Nokia Store App: MusicTweet, Now Playing!

Ever want to share the music you're currently listening to, tweet it fast and effortlessly with musicTweet on your Nokia Belle device.

Created by DzSoftware, the social network app by just opening it, automatically takes information about the currently playing track in the music player and creates a tweet from it to be readily send. Users also had the option to edit information's before sending.

I like the apps simplicity and spontaneity in sending tweet but I hope the developer could add more to it like maybe, adding album image to the tweet so it would look attractive, or adding more information's like the album title whatsoever.

Anyways, the app is definitely worth downloading for music sharers and lovers. CLICK HERE for the Nokia Store download link, its FREE!.

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Apps I Wish Symbian Have

Having use several mobile operating systems (OS), I could say that I’m already a bit verse with applications floating around the mobile gadget space, and from the looks of it, Symbian lacks quite a few good and usable ones to its stable. Well, no OS is perfect of course, their were also countless of good apps that can only be found on Symbian but nonetheless a complete system could be achieve and strive for.

I'm really yearning for the following apps to complete my mobile connectivity and productivity needs, hopefully, Nokia or any freelance developers could read this blog post and respond to my requests.

1. Flipboard – A news and magazine client found in Apple iOS and Google Android. I like this app so much that I wrote an entire blog article about it before and wants it primarily installed on my Symbian phone. The main core of the app was simplicity, users get to enjoy a swift and fluid interface in browsing through web based news and magazines, Facebook or Twitter by just flipping up and down the board page.

2. Get Glue – Being a huge fan of movies and television shows at the same time a social network fanatic, this application became a necessity since it combines both worlds. It became a venue for me to express my admiration or displeasure on a particular movie or TV show. Its also a good social place to meet fellow fanatics or haters, earn badges of coolness, or simply brag your prominence.

3. EZ PDF Reader – One of the biggest drawbacks of Symbian at the moment is the absence of an efficient and smooth PDF reader and editor. There were some apps capable of doing so like Adobe or QuickOffice, but they were not as fast and savvy as that of the EZ PDF. Try reading one on a Nokia Belle smartphone using the aforementioned apps and you'll get nightmares being ragingly slow. Also, the EZ PDF Reader allows annotations on the files like highlights or side notes making it very ideal.

4. Super Video – Do you like to multitasks, like maybe watching a movie at the same time doing something else on your mobile phone, well, the Super Video handles that leisurely. Its like a self-regulating app that floats above your screen allowing you to do something else like web browsing or playing games while watching videos. You can even watch multiple videos all at the same time, that's how superb it is.

5. Instagram - Though I couldn't see the reason why I should be using this app since all my pictures were directly published in this blog or on Twitter or Facebook, it cannot be denied that their were sizable number of people who loves the social network site and would prefer a fully dedicated application of it in their mobilephones. In fact their were even be some who prefer to buy phones because of its Instagram compatibility. With this scenario going on, Nokia should strive hard to create one for Symbian, every buyer counts.

With the fierce competition in the smartphone space at the moment, every aspects and details are important, Nokia and Symbian should seriously find ways to make these apps available to the users, their should be no stones unturned. Anymore apps you want to include in the list? Feel free to write them on the comment section below.

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Nokia Belle Refresh For Nokia N8, E7, C7, C6-01, etc.

Nokia continue to upgrade its Belle Operating System with the newest firmware refresh rolling out globally today.

This is completely opposite to other operating systems who limits upgrades only to new devices making it the most versatile Operating Software in the mobilephone space.

The latest firmware promised to bring more enhancements on performance and feature, more widgets and fast browsing. After upgrading my 2 year old Nokia N8, these are the noticeable changes I've notice so far:

- Faster and smother navigation all over
- Responsive Menu navigation unlike before where you can see freezing frames
- New Homescreen widgets like the Mechanical clock, Text clock, Flip clock, 3G toggle, Calendar agenda, Bookmarks, CNN Delivers Update, DLNA Server, Mail-New Arrival, Music Player-small, and more
- New e-Mail look dropping the Ovi logo
- Big screen and DLNA pay app's added
- New music player navigation page with option grids on top
- New gallery page with grid on top

Full change log will definitely be release by Nokia soon so lets wait for that and watch this space but for the meantime, the refresh had been remarkable though not as huge when Belle was introduce from Ana. I'm enjoying all the new widgets and customization of the software, something that I would miss when Nokia would totally shift to Windows Phone. Looking forward to what Symbian had left to offer before going stilt.

