Ramkumar K R

I had earlier posted list of Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic Tube Apps few days back. Those are the ones I am using on my tube.

In the same list I had mentioned about the GMail for Mobile app which is being used in my Nokia 5800. ‘Gmail for Mobile’ is a Java based gmail client in nokia 5800 provided by Google. Well this post says ‘Official GMail Mobile for Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic ‘Tube”, dont take me wrong, GMail for Mobile do not have a specific version for Nokia 5800, instead the one available (version 2.0.6 when I write this post) is compatible with Nokia 5800 tube as well!

Following is the snapshot of my login screen I posted earlier, but had mentioned that it is not properly a fit for Nokia 5800 since it had the gaming control buttons on GMail for Mobile screen and it was seeming as if this app is not exactly suitable for Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic.

Well I was too early into my conclusions, which I would like to correct here. Following is the snapshot of same app without those ugly looking buttons. Isn’t it looking better?

GMail for Mobile is available for download at http://m.google.com/mail, when you open this link on your mobile browser. Open this link on your Nokia 5800’s own browser, download and install the app.

Once you install the app, go to Settings > Application Manager > Installed App. On the list of applications, locate GMail for Mobile you just installed. Highlight it (select by touching with your finger once), then on the Options menu, open ‘Suite Settings’. This opens a list of application settings for the app on your ‘Tube’. Switch off ‘On-screen keyboard’, to remove those buttons as in my first snap from the application screen.

Now start GMail for Mobile app, you will get a full screen view of the application. You can further customize the app by opening settings inside the application. Select larger fonts for a better menu and readability.

Post your comments !

Well, I saw someone asking this question somewhere, so this post !

On the main menu on Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic, you might have seen a section called ‘Download’, This section is provided by Nokia to share useful softwares which can be used in the host mobile phone.

Following is a snapshot of the Nokia 5800 main menu, this screenshot is taken by using ScreenSnap.

On exploring the download section (You would need an internet connection to use the ‘Download’. If your mobile service provider has provided this option, its fine, else use the wifi option on the phone to connect to your home wireless network), one can find useful downloads such as applications, images, videos etc.

Go to the application section (your phone will take few minutes to refresh content from internet, this is normal, leave the phone to refresh content), you can see something like below.

Install the Zip application as well as other ones you need. You can now open zip files on your Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic. When you try to open any zip file, this application will do the job of extracting and opening zip file contents in your Nokia 5800 tube !

[UPDATE]

The above post was made when Nokia OVI was not released. After Nokia OVI was released, what you could find under downloads was just the Nokia OVI application.

Do not panic, just download Nokia OVI application, you may be required to create a new OVI account if you do not have one. After installing the app, start the app and search for the Zip application mentioned above. Install the Zip application from OVI, and that’s it you should be able to open zip files in your Nokia 5800 Xpressmusic.

i owned a Nokia 5800 about a month back. This was one among the initial lot of 5800’s which had the earpiece problem, which I got it rectified. Thanks to Nokia care.

Now its something which most of the touchscreen phone users face – scratches on the touchscreen. I did some research to see what others are talking about their touch screen phones (for eg. iphones, Blackberry touchscreens, and HTC), looks like those are less prone to screen scratches from daily use! but not the 5800 which is Nokia’s first entry into the touchscreen section!!

You may think scratches can be avoided with care, but that cannot be always the case. A phone is a phone whether its my old Philips Xenium 1099 or Nokia 5800, it will be used the same way a normal phone will be used, hence (unintentional) wear and tears cannot be 100% avoided.

I used the stylus provided by Nokia as it is mentioned that using ones other than specified by nokia can damage the screen. You cannot always depend upon your fingers to do the job what stylus does. Yesterday I noticed a number of tiny scratches on my phone

Nokia uses a kind of plastic material on the touchscreen whereas the ones used by iphones are told to be a kind of hardened glass, which has of course better scratch resistant power.

The alternative for me to use a scratch guard for my screen, but is that what Nokia wants each of its 5800 usesrs do?

Well, even though I am trying to post all the available mobile applications for Nokia 5800, I don’t feel I will be able to make everything here. But following are some of the apps I have tried in my Nokia 5800XpressMusic and is working great.

1. GMail For Mobile : Well, this one really isn’t specifically built for Nokia 5800, as you can see the UI, but still a great one on a mobile phone to keep updated on your GMail inbox.

2. Google Maps with Latitude : With Google Maps with Latitude, you can share your current location with your closed ones. This uses mix of GPS and your internet connection. You can also see where your friends are, if they have shared your location with you.

3. Fring: You can chat with your GTalk, MSN, Yahoo contacts with Fring. This also provides voice chat with all the above contacts and skype.

4. SymTorrent: This is the bittorrent client for mobile phones including Nokia 5800. Now you dont need a PC to download torrents !

5. ScreenSnap : All these screen shots from my Nokia 5800 is made using ScreenSnap. Just like ‘Print Screen’ on your desktop, you can take screenshots from Nokia 5800 !

6. Opera Mini: Well, Nokia 5800 has a very good browser with flash lite support, but Opera Mini is still a useful browser on low end mobile internet options such as WAP and GPRS. Opera Mini is very faster compared to the built in browser on a really testing low internet speeds.

7. CricInfo Widget: Nokia 5800 supports widgets, and this is a wonderful mobile application for cricket fans like me

8. FaceBook Mobile: This is not a standalone app, but a web application you can use in Nokia 5800. You can be closer to your facebook contacts while on the move ! This uses the buit in web browser.

Last but not the least (for now), here is the snapshot of other apps I have in my my Nokia 5800. The Zip application is really great! You can open Zip files in Nokia 5800!

I am looking forward to expand the list, your feedbacks are much appreciated.

Nokia 5800 is claimed to be the iPhone killer, I own one but I dont feel I am a ‘proud’ owner of it – Reason, I am facing a very typical problem what many other Nokia 5800 users are facing.

The Issue

The initial lot of the phone had defective internal speakers (the earpiece). When on conversation, the volume on the earpiece fluctuates between higher and lower end. You can imagine how frustrating it is to get on with a phone conversation in these situations.

Solution

Nokia admits that it knows about the issue, so you can get it corrected for free when you take the phone to a Nokia care center.

There is a fix provided by someone at youtube, which according to many have solved the issue, but for few, it spoiled their phone completely, damaging the cable connecting the touchscreen.

I didnt want to experiment by following the video above, the phone is new, I wanted to retain the warranty.

Hence I took the phone to Nokia care, where they claimed they fixed the issue (just took an hours time). I checked the voice clarity, it looked okay to me at that time.

Does this completely solve the issue?

Well, I dont really agree…

I bought this phone two weeks ago, didnt realize that I am having a defective set untill I read about similar issues faced by others. I felt it as a network issue at the other end having varying volume levels. I took the phone to a Nokia care centre in Bangalore, that guy admitted that they know this issue and promised me to return the phone in an hour..

I collected the phone and I felt the voice is clearer..

Its 2 more days and I am feeling that the problem hasn’t been completely solved !!

I was a user of Sony Ericsson k750i for last 2 years (and I still use it), this is my first Nokia phone and its not a great first impression so far

[Update !]
I took the phone to the same service centre again, the technician over there was kind enough to check it again. Last time he had re fixed the earpiece which was actually there in the phone. Must be one of the defective lot of earpieces, hence he replaced the earpiece.

Its 3 days on the new earpiece, and so far I feel its fine. Thanks to Nokia Care, but these things seriously can affect reputation of Nokia 5800.

Will post back updates if I have any !