Gadget and Gadget

Touch, Play And Share With Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

2009-12-20T08:49:00.000-08:00

It's touchscreen o'clock for Nokia and the stage is set for the 5800 XpressMusic. Go ahead and touch it. We did and we've got a story to tell.

Now, it's technically not the first time Nokia get their hands dirty with touch screens, but it sure feels they really mean business this time. For Nokia 5800 is not the only story here. The smart platform with the most influential touch receives its first trial by touch. Being the first device running Series 60 5th alone is enough for the 5800 to be remembered by.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic official photos

It's a first try and proceeding with caution is only fair. Nokia 5800 is unthreateningly and unobtrusively positioned in the mid-range and the XpressMusic branding helps share some of that first-S60-touchscreen weight. Still, it's way more than an affordable music-centered handset. The 5800 has a strong and unmistakable Nokia identity and delivers multimedia prowess. So, let's touch, shall we?

Key features:

3.2" 16M-color TFT LCD 16:9 touchscreen display (360 x 640 pixels)
Symbian S60 5th edition
ARM 11 369 MHz CPU, 128 MB of SDRAM memory
3.2 megapixel autofocus camera with dual-LED flash
VGA video recording at 30fps
Dual-band 3G with HSDPA support
Quad-band GSM support
Wi-Fi
Capable GPS receiver and Nokia Maps 2.0 Touch
microSD card memory expansion, ships with an 8GB card
TV out
FM radio with RDS
Bluetooth and USB v2.0
3.5mm standard audio jack
Excellent audio quality
Landscape on-screen virtual QWERTY keyboard
Proximity sensor for screen auto turn-off
Accelerometer sensor for automatic UI rotation and motion-based gaming
Rich retail package
Affordable price
Office document viewer
OVI and MySpace integration (direct image and video uploads)

Main disadvantages:

Limited 3rd party software availability
UI is still immature with somewhat dodgy user experience
Touchscreen sensitivity not the best in the class
No smart dialing
Poor image quality and no GPS geotagging (geotagging is now added via firmware update)
Touch web browser not quite polished
No voice-guided navigation license
No office document editing out-of-the-box
Doesn't charge off microUSB

Now, you're not the only one waiting for Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. A legion of touchscreen phones have been busy delivering more and better, and owning that market. They sure won't be giving Nokia and S60 5th the warmest of welcomes.

At this point, Nokia 5800 may as well be more of a trespasser than a worthy rival. We mean, stealing even the tiniest bit of market off such formidable competition should be a win to savor for every newcomer. And still, we shouldn't be looking at the actual handset alone. Maybe the 5800 isn't make or break for Nokia, but S60 5th should darn well be.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic at ours

We're looking at the first S60 touchscreen. A lot less hoping for the best than preparing for the worst may sound like the right kind of attitude. Because a first try will be measured by just anything that lives and breathes, and has a touchscreen. So, let's see what Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is up against. Just mind you that it's more than just the names of a few handsets - it's generations of touchscreen development.

Apple may be looking down with amused detachment at yet another iPhone-killer wannabe. We guess Nokia 5800 XpressMusic doesn't want that label but it won't escape it. We are talking the market leader against the touch interface pacesetter. Maybe not this time, but this one is worth keeping an eye on in the long run. At this point though, for the price of an unlocked contract-free iPhone 3G you can easily obtain two Nokia 5800 XpressMusic handsets - sounds a bargain, doesn't it?

The Nokia 5800 vs Apple iPhone 3G

Windows Mobile is well into the picture too. Recent HTC models (Diamond, Touch HD) and Samsung i900 Omnia have shown that powerful multimedia is no orphan in the WinMo world. Loads of 3rd party software and cool and nifty UI plug-ins (TouchFLO 3D, TouchWiz) are great assets but the heftier price tag sets them back a bit. The Diamond comes closest to the Nokia, but it's still about 30 euro (40 US dollars) more.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic next to HTC Touch Diamond and Samsung i900 Omnia

LG and Samsung are also quite versed in the ways of touchscreen. Both makers have sizeable touch portfolios, ranging from affordable, non-smart touchscreens to 8 megapixel multimedia monsters. Samsung do boast a bunch of WinMo touch devices too. What's more, the company is keen enough on Symbian too, so that's potentially another "touching" chapter in the rivalry between the top two market-share leaders.