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Nokia Belle: Why Now, Why Then?

Symbian's latest operating system modification was enormous, the change was so remarkable that it transformed the system to a whole lot more than what it was used to be; more better, sleeker, faster, responsive, usable, etc., giving a brand new and dynamic user environment to millions of users across the world.

I have to admit, I was so overwhelm by the update when I first tried it. Everything was more fun to do, the swiping, the Homescreen customization, the opening of apps, discovering new mechanisms among others. But like most of the mobilephone enthusiasts, I also asked myself why Nokia just came up with said update now, when the competition had already catch up and inflected damage to there worldwide sales, and also with the company's inevitable shift from Symbian to Windows Phone, why do they still care to bring Belle out or Donna or Carla in the future?

To expound the first why question, I believe it was more of leniency for the company. They never thought iPhone and the touch interface would succeed and so it was never part of their game plan. It was only three years ago that they begin to realized the scenario and started its touch development. Anna was the fruition of the said development and Belle was its progeny. Donna will be its mercenary and Carla its butcher.

On address the second why question, I think its more of giving due respect to a system that made them the leading mobilephone vendor in the world. Its development will definitely be stopped but not until it died naturally in 5 years time. Nokia also have to disprove a lot of critics and appease millions of Symbian fans around the world.

Critics were saying that Nokia is not capable of creating a breakthrough technology, they want to disproved that with Symbian's continues development. They also want to disproved that critics were wrong about Symbian being not good enough to compete with iOS or Android. They will bring back the respect and credit that was due to it, as one of the greatest.

On matters regarding Symbian fans, well, they don't want to loss a massive number of supporters, the very same who they wish to convince to cross to Windows Phone. The success of Nokia and Windows Phone collaboration is very much dependent on there Symbian followers.

On the other hand, Nokia also have to pushed its midrange and entry level phones to a new heights, so Nokia Belle and all its updates will take a big part of it. As Android pushed its way down to low end phones, Nokia needs to positioned its reliable ammo downwards to counter it until Windows Tango fully arrives.

So much had been said and done but the Nokia Belle update was a huge delay generally but would help Nokia a lot in the competition. I don't believe that they are shutting it down now, when they need it the most. It will come in due time, or perhaps not.

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Enjoy a new mobile experience for your Nokia phone with Belle

Based on a browsing data gathered by StatCounter, an invisible reliable web tracker, the Symbian platform is still the leading the operating system in mobile phones. Anchoring on this achievement and pursuing its commitment to the Symbian platform, Nokia is providing an update that will offer a truly new look and feel for millions of Symbian smartphones globally.

Now, Nokia loyalists can download Nokia Belle, an all-new simple user interface that provides improved and personalized user experience plus dozens of new features for applicable phones. What’s more, it is absolutely free of charge.

With Nokia Belle, consumers get more room to display their applications and services with up to six home screens and experience dynamic mobile usage with live widgets. They are also able to tailor their own experience with ease by dragging and dropping widgets and application shortcuts within, or between, different home screens, to reflect their needs and lifestyles.

Enhance your mobile performance with improved imaging applications such as high definition video recording at 30 frames per second and high quality browsing and viewing of web videos.

You can also enjoy the fastest access to your entire menu and more efficient notification proficiency thanks to Nokia Belle’s simple menu structure. Browse through all your notifications and connectivity settings from anywhere in your phone via the pull down menu, and easily see information on calls, messages and emails shown on your phone’s lock screen.

On top of Nokia Belle’s new and improved user interface, users will be able to receive a full suite of Microsoft apps for free!

To update your phone to Nokia Belle for free, simply download the software file through Nokia Suite. Connect your phone to your PC via a USB cable and start Nokia Suite. In Nokia Suite choose Tools, Software Update and accept all available updates that are offered.

The update is available and is specifically tailored to Nokia N8, Nokia E7, Nokia C7, Nokia C6-01, Nokia X7 and Nokia E6. Meanwhile, Nokia Belle updates on Nokia 500 phones only supports 4 homescreens and will include Nokia Maps 3.06 and the popular Angry Birds app.

