E72: Official Symbian Farewell

This is my first document being written on the Nokia E72 and there is a lesson to be learned in humility. To be reunited with an E Series device with a hardware qwerty feels amazing in itself, and I am indeed eating my words from before. Not too long ago I was extremely critical of Symbian for the 3rd and 5th editions as I made the switch to touch interfaces. At this point I do realize the pros and cons of 3rd edition and am willing to give it another try as a backup to my Nexus One. However, I still stand by my word that the likelihood of me returning to 5th edition is slim to none...unless a capable qwerty is introduced.

This is certainly a perfect time for trying the E72, for I have been desperate for a hardware qwerty since I sold the N900. As much as I had grown accustomed to the Nexus One virtual keypad, I still yearned for the increased accuracy and typing speed of tactile buttons. Unfortunately, the reality in the Android market is that (worthwhile) hardware keypads are hard to come by. Besides a few Motorola models, I was stuck with either keeping the Nexus and waiting for an Android phone or simply moving back to a hardware qwerty device. The Touch Pro 2 would have been considered, but its user experience via Windows Mobile and hacked XDAndroid is not up to par with a stable and reliable OS. The E72 offers the best combination of portability with favorable typing, and Symbian 3rd edition really isn't that bad. While this OS is not as flashy and smooth as the touch enabled Nexus, it is functional nonetheless. I still have to consider how long I held on to my E71 in the past, so the E72 with its upgraded features can definitely be worthwhile.

After Day One
It has been a full day with the E72 and I have activated Gravity, GooSync, Facebook for E70/E72 and the navigation function on Ovi Maps. There has been much triumph and frustration in the same unfolding of time passing. Even though I am pleased to be reunited with Gravity, its interface on the E72 screen is lacking in appearance and performance when compared to Seesmic on my Nexus One. GooSync proves to be a success after ten failed attempts to initiate syncing of calendars and contacts from the cloud, but this is bittersweet at best. In comparison to the flawless and automatic sync cycles of my Nexus with the Google cloud, GooSync is a much appreciated, yet limited band-aid. Not having contact pictures synced to the E72 may be trivial from certain aspects, but it still causes me to miss my able-bodied Nexus all the more. The Facebook application on the Symbian OS (3rd and 5th) has been consistent in being a complete FAILwith seldom freezes and erratic error messages. After a half hour of using this app on the E72, it was uninstalled immediately and I resorted to the mobile version in Web. Navigation in Ovi Maps is a novel attempt by Nokia to compete with Google Maps, but it honestly has little room to boast if any at all. The interface comes off as cluttered and confusing at times, yet voice directions are comparable to the Nexus. I noticed a little bit of lag in rerouting my path, but that could possibly be due to lack of compatibility with TMobile 3G. YouTube is a totally different beast when I think of the app on the Nexus One with its bigger screen and faster CPU. Speaking of CPU, the slower speed of this Nokia is quite apparent on this non-touch interface. This is only made worse by the feeling of being bound to only a d-pad when I feel free on the Nexus to swipe and tap practically anywhere. The Gmail experience is not bad, but it isn't great either. Hopefully S^3 (if it ever shows up) will do something to refresh the look and feel of the interface. Web is as good as expected and can have its bright moments, especially with flash video support. One minor thing that does turn me off is the plasticky matte build that dominates the E72 at the top and bottom. I just look back to my past E71 and its refined quality and can't help but see the E72 as a cheap downgrade despite certain cosmetic changes.

This isn't to declare that the E72 is the bearer of only negatives in my usage, for there are some notable positives. Quickoffice is the same standard fare with any document editor, yet it shines on the E72 with a hardware qwerty! I am thoroughly impressed with the camera for video recording and still images, yet the lack of quick share features directly from the gallery like on the Nexus is a huge con against efficiency. I can shoot video footage on the E72 and not worry at all about how the playback quality will turn out, and this certainly cannot be said for my Android. The torch and video light functions are truly useful at the most opportune times, and they step up to plate and deliver with no problem. It is great to hear the E72 say aloud the name of a contact who is callling, and convenient bluetooth and silent command keys on the qwerty are much appreciated. The slim form factor for easier portability is always a great thing on any phone, and the E72 doesn't disappoint. Solid audio quality on voice calls and ample battery life puts me at ease when I use every feature and multitask to my heart's content.