So, obviously the touchscreen game is no joke - it's getting tougher by the minute out there. Let's now check if the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic has what it takes to play along. We just took a peek in the retail package and - boy, are we impressed. Join us on the next page, where cheers roar as the box breaks open.

Retail package: hats off

What's a better way to start a review than a retail package brimming over with goodies. We cannot quite remember a handset to offer this much in the box without getting out-of-reach kind of high-end.

For starters, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic comes with an 8GB memory card - not bad for a sub-300 euro handset. There is also a microUSB cable to use for your data connections, a TV-out cable that normally ships with high-end N-series models only and a two piece handsfree. It's 3.5mm on either end so you can easily replace the provided headset without sacrificing the remote.

The retail package really caught us off guard

And if you're still not impressed, Nokia 5800 won't stop there. That sweet touchscreen needs protection and the carrying case sure comes in handy. Made of rubbery plastic, the case is pleasantly soft to the touch and seems durable enough. Another nice surprise is the desk stand which according to Nokia will also be included in every retail package. Well, we didn't get it so we guess there is some market dependency here.

The carrying case looks pretty nice

It also has an eyelet to attach the spare stylus or the plectrum-shaped alternative. Yep, if stylus ain't your game you're not entirely optionless. Now, for all we know, there's no better substitute for stylus than our very own thumb but we're yet to see about that with Nokia 5800.

The plectrum is an alternative to the stylus

To complete exploring the retail box, we should also mention the mandatory DC charger and the bunch of manuals and quick start guides provided. There is also a mini DVD containing a presentation of the phone features and the required PC sync software.

So far so good - the mid-range Nokia 5800 XpressMusic passed the first test with flying colors but let's see if it can keep the pace through the rest of the review.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic 360-degree spin

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic stands at 111 x 51.7 x 15.5 mm in its full touchscreen shine. That totals a volume of 83cc, which isn't the most compact you get in the class. This however is mainly attributed to the considerable thickness and height.

The weight of 109g is an entirely different story and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic beats almost every other handset in the touchscreen class.

The 15.5 mm girth still isn't too bothersome while the tall and slender build do give the Finnish touchscreen a distinct and recognizable identity. We find it fitting perfectly in hand - and most pockets - but the greatest benefit is the easy single-hand operation.

Design and construction

The elongated body is the most notable design feature of the Nokia touchscreen. The 16:9 display is enough of a rarity - Samsung F490 is probably the only handset to be used as a reference.

The touchscreen form factor leaves little room for variation, and Nokia 5800 XpressMusic looks to build an identity by staying as close as it can to the house styling. So, instead of looking at just another touch phone, you're faced with a handset that's unmistakably and proudly Nokia.

The design is subdued yet fancy

Design and construction (continued)

Up front, the touchscreen is recessed into its frame more than usual, while the hardware keys' styling clearly repeats recent Nseries. The Nseries influence is even more distinct at the rear, but this time the cheap gloss is graciously traded for soft rubbery finish. The color accents on the sides - red or blue - are a nice touch.

The phone is a tad bulkier than we would have liked but still by no means a burden to carry or operate.

The front of the fully touch-operated Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is dominated by the 3.2" touchscreen. Above the display, it's a bit more crowded than usual. What you get there is the tiny cleft of the earpiece, the video-call camera a touch-sensitive Media key and a couple of sensors.

There is quite a lot of stuff at the top

The Media key triggers a drop down menu of shortcuts to media and web. Other than that, an ambient light sensor and a proximity sensor to turn the touchscreen off during calls are squeezed between the earpiece and the front-facing camera.

Below the display we find three slim keys - Call and End knobs, with the menu button in the middle. The call buttons are just a little stiff, with not the best press feedback. The menu key is definitely better in terms of response. A press-and-hold on it launches the task manager - in the long-standing Symbian tradition - to let you easily terminate or switch between running applications .

The three keys below the display

It's quite crowded at the top of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic as well. In the top right corner is the Power key, that also handles ringing profiles. On the opposite end is microUSB port, the charger plug and the 3.5mm standard audio jack in between.

A bunch of jacks are located on top

The microUSB connector is hidden under a protective lid to prevent it from filling up with dust and dirt, while the 3.5mm audio jack is exposed. The possible explanation is the XpressMusic branding, which suggests frequent use of the audio jack.

