Mobile Skype

I found out that N810 is able to offer mobile skype for me. My BT handsfree is paired to N810, which is coonected to internet by BT enabled 3G phone. This combination offered me total mobile skype, while driving around Helsinki. Voice quality was ok, even 3G handover was couple of times problematic. But staying still, phone locked to 3G network - everything worked.

I think this might be one of the reasons why Maemo does not hit phones real soon, too much superior functionality which breaks barriers of current carriers.

N800 is here

Yes, my present arrived early this year.. I've been now playing with N800 a lot and I must say it's a wonderful device. Blogging, forums and skype, along with IM is finaly mobile.

Nokia has finally a vision in here, let there be more Maemo devices soon!

Switch from Sonera to Elisa

Yes, yesterday I proceed to switch my personal GSM subscribe from Sonera to Elisa. Main reason for me was fixed price data packet.

I almost got hold of whole family packet, since our GSM usage is rising and I need to find more suitable solution for us. But I backed of in Elisa store, since they almost got me in 2 year contract and that's what I don't like. Things for Elisa (and also to others who sell these 2 year contracts + phone):

1. I don't like prices like 33,90 €. Make it 34 if you need.
2. If I ask, how to terminate 2 year contract after year or so, please answer correctly. Now answer was like "you don't kind of terminate it..." or "you are obligated to this 2 years'..
3. If you try to explain me, how it's more profitable for me to get this phone free along with contract - don't expect user to be silly, Elisa is not giving free phones away - there is catch for this always.

So, for now we go without 2 year contract.

Plans for N810

I've been planning a lot to acquire Nokia N810. As my employee N800 has convinced me that this is the way to go (rather than E90) - I am seriously thinking getting this one for personal use.

I do really like N800 concept, with keyboard it could do even more. GPS is of course nice, along with decent memory capacity for MP3 storage. So we'll see.

I've been reading a few questions from Internet tablet talks forum that there are people with issues around N810 GPS. My personal opinion is the fact that Nokia should have told users with much more detail information what is principle for GPS and what are things what not to do with it, unless peoples are unaware limitations of GPS technology and get frustrated.

Since I've been playing with GPS technology from 1991, I try to share near future few points with you.

Stable 3G

While I am spending holiday season preparations in car with my E90, I wonder how 2G - 3G switching is so anoying. If I have dual mode selected, E90 shows full signal strengh for 3G, but as soon as I start web browser, phone selects 2G connection.

Why it is doing this?

And as I tested, making E90 to use only 3G in settings - everything works nicely and 3G is stable and fast. Any facts behind this?

Navicore and Nokia Maps

As I yesterday evening got urgent call to reach unknown address, I came aware that there are multiple solutions for navigation which I have bought and therefore they should be usable for this situation:

1. Company Tom Tom was in office, out of reach
2. Nokia MAPS works on my E90, but I am unable to buy navigation license due sim restriction which our company has.
3. Navicore Europe just says "Cannot activate license in 14 days" when I swiched my E61i to E90 (once again).

So plenty of solutions, but all of them totally unusable in this case. But, once again - Google surprises me positively. I have downloaded new google maps for my E90 and it includes great navigation feature as well. It's kind of manual, you have to step those navigation points, but it works great with on board GPS of E90.

Once again, I have to give my vote to google for this great service. I wish Nokia and others could learn something from this. Google has special way to deliver first great user experience, while nokias focus is in billing experience.

Our business

I know. It should not be easy and it will never be. But my private plans are moving forward a lot. This includes company we established in September 2007. We have build up lot of experience and things to do for the future.

I try to blog issues around this small business, as things proceed.

Mobile data is growing

I knew it. Sonera is in trouble with their ancient way to build up 3G/GPRS data packets. Finnish communication authority (Ficora) published their study (in Finnish) and mobile data grew a lot.

So, our family is moving towards elisa and fixed data prices. I've already done that with two business subscriptions from Elisa. 3G packet with 384 kbit/s speed limit is 9,95€/month. I think it's reasonable and for our business use more than enough.

I wish Nokia could keep up with the pace, since E90 struggle is something very special from their side and as demand for mobile IP is gaining, manufacturers should be able to keep up with the pace.