This unlocked quad-band Nokia 5530 GSM phone is compatible with 850/900/1800/1900 frequencies. (Note: The phone works with GSM only carriers which include T-Mobile and AT&T in the USA and appears to only support GPRS/EDGE – no 3G data). For an unlocked phone with digital audio and video features this is not a bad deal. Couple it with the new T-Mobile plans that let you bring your own phone to non-contract rates – and you get the best of both worlds with a non-contract plan and a cool (if not the speediest) Nokia phone.

The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is a compact XpressMusic device that uses a touch interface for accessing people and content on the brilliantly clear homescreen. The ’scrolling’ contacts bar provides direct access to 20 people and their latest conversations and media updates. The homescreen also features one touch shortcuts to content and popular social networks. The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic follows in the footsteps of the top-rated Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, expanding the touch XpressMusic phone range with a youthful device that has a solid stainless steel frame finish.

The innovative ‘people carousel’ features thumbnail images of up to 20 close friends and provides easy access to them and their communications history including emails, phone calls, photos or other social media updates. The Nokia 5530 XpressMusic also features the pop-up media bar so music, photos, videos, Internet and on-line sharing applications.

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic Unlocked Touchscreen Smartphone – $184.99 via GearSponsor Logicbuy

Have your heart set on a Nokia Booklet 3G? It’s now reported that Best Buy has confessed to being the exclusive US reseller of this snazzy netbook. There’s still nothing firm about how much it will cost or when you can buy. Earlier indications (aka rumors) had this being priced anywhere from $600 to $800 but since there’s a wireless 3G modem in the tank a carrier subsidy could come into play further lowering costs. If you don’t catch it at Best Buy for $800 there’s always Woot! in two months where many funky Netbooks with 1GB of non-expandable RAM soldered to the motherboard invariably turn up for $199 on closeout.

Crunchgear and Slashgear

I love casinos, but I am terrible at gambling. Flashing lights, lots of bars, video games; essentially casinos are just a grown-up version of the boardwalk arcades from my childhood. Of course, my problem is that I don’t understand how to gamble; I just tap screens, pull levers, and pretend I understand how poker works until I run out of money. Luckily, Astraware Casino for Symbian offers many of those games with virtual money; we’ll be taking a look at this versatile game set today.

Continue Reading

photo credit: Victor Svensson

I first touched an iPhone in late July of 2007. I was immediately taken with this revolutionary device, and within a few days had one of my own. Like many I found the iPhone to be revolutionary. I initially got the iPhone, planning to use it as my “recreational” device by using a windows mobile handheld for work. Within a week of getting the iPhone however, it was the only device I was using in my windows mobile handheld was on eBay. Its impact on my computing life was remarkable, and with each new version of the operating system it became less and less a “smart phone” and more and more a handheld computer. When the App Store opened a little over a year ago the mobile space was changed forever.

So enamored of the iPhone was I, that for a year I owned and operated an iPhone application review site. When I left that site to put the entirety of my blogging attention here on Gear Diary, I came on board as one of the resident Apple-dedicated site members (aka “crazy fan-boys”). The overwhelming majority of my posts initially focused on iPhone apps and accessories, as well as Mac news and applications.

Over the past few months I have become increasingly disillusioned with some of the moves that Apple has made. Moreover, I have grown increasingly concerned that Apple’s insistence upon total control over the App Store and the device itself, not to mention their often shoddy treatment of developers may in the long run damage the growth and usability of the platform. Add to that my decision to move to Google Voice, and relying exclusively on the iPhone became increasingly problematic for me. Yes, I own both of the “offending” Google Voice applications that Apple unceremoniously pulled but even they don’t fully integrate with the device due to the core limitations Apple has imposed. Even in the best circumstances Google Voice has to initiate the call, call me back, and then connect.  It’s Obnoxious.

All of this led me on a search for a possible alternative device. Half a dozen devices were purchased and returned in short order, but finally – a week ago – I came upon one that is a keeper. Here’s my journey away from full-fledged iPhone-maniac to gasp… joining the ranks of the Blackberry addicts.
Continue Reading

Last week we did not know if the N900 was coming to the US, and now we do.  I was checking my feeds at lunch and saw that Brighthand has indeed posted that the N900 is available for pre-order in the US for $650.  I assume that this is a unlocked version, as the Nokia site lists no carrier.  There are unconfirmed reports that T-Mobile may be carrying this as well, so you may be able to get it for less than $650. But only time will tell…

I recently posted about my love/hate relationship with the Nokia E71x. It’s gotten a bit more contentious lately, due to various and mysterious software issues. Calendar entries that refuse to accept date changes, programs that freeze repeatedly, games that malfunction…it has been frustrating to say the least.

Cue Nokia PC Suite and their backup suite. My first thought was that perhaps a backup and then full restore might smooth out the quirks, plus it would provide an excellent test of the backup system. If that did not fix my issues, I could reset the phone, rebuild it, and then back up my “clean” setup. I’ve done this before on Windows Mobile phones, iPhones and Palm OS devices and have never had a major issue…until now.

PC Suite backed everything up without a hitch. I followed the convoluted hard reset instructions, looked up the code to authorize the reset, and the phone was wiped. I plugged it back in, started up PC Suite, and set up a restore from my backup; it threw out that an error occurred, but the log didn’t list anything. And now roughly 1/3 of my programs are MIA, mail for exchange isn’t working, and I have no idea what else has/has not carried over. Easily the most disastrous backup I’ve ever used.

