Nokia N8 Megathread

rickyjb · 15-03-2011 12:19AM

ncc1699 wrote: »

@ncc1699: careful with that notifications widget, I don't think there's any way to uninstall it!!

Ok thanks for the letting me know, It was already pre-installed on my widget catalog and I've been able to remove it from my main screen and replace it with another widget so I think I'm ok.[/QUOTE]

So just removing it from widgets means that you get proper text/missed calls notfications again?

ncc1699 · 15-03-2011 12:29PM

rickyjb wrote: »

Ok thanks for the letting me know, It was already pre-installed on my widget catalog and I've been able to remove it from my main screen and replace it with another widget so I think I'm ok.

So just removing it from widgets means that you get proper text/missed calls notfications again?[/QUOTE]

Yeah I just tested it. I removed the notifications widget and replaced it with the previous shortcut widgets that were there before I made the change. I sent a test text message from another phone and I rang as well and it's reverted to it's old format of displaying details of a received text message or missed call but no actual contact details. I've changed it back now to the notifications widget as I think this is better

rickyjb · 15-03-2011 02:34PM

Thanks. I'm more likely to notice it if it's a proper notification on the main screen. Maybe the problem was I had no room for the widget on my main home screen and wasn't checking the other one enough. Either way I was just using the tiny one in the top corner all the time which was annoying me.

ncc1699 · 15-03-2011 02:43PM

rickyjb wrote: »

Thanks. I'm more likely to notice it if it's a proper notification on the main screen. Maybe the problem was I had no room for the widget on my main home screen and wasn't checking the other one enough. Either way I was just using the tiny one in the top corner all the time which was annoying me.

I see what you mean, I have the notifications widget taking up one whole section on the main screen so instead of 4 shortcuts it's just one shortcut so text and phone notifications stick out fairly well. Thanks for the warning though!

g0g · 17-03-2011 06:20PM

Has anyone ever come across this problem with the gmail mobile program. When I click the icon I get a message saying "Application start-up failed" and an OK or Details button under it. If I click OK it just shuts the application. If I click Details I get a long string of messages starting with "Unhandled exception: java.lang.NullPointerException at java.lang.String" etc....

Resetting the phone doesn't sort it. It happened a few weeks ago and a reinstall of the application sorted it. However, that process is really annoying especially re-signing into two accounts with passwords etc.

Some googling has produced no solutions other than telling me that it's some sort of java problem which I had kinda guessed from the error message!:pac:

Any thoughts/help/ideas much appreciated!

Davy · 17-03-2011 06:24PM

Could you not use mobile documents or similar instead?

In saying that, I have the gmail app and dont get any errors with it. I dont use it though, as mobile documents is better

jeremyr62 · 18-03-2011 12:25PM

If you mean using Gmail through the Mail icon (it says Mail at the top of the screen) then it seems to work OK for me. I haven't had any problems apart from Mail for Exchange in the same programme failing. A delete mailbox and re-add sorted that out.

SachaJ · 20-03-2011 10:39AM

Now that the phone has been out quite a while, how do people rate it? Primarily I'm after a phone with excellent call and signal power. I'm currently using a Desire HD and was very surprised how bad the call quality was compared to my old E71. Hence I'm thinking another Nokia as my next phone.

Read a review of the N8 and it sounded fantastic until I read a lot of the issues in this thread. Previous to the N8, I was thinking about the E7 but was left disappointed with no card slot and the loss of the FM transmitter. Never considered an FM transmitter before but would be great as my car has no aux-in for an mp3 player.

So my list of priorities are (in order):

1) Call quality and signal strength
2) Texts
3) Hardware keyboard over software one
4) Good battery life
5) Email (In: pop. Out: smtp)
6) Browsing/Internet and so would prefer something HSUPA capable
7) Social media (Twitter, FB etc)
8) Would love the possibility of a Wi-Fi hotspot

Is the N8 worth getting will all the issues that seem to be coming up in this thread?

KrisW · 20-03-2011 01:39PM

So my list of priorities are (in order):

1) Call quality and signal strength

Absolutely excellent. There's nothing better on the market for call quality. The N8 is the first phone I've got where people on the other end of the call have asked me what I was using, then commented on how good it was.

Signal strength very good, but no phone works in a blackspot

2) Texts

Pretty Good. Conversation view is present, but not as nicely done as iPhone (picture messages aren't shown in-line).

3) Hardware keyboard over software one

N8 has no hardware keyboard. Swype (free download) provides a good alternative to the built-in soft keyboard. There's no QWERTY keyboard in portrait orientation (but this is coming in a couple of weeks).

4) Good battery life

Yes. A little bit better than the Desire, but not much: 2 days is your realistic limit; three if you start turning off things to save power.