As much as I wanted to consider the E72 as a viable option to backup my Nexus, I have outgrown the Symbian non-touch OS, plain and simple. Everything I do on this phone (aside from qwerty typing) is so much slower than on the Nexus One. I know that I may have stated I am desperate for a hardware keypad on a device, but not at the expense of good software. Symbian 3rd edition for me is antiquated for me, and I am glad I gave this E72 another chance out of fairness. This basically sums up my preference for the Android OS and its many benefits on the Nexus One. It is a fresh and new concept that has pulled me from the monotony and boredom of Windows Mobile and Symbian. It also ventures to where Maemo can go and takes things a bit farther with impressive features. From this moment on, I will have to wait for a future Android device with a capable hardware qwerty and hold on to my Nexus in the meantime.

At one point I did want to go for the Samsung Galaxy S, but I have recently changed my mind on that. Samsung's track record in manufacturing devices has been lackluster for the most part with glossy plastics that showcase countless smudges and fingerprints. From previous times in holding both the Omnia HD and Omnia Pro slider, I still harbor low expectations of Samsung hardware...and I won't even get started into the clusterf*** horror that is TouchWiz! No matter how impressive the Galaxy S specs may be, its hardware has got to be worthwhile as well.

All in all, this may as well be considered my official farewell to Symbian until the next new edition is released. The E71 was definitely a worthy phone that I relied on for many uses, but the key word "was" rings true as I now look at my Nexus on the desktop dock. In the present and coming future, it seems that Android is making good progress in keeping me from falling into the "let me settle for an iPhone" trap. I just hope that Nokia will be able to do the same in due time instead of falling by the wayside to be forgotten by its high end customers.

At the end of this post, I shall forward it to my blog and promptly switch my SIM card back to the Nexus One. Life shall go on...with Android.

Trent Smith
Sent from my Nokia E72

iPad: My Thoughts

Walking into the Apple Store felt surreal as I eyed a table full of tablets being played with by numerous customers. It was obvious that I would have to wait my turn to behold the awaited creation of mobile technology, and it took all my strength to not hover over someone else cradling one! Luckily, a side counter had more iPads on display and a couple were free to be touched and caressed by my two hands...I nearly broke into a sprint to that counter!!

Holding the iPad was indeed a pleasure, for it instantly reminded me of the allure of my iPod Touch, MacBook Aluminum and iPod Classic. Apple magic was undoubtedly in every facet of that tablet as I held it under the flourescent lighting. My reflection seemed lost in glossy screen blackness that was in contrast with an aluminum backing. This aluminum gave the impression that it could be easily scratched, yet its thinness didn't seem weak in the slightest bit. While there wasn't much heft to it, there seemed to be a potential for it to become heavy after a long period of being held. The edges didn't seem conducive for comfortable gripping since they were so fine and practically sharp. The overall size was compact, slim, and backpack portable.

Turning on the screen revealed a familiar face of the iPhone OS, yet I still wasn't convinced of the iPad's charm...despite the initial excitement in seeing it in person. All the great things about multitouch seemed a little bit more impressive with the larger display, and certain apps such as Photos and Safari received a welcomed refreshment. The visual eye-candy of the iPhone interface enticed me with its vibrant colors, smooth movement, and clean lines in every aspect of its build throughout every application. The most notable moments for me were iTunes, YouTube, Pages from iWork, the virtual qwerty and the e-book reader. Every last one of these applications had its own charm, but Pages and the e-book reader were my all-time favorite! For years I had been a fan of Office for Mac and shunned Pages due to my own preference and familiarity with Windows, and was quite bothered to hear Office wouldn't be supported on the iPad. However, using Pages on that tablet really opened my eyes to the possibility of using it again if ever necessary. Performing the same kinds of actions for word processing in such a flawless and beautiful interface with the touch of my fingers felt so good...almost addictive. Using the virtual qwerty was another joy indeed, for I didn't have much trouble typing on it. I admit that it did feel a bit weird at times when in portrait mode since it feels more cramped, but spacious landscape mode is simply a work of art. I could EASILY spend endless amounts of time writing with that soft qwerty and its great touch feedback! Every press of a key was met with a prompt insertion of the appropriate character, and auto-correction carried out its usual duty. My mouth nearly hit the floor when I saw the feature to change qwerty layouts according to specified languages! With the touch of the key that appeared to have a globe on it, the qwerty keys were instantly transformed to alternate versions! The e-book reader app...I am totally speechless on it! I have no words! Honestly, that one feature ALONE would make me want to sell my Kindle and get an iPad to replace it! Plain and simple!! Sound was only okay from the speakers, but I guess it was due to the noisy surroundings. In quieter situations, I'm sure it would be sufficient enough to enjoy audio content. The accelerometer worked flawlessly as expected with EVERY single turn of the iPad. Playing back video was great as expected on the larger display, no big surprise there. I even played TRENT SENSE episodes via the YouTube app and was quite impressed!

