posts.

What to like about the N78

1. Being able to turn on the speaking of voice alerts for battery information. Uses the Nokia voice.
2. Being able to turn off the beep when you plug in a headset.
3. When assigning shortcut keys, the list is in Alphabetical order.
4. The App. Manager has changed in that when you first go into it, it asks what you want to see. You can say show me all the Installed Apps or show me the files to be installed.
5. The Speakers are about the same as what is on the Nokia N73 and Nokia N95 as far as volume is concerned.
6. The startup time of the N78 is very close to the N82 when you turn it on. Two or Three seconds different.
7. The SIM card slides into the phone the same way as the N73. Easy to remove as well.
8. Using the built-in file manager, when you first go into it you can arrow to the memory you want to read and see how much is free without having to select anything. You use the Up and Down arrow to go to the memory you want.
9. When sending software to the phone to be installed, the process has become very fast with the transfer. High Speed USB 2.0 and not Full speed USB 2.0.
10. The battery is easy for a person to remove if they do not have any finger nails after you get the back off.
11. The built-in email client has a setting which allows users to define what the “Clear” key should do when it’s pressed to delete emails. It can be set to “Always ask”, “Device only”, and “Device and server”.

What to Dislike about the N78

1. When the light goes out; You must press a key to wake up the phone and then press the key you want even if the screen saver hasn’t come on.
2. The phone responds slower than the N73 and other phones even if you had already opened a program (like Log).
3. The Menu always shows up in the “Task manager”.
4. “Show open task” is in all of the options for menu items. Would need to get use to that. That is the same as pressing and holding the menu key for about 1 second.
5. Battery cover takes the whole back of the phone. So you have to remove the whole back to take the battery out. You also have to make sure that you have it lined up correctly or you could break it while putting it back. Also it doesn’t feel like it would hold up if you need to swap batteries a lot.
6. The bar-like keypad keys might generate initial headaches. The N78 keypad is quite similar to that of the Nokia N81.

Nokia N78 Cell Phone OTA Firmware V11.043 Released

This “over-the-air” (OTA) software release will not be available through the Nokia Software Updater application, but is available directly through your Nokia N78. The release includes improved stability with Bluetooth (headsets and car kits) and music (playback over a long time and content refresh). This release also includes optimized Camera performance and Naviscroll sensitivity improvements.

Technology innovations mean the size of this “over-the-air” update is approximately 2 MB. To get this software through your Nokia N78, click Menu > Tools > Utilities > Device Manager. Select Options > Check for updates and follow the on-screen prompts. Remember that you can also use Wi-Fi to download the update.

Related Info: Nokia N78 Firmware V12.046

Nokia N78 Owners Manual

Nokia N78 Reviewed by CNet

Nokia N78 Great For Audiophiles

Nokia E61i Cell Phone Review: Part 3 Delve into the Smartphone

The E61i is horse of a different color when compared with Nseries cellular handsets in terms of included applications and the way they operate.

Nokia E61i Cell Phone Review: Part 1

Nokia E61i Cell Phone Review: Part 2

Boot-up time

The E61i takes about 32 seconds to start, and this is the longest boot-up time I’ve ever seen on a Nokia S60 handset. I can’t tell what is behind this slow start-up, but if it has to do with its software peculiarities, Nokia should do something to expedite it a little. It is worth mentioning that the E61i isn’t as sluggish as handsets like, say, Nokia N73 and N80 in spite of the fact that its boot-up time is way longer than the ones mentioned. Also, with the V2.0633.65 firmware release the Powerboot effect is missing, but I’m not sure about the V3.XXX firmware update as currently Nokia Software Updater doesn’t work with Windows Vista.

Call functions

There’s not much of a difference between the E61i and Nseries handsets as far as call functions are concerned; however, on Nokia E61i “Key 2″ mutes and unmutes the microphone while on a call whereas “Key 2″ activates and deactivates the loudspeaker on Nseries handsets in the same situation. What “Key 2″ does on the E61i better suits my needs as I don’t make use of the loudspeaker much.

Configuring the MyOwn key

As mentioned in the first part of the E61i review, the MyOwn key is located to the left of “Key 2″ and allows users to tie an application to that key press. If it is pressed for the first time, users can opt to select its associated application – I’ve attached the “Music player” to it. Once configured, a single press of the MyOwn key activates the predefined application. What if you decide to change that application? Simply press and hold down the MyOwn key and the “Add application” dialog opens. The same can be done through the “Own key” item in the Tools folder.