Get into the latest and newest mobile experience, without having the need to change your phone, with Nokia Belle. For detailed info on the update, go to http://www.nokia.com/ph-en/support/nokia-belle-software-update/

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The Nokia N8 Journal: Belle Connuability, Breaking Dawn

Twilight? Not really, in truth and in fact, I have not seen a single series of the movie no matter how my friends would want me, but my blog posts is a little related to the movie having Belle as the lead character and breaking dawn as the theme.

Belle kick off!

So lets begin with Belle, the highly anticipated new update of the prodigious Symbian 3 operating system. Like the Twilight movie, Belle was the lead rule and partly the reason why it was such a big hit, well, in Symbian, Belle takes the same rule but becomes the main reason why a lot of Symbian users are happy and satisfied at the moment. It was such a huge upgrade that it propels the system to its most competitive edge.

As mentioned on my first impression article, one of the very visible changed that I like most is the systems new touch interface, it just works remarkably fast and fluid that it makes the touch experience delightful to do. Unlike the previous version were you keep worrying if it respond to your command or not, the new system offers a cheerful experience that you just want to swipe continuously. An curve Gorilla glass display would seal a pleasurable experience.

Homescreen haven

Of all the important areas of the upgrade, the Homescreen takes the biggest refresh with new widget and icons implementation, additional 3 screens from the previous 3 and new side swipe mechanism. What I like most is the fact that you can now side swipe even if you hit an icon without activating it. I find this tedious on the old software because it limits the area where I can side wipe. I use to leave a shortcut or widget free area on each screen before so I don't get bothered by apps opening while I side swipe in between screens, now it wont matter, giving me more space for my widgets and icons.

Then comes the more optimizable individual icons were you can positioned anywhere on the screen. This is what I like most on the SPB Mobile Shell and I'm glad that its on the new software. I was a bit disappointed though because I thought the icon or widget can be adjust to preferred sizes but its plainly minor, I like the icons smaller because it makes the screen look bigger on a glance.

3 new homescreen is a welcome addition since it offers more optimization. It will allow me now to add all applications in the menu directly to the homescreen. There was a big debate lately in Nokia Connects about users preferred number of Homescreen, well, for me, the more the merrier because I love to customized and group apps according to use.

Among the widgets, I personally like the Digital Clock, though it looks like that of HTC's, what matters was that it looks fairly attractive. The music widget looks hot as well as the radio and not to mention the Wi-Fi on/off switch. I do hope Nokia could add more great looking widgets to the existing ones particularly to its most usable application like the calendar, clock alarm, battery level, themes, notes among others.

Drop it down!

Nokia must have realize the importance of drop down menu on Android and adopt it for Symbian, what they have not realize was that they copied the same problem that I raise against it on the way this was implemented by the former. Its had been called a drop down menu because it needs to be access on top of the phone and drop it down to open, now for one handed operation specially on phones with bigger and longer screens, the command becomes tedious because users have to exert effort to reach the screens top. What Nokia should have done was put the command on the bottom of the screen and implement a "pitch up" gesture so it can be effortlessly access. It would have been so much easier.

I also like all the application switch on the pull down menu most specially the Mobile Data switch which allows me to turn on and off, mobile data connection in a single touch command unlike before that it needs to be access on the settings menu, then a few more commands. I'm fun of using mobile data on my phone having subscribe to a mobile internet data plan.

Menu menance

As much as I like the Homescreen changes, the menu was a bit of disappointment. The big icons and the three row implementation looks to intense. Worst is the visible drag when you scroll downwards, unlike the homescreen, the icons touched during the swipe down or up gestures opens carelessly. It would be best if it gets the same swipe mechanism to that of the homescreen.

Breaking Dawn

Breaking the blog post for now, but thats not the main point why I specifically tag it as it is, the software upgrade definitely gave the Nokia and the whole Symbian Ana entourage a new day and life in a very competitive environment of Smartphones. One way or another, it evens the competition software-wise but with the superior hardware of i Nokia smartphones, novelty and exclusive apps and features offered and low price, they are heading for a major upset. Like the breaking of the dawn, the scenario wont last long as morning comes and that is why Nokia has to prepare for the next phase to ensure that they would shine the brightest in a day, Donna is on the works as well as the new camera king to replace Nokia N8.

Belle connuability journal continues, stay tuned!