5) Email (In: pop. Out: smtp)

Good email support, but not the most elegant to set up or use. I wouldn't compose many mails on the phone, but it can read just about anything. Improved client due in a couple of weeks by software update.
Third-party app "Mobile Documents" looks good as a replacement email client.

6) Browsing/Internet and so would prefer something HSUPA capable

Connectivity is excellent: N8 has both HSUPA, HSDPA and 802.11n/g/b WiFi. However, the built-in browser is middling to poor. Opera Mobile is better, but lacks multi-touch. All round, neither are as good as the browser you have in your Desire.
YouTube in particular is limited to lower-quality videos (240p), due to use of Flash Lite (your Desire uses Flash 10, which is a desktop-standard system).

7) Social media (Twitter, FB etc)

Good built-in client that combines Twitter and Facebook. Excellent third-party Twitter clients (TwimGo, Gravity, Socially), and good FB clients(Kasvopus, Socially).

8) Would love the possibility of a Wi-Fi hotspot

Not built-in, but free download app JoikuSpot Lite allows you to do this. The paid version allows you to do this with access control

Is the N8 worth getting will all the issues that seem to be coming up in this thread?

From your priorities, your biggest problems will be the lack of a hard keyboard, and the awkward email and web clients.

SachaJ · 20-03-2011 02:07PM

KrisW wrote: »

Absolutely excellent. There's nothing better on the market for call quality. The N8 is the first phone I've got where people on the other end of the call have asked me what I was using, then commented on how good it was.

Signal strength very good, but no phone works in a blackspot

Pretty Good. Conversation view is present, but not as nicely done as iPhone (picture messages aren't shown in-line).

N8 has no hardware keyboard. Swype (free download) provides a good alternative to the built-in soft keyboard. There's no QWERTY keyboard in portrait orientation (but this is coming in a couple of weeks).

Yes. A little bit better than the Desire, but not much: 2 days is your realistic limit; three if you start turning off things to save power.

Good email support, but not the most elegant to set up or use. I wouldn't compose many mails on the phone, but it can read just about anything. Improved client due in a couple of weeks by software update.
Third-party app "Mobile Documents" looks good as a replacement email client.

Connectivity is excellent: N8 has both HSUPA, HSDPA and 802.11n/g/b WiFi. However, the built-in browser is middling to poor. Opera Mobile is better, but lacks multi-touch. All round, neither are as good as the browser you have in your Desire.
YouTube in particular is limited to lower-quality videos (240p), due to use of Flash Lite (your Desire uses Flash 10, which is a desktop-standard system).

Good built-in client that combines Twitter and Facebook. Excellent third-party Twitter clients (TwimGo, Gravity, Socially), and good FB clients(Kasvopus, Socially).

Not built-in, but free download app JoikuSpot Lite allows you to do this. The paid version allows you to do this with access control

From your priorities, your biggest problems will be the lack of a hard keyboard, and the awkward email and web clients.

Great - thanks a million for that. It seems agreat phone by all accounts but there seems to be quite a few issues in the last 10 pages or that some wouldn't expect from such a high end device. But then again, all phones have issues.

What is the speaker volume like? The Desire and HD have been piss poor when trying to take calls in the car.

shadowninty · 20-03-2011 03:03PM

YouTube app quality has nothing to do with flash

SachaJ · 20-03-2011 03:27PM

Have to say I'm liking the N8 more and more. I assume it can also be charged through the MicroUSB port?

So the question is.... N8 or wait for the E7? I presume the software on each unit will be the same, just a matter of hardware (N8: FM Transmitter, MicroSD vs E7: Hardware Keyboard, Higher Res Screen, Faster CPU (?))? I'm thinking N8 tbh.

shadowninty · 20-03-2011 03:43PM

E7 has much lower pixel density than N8 due to same resolution screen, same processor and worse camera
Of course both can be charged via USB

SachaJ · 20-03-2011 10:18PM

Soooo.... where's the best place to buy the N8? I'm currently thinking of going SIM free and so Pixmania (€338 ex VAT) is coming is cheapest over Clove (€360 ex VAT) and Expansys (€376 ex VAT). Prices so not include shipping.

KrisW · 21-03-2011 01:08PM

Soooo.... where's the best place to buy the N8? I'm currently thinking of going SIM free and so Pixmania (€338 ex VAT) is coming is cheapest over Clove (€360 ex VAT) and Expansys (€376 ex VAT). Prices so not include shipping.

I've used Expansys before with no problems. Pixmania sent me a French-language product manual last time I ordered, and never resolved the problem, but other than that were fine. Clove, I've never heard of. I've also used Phonesonline.ie last year, but their price of €395 (ex VAT) isn't great.

I lucked out.. got a SIM-free, unbranded handset when I switched to eMobile last November

There's very little crapware on the operator handsets, but there will be a delay in getting firmware updates. My unbranded phone had access to the last update within 3 days; my wife's O2-locked one took over a month, but at least it did get released.

