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This might be the most stupid posting I’ve ever written in this blog. Apparently, some people are having trouble downloading SUPER from erightsoft.com. For those who don’t know SUPER, it is a video conversion tool. You may use it to convert videos to your S60 device. It is a good and free conversion tool. Unfortunately, the download link for SUPER is not straightforward. I have no idea why they designed their download page to be so complicated.

• First of all, visit http://www.erightsoft.com/S6Kg1.html
• You should see a link that looks like advertising that says "Download SUPER setup file". It is not advertising! It is a real download link (see screenshot below).

Links

• Converting Your Videos to RealPlayer
• Converting Your Movies to "DivX Player for S60"

One (may be two) of the most popular postings on this blog is about memory card locking. There are many people are asking me how to unlock password-protected memory card. The problem is they never put any password on it; and suddenly their memory cards are locked.

I have written two postings about memory card locking, i.e.:

• How to Unlock Password-protected Memory Card. The idea is to reformat the memory card. It should work most of the time, but you will lose all your data.
• Another Tip For Password-protected Memory Card - on Nokia Eseries devices, when you activate remote lock, it will lock the memory card as well.

Apparently, there are still a few cases where memory card is suddenly locked. My previous colleagues had this problem as well. What is the solution then? Unfortunately, I don’t have a good answer if the two tips above don’t work. My colleague tried to call the memory card’s manufacturer. They said that he has to send the memory card back to the manufacturer. I am not sure whether they will replace it with a new one or do "magic" to unlock the card. They also mentioned this case sometimes happen on certain devices.

Anyone has other idea how to unlock memory card?

Since I changed my job, I take public transportation (read: bus) every day. What I normally do on the bus is listening to my podcasts. That’s why I’ve been using Nokia’s Podcasting application very extensively. For your information, you can download it from Nokia’s web site. Some newer devices have already included Podcasting application as well.

One thing that I was wondering on Podcasting application is how to import OPML file. After googling it, I found a nice article from Symbian Guru, How To: Importing OPML Files Into Nokia Podcasting. For those who have never used OPML, it is an XML file used to exchange web feeds between different application/services. For instance, if you have a list of blogs on Google Reader and want to transfer it to Feed Reader, you can use OPML. You export your blogs list from Google Reader as OPML file and then import it to Feed Reader.

Here is the summary of how to import OPML file to Nokia Podcasting application (for detail steps, please visit Symbian Guru’s posting).

• Prepare OPML file. For example, if you are using iTunes, you can select Files | Export menu.
• Copy the OPML file to your device, either to phone memory or memory card.
• Launch Podcasting application.
• Go to Directories section.
• Select Options | Import OPML file menu.

 

Links

• Featured Freeware - Nokia Podcasting
• Synchronizing Music Files and Podcasts from iTunes to S60 Phones

When you take pictures of copy image files to your S60 device, they will be appeared in the Gallery application. In some case, you don’t want to appear them. What should you do? The answer is set the file attribute to "hidden".

In order to do that, you need a file manager is capable of browsing to all folders. Unfortunately the default S60’s file manager won’t do the job. You need a more powerful one, for example Y-Browser.

After downloading and installing Y-Browser, run it, select your image and select Options | File | Attributes menu. Set "Hidden" field to "Yes".

Do you store personal information, such as passport number or bank accounts, on your S60 device? Personally, I do. Why? I found it is useful to have personal information always with me. For example, I went to Indonesian consulate this morning to extend my passport. They asked me to fill out a form. One of the questions was my spouse’s passport number.

The question is how can we store personal information on S60 device? Never use Notes application! If your device is stolen, you will be in trouble. Older S60 devices used to include Wallet application for this purpose. Unfortunately it is now removed. What is our solution now? There are some third party applications (unfortunately they are not free).

Handy Safe

Handy Safe is probably the most popular application to store confidential information on S60 device. It stores credit card details, user names, addresses, insurance policies and much more. There is also a PC application, called Handy Safe Desktop, which allows you to synchronize the information to the PC.

Click here to buy Handy Safe for S60 ($ 49.95)

Phone Wallet

Phone Wallet is much cheaper than Handy Safe. The features are quite similar to Handy Safe. What makes it different is no PC application. How about backup? No worry. Phone Wallet allows you to backup your personal information to a file, which can be transferred to a new phone.

Click here to buy Phone Wallet Series 60.3 v 1.0 ($ 11.99)

Update (22-June-2008): There is also a Java application to store personal information, called MobileKnox. The user interface is not as nice as the two above, but it supports many other devices.

As you may know from last posting, Google has just released Web Picasa Album optimized for S60. Recently, I created a S60 Widget for Picasa Web Album. What does this widget do? It basically adds a new icon on your main menu so that you can launch Picasa Web Album easier. As simple as that.

 

Click here to download S60 Widget for Picasa Web Album

You can only use it for devices that are compatible with S60 Widget, such as N78 and N95. See here for the list of supported devices.

As announced on the official Google Mobile Blog, Picasa Web Album is now customized for S60. It still runs on Web browser but with AJAX touch; so the usability is much better.