Unfortunately, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic doesn't charge via the microUSB port.

The right side of Nokia 5800 hosts the volume rocker, the screen-lock switch and the camera key. The screen lock switch is an essential shortcut - the implementation in the 5800 is quite ergonomic and friendly. Locking/unlocking of the screen is marked by a short vibration.

The volume rocker is accompanied by the screen lock switch and the camera key

The volume rocker - serving as a zoom lever too - is quite flat and stiff. The nicely projecting shutter key fares a bit better: it offers a distinct half-press but the overall feel is well short of the soft and responsive camera button of N95

The bottom of the handset features the microphone pinhole and a small groove to place a finger and lift the battery cover up.

The bottom is pretty plain

The lanyard eyelet is all the way down on the left side of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. On the same side you'll find the microSD card slot and the SIM compartment - both covered protective plastic covers. Yep - you got that right - the SIM card gets in and out on the side of the handset.

Two card slots, a lanyard eyelet and the loudspeakers' grills are on the left

But don't get this wrong - it's not hot-swappable or anything. You still need to remove your rear cover and battery. Then you put the stylus in a little hole to push the SIM card out. In fact it's so unusual that they drew a manual on the inside of the battery cover about it.

The last thing to note here are the stereo speakers, marked by small clefts on either end of the phone's left hand side.

The back side of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic features the 3 megapixel autofocus camera, which comes with a dual-LED flash. The other thing of interest here is the stylus which slides smoothly into the back panel.

The stylus slides into the back panel

Removing the battery cover reveals the Nokia 1320 mAh Li-Ion BL-5J battery. Quoted at the impressive 406 hours of standby and 8 hours 45 minutes of talk time it is sure to keep your phone going for quite a while.

The battery is has large enough capacity but the handset is quite power-hungry

The commitment to 35 hours of music playback is something we're more inclined to believe than doubt. But these are of course the maximum values achievable.

The large screen and the power-hungry features like Wi-Fi and GPS can get tough enough on even the most powerful of batteries. In real life scenarios you can be looking at two days of regular use but should be prepared to charge daily if the screen is constantly on and you're hardly giving the handset a break.

The general build-quality of Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is good but the XpressMusic branding does make it hard to expect anything more than decent plastic. The fact of the matter is the first S60 touch handset doesn't get noticed for elaborate exterior. We guess when it's midrange, it's midrange all over. Though we wish the same held true on the high-end too (N96, anyone?).

Here is how Nokia 5800 XpressMusic looks held in hand

Anyway, the exterior gives a nice sturdy impression, which however is ruined by the almost constant unwelcome creaks by the rear cover - the Nokia 5800 looks and feels more like a wobbly slider than a monolith block.

The 5800 dimensions are altogether friendly, and the consistent and identifiable styling will be appreciated by brand loyal users.

An impressive high-res screen

The Communicator series and the exotic 77xx tablets aside, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic 3.2" display is the largest in the Finnish family. The resolution of 360 x 640 pixels is also second to the E90 business monster only. In fact, outside the Windows Mobile realm there isn't any other device to match the display resolution (no - not even the omnipresent iPhone 3G).

So the large and pixel-dense screen, building on the Nokia expertise in displays, grants the 5800 XpressMusic a top spot in the company portfolio. The contrast and brightness are great, although - we have to admit - they are no match for the OLED technology in Nokia N85. But talking about displays, size does count above all.

Unfortunatelly the legibility of the display under direct sunlight is rather poor. It is at about the same level as the HTC Touch Diamond which means that it is rather hard (but not completely impossible) to find a proper angle for working with the phone on a bright sunny day. We guess the interface isn't the only place where Apple have blown the competition away.

The display has remarkable picture quality but poor sunlight legibility

As already mentioned, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic uses a resistive touchscreen as opposed to the capacitive displays in devices like LG Prada and Apple iPhone 3G. This means there's a need for a bit of extra pressure to the screen for a click to be registered. The resistive display technology has the dubious advantage of allowing the use of stylus (and fingers with gloves).

When using the stylus, the 5800 display is absolutely on par with any competing touchscreen. On the other hand, sensitivity to fingers is quite adequate but slightly short of the, say, HTC Touch Diamond, which uses the same touchscreen technology.