A turn-off appeared to be from using the imdb.com application, for the resolution didn't seem optimized for the iPad. There was some pixelation in the graphics, but not enough to the point where it was horrible to see. I just assumed that was an iPhone app not yet made for iPad. Another con involved typing on the iPad soft qwerty while holding it with both hands...it was basically impossible. It seemed the only solution was to either place it on a flat surface or cradle it in one hand while pecking keys with the other. Not good. 

There was much to be gained from having an iPod in my life, yet I didn't feel the impulse to buy one. I was really blown away by the iPad and its charm. As usual, Apple did it again with its hypnotizing spell of pretty graphics and assorted colors...and I wanted to have my one-way trip to MacLand! Taking a flashback of the Fringe TV show, it was as if Steve Jobs himself had crossed bounds to the other dimension and returned to replicate its technology with the iPad! However, its sheer size made it a venture not worthwhile for me. My interest lies in pocketable gadgets, especially convergence smartphones. The things that the iPad can do can already be done in some way by the devices I already own. They may not do it as gracefully as the iPad, but they do it nonetheless. I actually like the long battery life and plastic/lightweight build of my Kindle along with its direct line to the bookstore via Sprint WhisperNet service. I like surfing the web and writing emails and blogposts on my smartphones. Enjoying multimedia is already handled by my trusty iPods and sometimes my smartphones. This network of my own gadgetry is working just fine for me in keeping me connected to the outside world and entertained in my own world. The iPad would only become a third wheel, much like the Nokia N810 tablet I owned a number of years ago. Since I had a Nokia smartphone at that time, there was no use in taking out the N810 and using its awful hardware qwerty. It eventually became more of a burden to carry along with my phone, so it ended up collecting dust until I finally sold it. There is a slight feeling in my gut that this same thing would happen to the iPad if I ever decided to get it. The iPad is a luxury item that is not really needed at this point, so the time with the demo unit at the Apple Store was well-spent in satisfying my curiosity. Honestly, I much prefer holding off for the Samsung Galaxy S and anticipating the iPhone 4 specs that are about to be announced. I wonder if my want for hardware qwerty keys could have played a role in this as well...or the fact that the iPad isn't meant to be a MacBook replacment. Either way, I am glad that I got a chance to play with it nonetheless. To those who already have an iPad, I do hope they continue to enjoy it!

TRENT
Sent from my XDAndroid Touch Pro 2
TRENT SENSE blogger/netcast host

First Post from XDAndroid Touch Pro 2

I am somewhat blown away at this very moment to realize that I have just combined Android OS with a most memorable hardware qwerty in my unlocked HTC Touch Pro 2!!

After a simple installation of two cab files to the device, it should have been a simple matter of starting the Project Android app and letting the boot screen take its course...I was wrong. I didn't anticipate making a wrong move, but I did just that by accidentally messing up touch calibration the first time around and not realizing that a hour and 45 minutes was TOO long for booting up. After discovering that I had neglected to finish the touch calibration after mistakenly pressing previous squares in the wrong manner, I tapped remaining squares to bring up the XDAndroid setup screen. This was when the trouble was just beginning! Due to the calibration debacle, the touch screen feedback was inaccurate and prevented me from being able to start the Android setup. Closing out the Android program and starting it again didn't allow me to have another opportunity to correct the calibration procedure, so the only solution was to uninstall/reinstall it to start with a clean slate. As I expected, the calibration target blocks appeared onscreen to await the central tapping of the stylus. Upon executing this correctly, all was well and I was able to continue setting up the Android system with accurate touch feedback.