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The Nokia N8 Journal: Belle Connubiality First Impression

If there's two words that I'm proud to say to Nokia at the moment, it will be a simple Thank You, for giving its Symbian Anna users a beautiful and astounding software upgrade like no other in the world!

I was very wrong when I said the other day that the upgrade was merely aesthetic, it was also partly systemic since there were changes in some mechanism on doing stuffs. I fact, it was almost a new software that it took me several minutes to re-learn, discover and familiarize its features.

It gave me a wide grin on the face while trying it up for the first time, it was impressively fast and fluid, it respond to commands right away and open application without lags. The experience was 50x better than Anna with 100% satisfaction tagged along.

The new Homescreen implementation seals its delectable delight with its colorful and vibrant icons, useful and customizable widgets and additional Homescreen for easy navigating pleasure. I like the idea of smallish icons on the Homescreen, it makes the screen look bigger which would have also look as impressive when applied on the Menu but unfortunately, Nokia retained the big icons.

I can share everything all day long but I have to cut the blog post for now because I still need to discover a lot of good stuffs. Daily journal is up next, detailing every aspect of the new software, stay tuned for that, for now, enjoy this few screenshoots of my customized Homescreen.

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Upgrade Your Symbian Anna Phones To Nokia Belle Now!

February 8, 2012 is THE day as tweeted, but the illusive Belle has arrived a day before the announced date here!

The upgrade via Nokia Suite is a huge 294MB and will last for awhile depending on your internet speed, but very much worth the wait.

So whats the big deal and why do I care so much about the upgrade? Well, its because the software will be the first real attempt of Symbian to level off the playing field, the least, in terms of sleekness in the User Interface and graphics implementation and thats after 6 years after iPhone!

Though the upgrade is more aesthetic than systemic, it will such be a huge relief to finally say, hey, Android, I can do that on my Nokia N8, and iPhone, you don't have this cool customization!

The upgrade is not systemic because the software will still have the same mechanism in doing stuffs, it could be though that its more stable than the previous or that its more speed efficient. I really need this changes on the software because my Nokia N8 is working sluggishly lately, like its not opening images as fast as it was before or perform tasks as swift as I could.

I had so much expectation for the new upgrade, hopefully it could suffice those. (Cross Fingers!)

What would my Nokia N8's marriage to Belle like? My first impression is up, stay tuned!

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Symbian Belle, What To Expect

Since the Nokia Belle upgrade is inevitable with Nokia's twitter account confirming its roll out starting February, it’s high time for us to learn more about it. What is it about Belle that makes it critically acclaimed and how did it feared with the competition.

Here are few reasons why:

1. More personalized Homescreen

a. The phone is capable of handling up to 6 Homescreen. The current Symbian Anna software is only limited to 3.

b. Dynamic widgets. Users can add widgets individually, change its size, or move it anywhere in the screen. The current software version is only capable of handling group widgets with the ability to move such around the screen and without the ability to change size. There were also more live widgets and Toggle widget. The live widget is capable of updating feeds directly from the Homescreen while the toggle widgets are those types were you can do commands automatically like the switching of Bluetooth on and off, etc.

2. Pull down Menu notification incorporated in the status bar. This includes the settings, notification of incoming messages and missed calls, mobile networks, Bluetooth (if turned on), mobile data, WIFI among others. Well this is an Android adopted system which I don’t like really because you have to reach on top of the phone and pull down to open it up, why not make it a pull up system instead with the command bar on the bottom?

3. Better web browser promising a PC-like experience.

4. NFC. Tap and Share between devices, social networks or unlock exclusive games content.

5. New apps. A new suite of powerful business apps from Microsoft includes Lync (IM for businesses, like Microsoft Communicator), SharePoint, OneNote, Exchange ActiveSync and PowerPoint Broadcaster are included and will be automatically installed with the update.

6. Informative lock screen. The lock screen now tells you about missed calls, messages in your inbox and more, so you can check your phone at a glance. Users can also add coloured wallpaper to lock screen.

and so much more… It is perhaps the biggest upgrade so far, Nokia made it sure that there current users are not left behind in mobile user interface race. So far, it will compete pretty well with Androids but not that much yet with the iOS. Considering the fact that both systems could be enjoyed at a high price, Nokia Belle gives the best of both in a cheaper price.

Nokia Belle upgrade will be rolled in for the following devices, Nokia N8, E7, C7, C6-01, X7, E6 and 500.

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