Haptic feedback is of course enabled. Vibration intensity is adjustable, with three different levels available.

You might have some trouble getting used to the screen sensitivity at first, but problems will be sorted in a short while of using the phone. Besides if you prefer the stylus (which we certainly don't), it gets even easier.

The plectrum is somewhat of a bogus alternative to the stylus - we mean an alternative would be anything that makes the whole thing more thumbable. The plectrum is just another thing to poke your screen with. Now, we are obviously not the kind to go Jimi Hendrix on our phone. Others might find it cool though.

Practical Use of Open Source Code Software

2009-05-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

As we started the project of our web site, we knew that the proprietary software costs would be too high for our financial resources. Our only option then was to make use of Open Source Code softwares.

However, within the Open Source Code there are lots of softwares to choose from, and it´s up to the system analyst/programmer to pick the ones that best suit the project goals.

In our case, we picked Linux as our operating system. However we faced a big question: Which Linux distribution ? There are dozens of linux distributions, each one with specific advantages, sometimes with or without paid services.

We chose linux Slackware because we thought that it would suit better our needs, in terms of stability and reliability. Slackware is a conservative distribution, meaning that it only offers in its distribution package kernel versions and third party libraries, once it´s been proved to be stable and reliable. As a result, Slackware is one the most stable Linux operating system on the market. If the user wishes the most recent Linux kernel and libraries, we recommend to look for a different distribution.

Another reason for us picking Slackware, was because of its text interface, which at the beginning may become a bit difficult, in the long run however it offers a better understanding of the Linux environment. This way most of Slackware configurations are done thru text scripts.

Once it was set the operating system, we picked Apache as our web server. Apache is one of the most popular web server in the internet. For server programming language, we chose PHP. Also, a very popular programming language. Our experience with Apache/PHP proves that this setup is very reliable, working extremely well in our production environment. For workstation programming language, we chose javascript, which besides of having a simple syntax, it offers lots of resources.

Apache web server is really a complete web server. Also, it can become very complex with many configuration setups.

For our database, we picked Postgresql. This database has been made available to the public for more than 15 years, and besides of being well debugged, it offers so many resources that it has become one of the best database options from Open Source Code softwares. Extremely reliable, Postgresql has reported cases where there have been databases in production with over 4 terabytes. Besides all of that, Postresql is not the most popular Open Source Code database. A matter of marketing ? Probably.

As for the programming language PHP, we had to use an object oriented application structure. There are many PHP application structures being offered with Open Source Code license. Object oriented application is very important, because it makes programming very easy and scalable up to the point where the system may grow without many problems. Also, it helps to keep PHP code separated from HTML, with the help of some specific libraries, such as Smarty. We make use of Smarty library and we believe that it is a very important resource, which can even make web pages faster thru the use of its cache functions.

Also a very important set of libraries worth mentioning for PHP systems, is the PEAR libraries. In PEAR web site, among the many libraries being offered, there are the database interface DB and the MAIL_QUEUE, which sends emails thru the use of database.

As we came to the end of our project, we had to use some sort of real time database replication. For that we chose the DRBD and Heartbeat libraries. The use of database replication is very important and should not be postponed. Just after 3 months our system got into production, our server hard disk became bad. Thru the use of DRBD/Heartbeat we were able to put the system back into production within seconds, without loosing any data. DRBD/Heartbeat replication is done thru the use of a lan network between the server and slave nodes.

Our project also makes use of ImageMagick (enlarge and reduce images), Iptables (firewall), Tsearch2(text search in portgresql) and Mon (linux monitoring tasks).

Also a very important library worth mentioning is the pseudo APC compiler for PHP. Speed is always a critical factor for internet sites.

Our web site is already in production and based upon our experience we can say that the Open Source Code softwares we picked, proved to be extremely reliable and stable. Open Source Code softwares can certainly be an excellent option for developing web sites.

Connect Two Home Computers for File Sharing

2009-05-25T09:55:00.000-07:00

The simplest kind of home network contains exactly two computers. You can use this kind of network to share files, a printer or another peripheral device, and even an Internet connection. To connect two computers for sharing these and other network resources, consider the options described below.