The menu structure

Unlike many Nseries handsets like the N82 and the N95, Nokia E61i doesn’t have an “Applications” folder. Instead, installed application icons are placed in the “Installations” folder. The “Office” folder can also be found on the main menu whereas you should find this folder in the “Applications” folder when working with Nseries handsets. By the same token, with the E61i the “Connectivity” folder is on the main menu not in the “Tools” folder. If you start working with the E61i you’ll notice that the “App. Manager” icon can be found in both “Tools” and “Installations” folders whereas it is located in the “Applications” folder with Nseries handsets.

Memory and RAM

As mentioned in a previous post, the E61i package doesn’t offer a memory card. This smartphone provides 61.2MB of phone memory and 45.0MB of RAM, according to Handy Taskman. When the phone starts, I get about 22MB of free RAM. Granted, I’ve not yet seen a single instance of the “memory full” problem on the E61i and the handset is snappier than many Nseries S60 3^rd Edition smartphones.

Music player

The E61i’s Music player can be found in the “Media” folder along with other applications including Camera, Real player, Gallery, Flash player, services, and Voice recorder. When opened, it shows the last played track. When it is closed, it doesn’t remain in the memory, but it is capable of remembering the last played track. The following is a list of playback functions along with their associated keys.

• Play/Pause: 5.
• Stop: 8.
• Volume down/up: Joystick left/right.
• Previous track: 4 (pressed twice quickly).
• Next track: 6.
• Beginning of track: 4.
• Rewind: 4 (pressed).
• Fast forward: 6 (pressed).

The main Music player window displays the following options:

• Music library,
• Open now playing,
• Track downloads,
• Random play, submenu:
  • Off (selected),
  • On.
• Loop, submenu:
  • Off (selected),
  • All,
  • 1.
• Equaliser,
• Add to track list, submenu:
  • New track list.
• Set as ringing tone,
• Help,
• Exit.

To help the Music player application recognize your recently added tracks, you should go to the “Music library” and select “Update music library” from the list of available options. The Music library allows you to see tracks in different categories such as All tracks, Genres, Albums, Artists, and so forth. The Music player does a great job of organizing your tracks and the speaker generates loud and crisp audio, but the fact that it comes with one speaker and lacks A2DP Bluetooth profile support forces us to not use the phrase “an audio-centric device” for it. When the E61i is paired with a stereo Bluetooth headset, you’ll hear a highly distorted mono sound and you won’t be able to control the music via the headset’s dedicated audio keys. BTW, the E61i doesn’t have FM/Visual radio.

Handset-specific features

If you compare the E61i with an Nseries best-seller like the N82, you’ll notice that it offers a number of extra applications and settings which are missing in its Nseries sibling. For instance, Nokia E61i comes with an application called “Voice aid”, found in the Tools folder. It helps users hear their contact names, recent calls and time/date without looking at the screen. Also, it can be used to dial numbers. If you go to the main menu and select Tools, followed by Settings and then Phone, one of the options titled “Notification light” allows you to determine how long and for which notifications the screen should blink. This is a nifty feature.

MP3 recording and microphone sensitivity

I used ALON MP3 Dictaphone to check if Nokia E61i is capable of recording good-quality MP3 files. With the N82 I can record 96KBPS/32kHz MP3 files, and with the E61i the highest sample rate is 96kbps/16kHz – quite acceptable for an Eseries handset. Also, my tests indicate that the E61i’s microphone is slightly less sensitive than that of the N82, but the difference is hardly noticeable.

The next E61i review article will focus on the camera and other important handset features.

Hi-N-Bye – the only Shaker on my Nokia N82 Cell Phone

As you know, many applications have been developed to take advantage of the built-in accelerometer which ships with the N82 and all members of the N95 family. However, I just make heavy use of one of them on my Nokia N82 because this is the only app whose shaking-based functions I like. KEYnetik’s Hi-N-Bye allows me to answer incoming calls and finish conversations by performing two familiar and classic answering/rejecting gestures. Furthermore, I can activate or deactivate the loudspeaker and switch between two calls by simply shaking the handset. Not only is Hi-N-Bye fully customizable, it is also compatible with Symbian screen readers. It can auto-start as soon as the phone starts, and this behavior can be customized by users, too. I can define the time length after which Hi-n-Bye gets temporarily disabled as soon as someone calls so as to save battery power. The nice point about this application is that it has almost no effect on your power consumption even when it is adjusted to control all calls without any time limitations. One important note: don’t forget to select the “Save settings” option after modifying any settings or you’ll lose all modified settings as the program restarts. Don’t forget to download and install the accelerometer plug-in before installing Hi-N-Bye because Hi-N-Bye won’t start otherwise.

The functionality of this application is enhanced if it becomes capable of handling missed calls and received SMS messages. For instance, it would be cool to move to the “Missed calls” tab sheet or move to Inbox by just shaking the phone, and return to the Standby window by means of another shake. The application costs €5.99.