SachaJ · 21-03-2011 01:13PM

KrisW wrote: »

I've used Expansys before with no problems. Pixmania sent me a French-language product manual last time I ordered, and never resolved the problem, but other than that were fine. Clove, I've never heard of. I've also used Phonesonline.ie last year, but their price of €395 (ex VAT) isn't great.

I lucked out.. got a SIM-free, unbranded handset when I switched to eMobile last November

There's very little crapware on the operator handsets, but there will be a delay in getting firmware updates. My unbranded phone had access to the last update within 3 days; my wife's O2-locked one took over a month, but at least it did get released.

I'm thinking of SIM free as I'll be returning my HD to Three for a full refund and the €10 a month cheaper contract will nearly pay for the phone over 18 months. I just don't fancy being tied into another 18 month contract even though I plan to keep the phone that long.

MackDeToaster · 21-03-2011 02:58PM

fyi - there's a crowd in the Galway Corbett Court shopping centre, fonez.ie, who sell the N8 for 399 unlocked.

SachaJ · 21-03-2011 03:45PM

MackDeToaster wrote: »

fyi - there's a crowd in the Galway Corbett Court shopping centre, fonez.ie, who sell the N8 for 399 unlocked.

Interesting.....

Italia · 21-03-2011 07:22PM

I've purchased from Clove technology in the UK before. Bought my sim free N97. Cheaper by almost €120 compared to other sites here in Ireland, even after delivery was added. Came with a few freebies thrown in.
1st class service all round. 2nd day delivery in Dublin - ordered on Monday, had the phone in my hand on Wed 11:00am.
I didn't get my N8 from them only because I managed to get an unbranded / sim-free one from Vodafone.

jimmynokia · 21-03-2011 07:41PM

Clove claim to have the E7 in stock interesting that

SachaJ · 21-03-2011 08:51PM

jimmynokia wrote: »

Clove claim to have the E7 in stock interesting that

Says 1st stock due 26th April.

http://www.clove.co.uk/nokia-e7

SachaJ · 21-03-2011 08:52PM

Italia wrote: »

I've purchased from Clove technology in the UK before. Bought my sim free N97. Cheaper by almost €120 compared to other sites here in Ireland, even after delivery was added. Came with a few freebies thrown in.
1st class service all round. 2nd day delivery in Dublin - ordered on Monday, had the phone in my hand on Wed 11:00am.
I didn't get my N8 from them only because I managed to get an unbranded / sim-free one from Vodafone.

Bought from Clove a couple of times and found them very good. Was just wondering had anyone seen it cheaper than Pixmania/Expansys/Clove

kmart6 · 21-03-2011 09:57PM

jimmynokia wrote: »

Clove claim to have the E7 in stock interesting that

Why's that interesting?! You had one didn't you....

dr ro · 21-03-2011 11:31PM

minor upgrade available. Iplayer, anyone know about it

kirving · 22-03-2011 12:39AM

Yeah, got that. Don't think it'll apply to us really unless you've got a UK IP address and are having DRM problems with iPlayer.

PR1.1 for Meteor Product Code 059D7X4 out tommorow appparenly...

kmart6 · 22-03-2011 02:07AM

Ye still don't have PR1.1 yet?!

N1one · 22-03-2011 09:24AM

Anyone any idea when the PR1.1 update for 3 is released?

MackDeToaster · 22-03-2011 12:03PM

Latest Opera browsers have been released, go to m.opera.com
The full version now supports text reflow and pinch to zoom, I haven't tried Mini.
Absolutely loving it and couldn't really care about Pr2 now, which also might be delayed a bit more if some of the blogs are to be believed.

rickyjb · 22-03-2011 12:30PM

Kevin Irving wrote: »

Yeah, got that. Don't think it'll apply to us really unless you've got a UK IP address and are having DRM problems with iPlayer.

PR1.1 for Meteor Product Code 059D7X4 out tommorow appparenly...

About f*****g time!

Maybe now I'll be able to have a call log that remembers past yesterday and my phone won't freeze every time i use swype/turn the screen sideways/snooze an alarm/plug it in to charge/look at it sideways etc...

MackDeToaster · 22-03-2011 02:21PM

rickyjb wrote: »

About f*****g time!

Maybe now I'll be able to have a call log that remembers past yesterday and my phone won't freeze every time i use swype/turn the screen sideways/snooze an alarm/plug it in to charge/look at it sideways etc...

I didn't have any of those problems on Pr1.0. Is your phone locked to a provider ? You could download a generic Euro firmware via Navifirm and flash with Phoenix, that way you don't have to be stuck with some buggy branded piece of operator crap.

Nokia N8 Megathread

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