For a long while after jailbreaking a first generation iPhone in years past and not really getting anything out of it, I resisted the urge to hack anything. I was recently toying with the idea of hacking my Nexus One to enable the HTC Sense interface, but I have a fear of messing something up in even the slightest bit. Then came the day of the iPad and I was stuck in my home just 2 blocks from the nearest Apple Store with an increasing temptation to buy what I could not afford...even if I had NO use for it!! To temper this, I looked to my unlocked Touch Pro 2 sitting on my desk and wondered if I could install Android onto it. After watching YouTube video of hacked XDAndroid interface being run on a Sprint Touch Pro 2, I took the chance. During the first hour of playing with Android on a resurrected Touch Pro 2 that had been collecting dust for two years, I was excited beyond belief! In addition to typing with a great hardware qwerty, I was able to also take my mind off of the temptation of the Apple iPad launch day. 

There was of course an initial honeymoon period of being impressed and proud of myself, but the reality of hacked software began to sink in with its flaws as well as its benefits. Going through the interface felt a bit slow, but I figured that was to be expected from the CPU running on the unlocked TP2. I noticed there was no backlight activation for the sliding qwerty or the Caps Lock/Function lock keys, and access to the camera was not possible. Switching screen orientation took place with sufficient speed when the sliding qwerty was opened, and the accelerometer seemed to be intact for the most part. The absence of bluetooth was not a huge issue, but the absence of sound and a YouTube app really surprised me! Essentially, the Touch Pro 2 on XDAndroid was in perpetual silent mode and seemed to offer no alert for incoming messages. Fortunately, incoming calls were given a vibrate alert. Even though calls could be successfully taken and given, the volume was WAY too low over the earpiece and could not be changed with the volume rocker keys. The visual image of the volume progress bar going left or right with each press of the rockers was in plain sight, but nothing changed the low sound coming from the earpiece. With this silent mode preventing the speakers from working at all, the Music and Pandora apps were utterly useless. Other apps proved to be inoperable such as Google SkyMaps, Barcode Scanner, Google Goggles and the full version of Docs to Go. While some of this could be attributed to the lack of camera and possibly processing power, I still couldn't understand the problem with not being able to get the key to unlock full version Docs to Go. I had already purchased it on the Nexus One, so I assumed I was good to go on the Touch Pro 2...I was so wrong. I was stuck with only the free viewer version, and every attempt to get the unlock key sent me right back to the Docs to Go listing on the Android Marketplace page showing that the app was already installed. In frustration, I simply settled for a couple of basic text editing apps and I was immediately reminded of my time with Nokia N900...good times! The lack of 3G was not so bad considering that there was no YouTube application anyway, and browsing the web on EDGE wasn't a bad thing as long as the signal was suitable. However, weak spots did make me grateful for my wifi access at home! The notification light was utterly confusing and difficult to figure out...and I still haven't done so. Overall using the Touch Pro 2 with XDAndroid as a main phone was like walking a fine line between a basic feature phone and a unlocked smartphone with incompatible Euro 3G bands. Through all of that first exposure to something so new for me on that HTC device, the COMPLETE syncronization of Google account backup data impressed me the most!! Once my Google account was signed on without a SIM card, my contacts, calendar events and email were ALL synced to my old phone within minutes!! That benefit of having cloud service integration made me a firm believer in the Android OS for LIFE!!!!!

Would I choose the Touch Pro 2 Android hack over the Nexus One for everyday use, not really. But it was definitely a worthwhile experience that can never be thought of as even half bad. True, there were a number of quirks to be tolerated, but for the most part the fundamental functions of a smartphone did work flawlessly in the refreshing guise of the Android interface whether in EDGE or wifi. In this day in age of living in excess with countless apps and luxuries on mobile devices, I guess using that crippled Touch Pro 2 can teach me the importance of going back to basics on a smartphone...which isn't such a bad thing.   UPDATE: Docs to Go full version is finally available with the unlock key on the Touch Pro 2.  

TRENT
Sent from my XDAndroid Touch Pro 2
TRENT SENSE blogger/netcast host