For more information about the features of this customized version, read the posting on the official Google Mobile Blog.

 

If you want to visit Picasa Web Album from your S60, use the following bar code.

Bonus Links

• Official Google Mobile Blog: Picasa now customized for Nokia S60 and translated into 36 languages
• Voice of S60: Interview with Petteri Koponen and Joe Walnes from Google Web Picasa team

It’s almost one year since I reviewed VoIP applications for S60. Recently, that "old" posting got a lot of hits because of a link from Symbian Guru (thanks to dotsisx). Since there have been a few changes in the last one year, I would like to revisit that posting.

Gizmo

Gizmo is one of the most popular SIP applications. It is available on many different platforms, including Windows, Max, Linux, and now S60. There is a Java application for S60 available at Gizmo5.com. However I do NOT recommend it. I would recommend the native Gizmo application. You can download it from Nokia Beta Labs -> so it is still in beta phase.

Visit Nokia Beta Labs to download Gizmo for S60

Truphone

Truphone used to be my favourite VoIP application. It is integrated seamlessly with the Contacts application. As you can see from the screenshot below, I can just select Options | Internet call in the Contacts application.

One feature that I like from Truphone is the ability to switch between networks automatically. For example, when you are at home, it connects to your home’s WiFi network; when you are at the office, it connects to your office’s WiFi network; when you are somewhere else, it connects to your 3G network.

Visit Truphone Web site and register and download the application

EQO

EQO uses different approach than other applications. It uses cellular network to route VoIP call. In other words, you make a normal cellular network to EQO server, which then performs direct your call via VoIP network. It might be beneficial in some cases. For example, you don’t have WiFi network and don’t want to pay an expensive data call.

Another nice feature from EQO is that it supports many Instang Messaging networks, including MSN, Yahoo and Google Talk.

Visit EQO Web site and register and download the application

Skype

Skype was the pioneer in VoIP application. It is remain one of the most popular VoIP applications. It is available on several different platforms; recently it adds S60 to the supported platform. Since it is pretty new and still in beta phase, there are still some bugs.

Point your mobile browser to http://www.skype.com/m to download Skype for S60

fring

fring was probably the first S60 application that offers a "true" VoIP call. Before that, there were some VoIP services that uses GSM network, such as EQO.

Just like Truphone, fring allows you to specify access points group. It means it will switch the network automatically depending on where you are.

One thing to note that fring does not have its own network to do VoIP call. It uses other network, such as Skype, Gizmo and some other SIP providers. It also supports many IM networks (see screenshot below).

Visit fring Web site to register and download the application

Yeigo

Thanks to archimides who has left a comment on my previous posting about Yeigo. I haven’t really used it heavily, but it looks like a nice application and easy to use.

Point your mobile browser to http://www.yeigo.com/downloads to download Yeigo

Others

Besides all the applications above, there are also some Java applications, such as Nimbuzz and Talkonaut. There might be some other applications that I haven’t covered yet. There are simply too many VoIP applications these days. I am not sure whether all of them will make money. IMO, many of them will just disappear in the next couple of years. There will be only a few of them that will survive.

Recommendation

• If you are looking for VoIP application that is integrated with Contacts application, use Gizmo or Truphone.
• If you are looking for VoIP application that supports Instant Messaging, use fring or EQO.
• If you don’t have WiFi-enabled phone or have no unlimited data plan, use EQO.

Bonus Link

• Looking for A VoIP Application For Your S60 (Symbian-Guru.com)

Update (9-July-2008): NSU now officially supports Windows Vista. See announcement here.

Update (12-June-2008): If your NSU crashes while updating the firmware, try the tip from other posting. In most cases, the update should work (but I cannot guarantee).

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a posting about how to update firmware on Windows Vista using Nokia Software Updater (NSU). The tip works for a couple of weeks before Nokia released an updated version of NSU that doesn’t work at all on Windows Vista. What to do now? Waiting for Nokia released the next version of Windows Vista? Looking for a PC with Windows XP?

One of the readers of this blog, Harris, recently posted a comment on how to run NSU on Windows Vista. Here is the summary:

• Right click the NSU shortcut on Windows Desktop or Start menu and click Properties.
• Select Compatibility tab.
• Enable Run this program in compatibility mode for check box. Select Windows XP (Service Pack 2). This will run NSU in Windows XP mode.

• Now you should be able to run NSU on Windows Vista. If NSU crashes at the beginning of firmware update, try my previous tip.

WARNING: Since NSU on Windows Vista is NOT officially supported by Nokia, use this tip at your own risk! I am not responsible for any damage on your phone.

(Via Nokia Conversations.)

This is not a game for S60 device, but on your PC (Web browser). Why am I posting it here? This is actually a promotional game (and video) created for Nokia N-Gage platform.

Click here to play the game (http://http://www.get-out-and-play.com/)

When you click the URL, you will see an introductory video showing the largest Snakes game simulated with around 1000 people. The video itself is pretty amazing (see below). After the video, you will be presented with the Human Breakout game.