Any thoughts from the Symbian experts out there? I’m about to drop  kick my phone across the room, so any tips or calming words would be helpful. And let this serve as a warning to anyone else…make sure you carefully investigate any backup system before you attempt anything drastic, and keep careful records of important data in case something goes awry!

The recently announced Nokia entry into computing was shown today to those attending Nokia World. The Nokia Booklet 3G is a Netbook with an embedded 3G cellular modem slated to run Windows 7. With an Atom Z530 CPU, 10.1 inch display and 120GB drive the specs most closely match those of current Netbooks. Unfortunately I see a big problem with the 1GB of RAM that is soldered down to the motherboard which will make expandability a difficult if not impossible task. Cost is also expected to be $818 which if true will likely price this out of the market for all but the most curious Nokia fanatic.

Nokia Blog

I’ve long been a fan of the Nokia N Series Maemo tablets.  Now Nokia has done it again with the new N900, and it is finally a phone as well!  The N900 has 32 GB of internal storage with a microSD slot.  It also has GPS/A-GPS, FM transmitter, TV-out, Bluetooth 2.1, WiFi, 1320mAh battery, and a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual-LED flash.  It will have 1 GB of RAM for running applications on the ARM Cortex-A8 processor, and it will support OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration.  The N900 will be running the new Maemo 5 Linux based OS that has worked well on the previous devices, and it will support the 1700 MHz band – which means those who are on T-Mobile can get 3G connectivity here in the US.  This has been what Maemo fans have been asking for a long time!

The N900 will be displayed in Nokia World, Stuttgart,Germany on September 2 for those who can make it.

Pricing is around €500 unsubsidized, which brings it around $700.  No word on when US carriers will pick it up, but I certainly hope they do.

From: jkOnTheRun, Engadget and Nokia.

Here’s an interesting bit of news. Apparently Nokia is slated to unveil a wirelessly connected 2.7 lb mini-laptop. This Atom processor based computer will sport a 10.1-inch display as well as integrated 3G wireless and a hot-swappable SIM card. Early reports are that it will have Windows 7, integrated A-GPS (assisted GPS) and a copy of Ovi Maps, HDMI video output, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a claimed 12 hour battery life. No word yet on whether applications for this mini-laptop will have to be submitted to App store committee or if you’ll be able to load them directly to the device (that was a joke).

Nokia via Engadget

Since late May, my main phone has been a Nokia E71x. It is my first Symbian phone, but I owned Nokia feature phones before and had good memories of them, so I was quite excited to get to know a smarter, fancier Nokia. I’d read good things about Symbian as well as bad ones. Universally, the hardware was praised, but the software reception was a good more lukewarm. My E71x and I have good days and bad days; last week I was ready to sing its praises to the world, this week I’m a bit more annoyed and seem to be seeing nothing but its flaws. Nokia has been trying harder to muscle into the North American market, most recently by offering some incredible deals on AT&T. So I thought it would be helpful to share the good and the bad sides of my Symbian experience.

Continue Reading

In the market for an unlocked Nokia? Dell Small Business has this Nokia 5800 XpressMusic 3G (Quad band GSM – WCDMA (UMTS) / GSM 850/900/1800/1900) for only $224.99 after $120 instant discount and a 10% coupon (expires 8/20/09). This model features a 3.2″ touchscreen, 260 x 640px, accelerometer, 3G/UMTS, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and a 3.2 Megapixel autofocus camera.

Nokia 5800

I reviewed Sherpa yesterday.  While it was very good, it was slow as molasses.  Where GPS, or what most of my friends just call Where, is an app that does a lot of what Sherpa does and more.  It does it very fast.

At the core, Where utilities your phone’s GPS in almost every aspect of it’s operation.  You can manually change to any location by entering in a Zip code, so you can use this for trip planning as well.  When you first launch Where, it asks if you are still where you were the last time you ran it.  It’s at this point that you can use the GPS to find your location or enter a zip to get information.  The nice thing about doing this upfront is it will not tax your battery as much as if it had to get a fix every time you tap.  Continue Reading

This Nokia E75 is available right now via the Dell Home web site for $285 ( $144 off the normal price of $429). You’ll receive a 4GB MicroSD card with this device which is running Symbian OS 9.3 / Series 60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2. Because the phone is unlocked you can pop in any active SIM from a GSM based carrier supporting 850/900/1800/1900 GSM frequencies. Bluetooth 2.0 EDR is supported as is Wi-Fi via 802.11 b/g. Not a bad price for a phone that also packs a 3.2 MP camera.

Dell Nokia E75 – $285

It’s inevitable…you’re sitting on your couch, relaxing with your tivo and your xbox…when you realize you need to <gasp> go outside! But what is the weather like? How will you know whether to wear your crocs or your docs? You could get up and go outside, but that takes effort. Luckily for you, Epocware has the excellent utility Handy Weather so you can check the weather from your Symbian phone before you have to leave the couch. Continue Reading

I’ve recently become a convert to the Symbian OS. It has been a lot of fun to learn the ins and outs of a new system, especially one that approaches things like Symbian does. Nokia’s flavor of Symbian feels more phone oriented, with the PDA aspects tacked on as almost an afterthought. While this can be tweaked around a bit, the place it is felt most acutely is on the “Active Standby” screen (essentially the Symbian version of a Today Screen). The only major option if you want something that offers up more power is if you look to Epocware and their Active Standby replacement, Handy Shell.

Continue Reading