Connecting Two Computers Directly With Cable

The traditional method to network two computers involves making a dedicated link by plugging one cable into the two systems. Several alternatives exist for networking two computers in this manner:

Ethernet crossover cable
Null modem serial cable or parallel peripheral cable
Special-purpose USB cables

Ethernet - Of the above choices, the Ethernet method is preferred as it supports a reliable, high-speed connection with minimal configuration required. Additionally, Ethernet technology offers the most general-purpose solution, allowing networks with more than two computers to be built fairly easily later. If one of your computers possesses an Ethernet adapter but the other has USB, an Ethernet crossover cable can still be used by first plugging a USB-to-Ethernet converter unit into the computer's USB port.

Serial and parallel - This type of cabling, called Direct Cable Connection (DCC) when using Microsoft Windows, offers lower performance but offers the same basic functionality as Ethernet cables. You may prefer this option if you have such cables readily available and network speed is not a concern. Serial and parallel cables are never used to network more than two computers.

USB - Ordinary USB cables must not be used to connect two computers directly to each other. Attempting to do so can electrically damage the computers! However, special USB cables designed for direct connection exist that can be used safely. You may prefer this option over others if your computers lack functional Ethernet network adapters.

To make dedicated connections with Ethernet, USB, serial or parallel cables requires

each computer have a functioning network interface with an external jack for the cable, and
the network settings on each computer appropriately configured

One phone line or power cord cannot be used to directly connect two computers to each other for networking.

Keyboard Shortcuts

2009-05-15T19:00:00.001-07:00

A list of key combinations that can be used to perform special functions. By pressing or holding certain keyboard buttons together you can launch new windows, create shortcuts, and quickly copy and paste files.

Windows key - access Start menu
Windows key + Pause -Open System Properties
Windows key + D - minimise/restore windows
Windows key + F - open Search window
Windows key + F1 - open Help and Support Center
Windows key + E - open Windows Explorer window
Windows key + M - minimise all windows
Windows key + TAB - move through open windows on Taskbar
Windows key + SHIFT + M - restore all windows
Hold CTRL while dragging - make a copy of selected item
Hold CTRL + SHIFT while dragging - make a shortcut to selected item
CTRL + ESC - open Start menu
CTRL + C - Copy
CTRL + X - Cut
CTRL + V - Paste
CTRL + A - Select All
CTRL + Z - Undo
CTRL + B - Bold highlighted text
CTRL + U - Underline highlighted text
CTRL + I - Italicise highlighted text
CTRL + Plus key - incerase browser text size
CTRL + Minus key - decrease browser text size
CTRL + ALT + DELETE - open Task Manager
ALT + underlined letters in menus - open menu item
ALT + Enter - show Properties of selected object
ALT + F4 - close current window or program
CTRL + F4 - close window within program
ALT + TAB - switch between open windows or programs
TAB - move forwards through control items or links in current window
SHIFT + TAB - move backwards through control items or links
ENTER - click selected control item or link
BACKSPACE - move up one folder level
Home- go to start of current line or web page
END - go to end of current line or web page
CTRL + END - go to end of current document
PAGE UP - move up through current document or web page
PAGE DOWN - move down through current document or web page
PRINT SCREEN - take snapshot image of current screen
ALT + PRINT SCREEN - take snapshot image of current window
F2 - rename selected item
F5 - refresh current window or web page
F6 - move through window panes

Your Laptop Screen Breaks? Read This

2009-05-15T18:27:00.000-07:00

What would you do if you laptop drops and it breaks the screen?

First, you need to determine if anything else is broken. Try booting the laptop. If the screen can still create a legible image, you should have no trouble seeing if everything else works. (On the other hand, if you hear a loud scraping noise, turn it off, immediately. That could be your hard drive destroying data.)

If you can't get any image on your screen, try plugging it in to an external monitor. If the screen is the only thing that's damaged, and you're tight on cash, you may want accept that your laptop is now a small desktop.

You can also get the laptop repaired, but be forewarned: Replacing a laptop's screen professionally can cost as much as buying a new laptop. It will almost certainly cost more than buying a monitorless desktop of equivalent power. But contact your laptop's manufacturer and get a price before you make that decision.

Should you consider replacing the screen, yourself? Probably not. First of all, it's still expensive. For Example: in ScreenTek (a company that sells replacement laptop screens), discovered that a replacement for Lenovo X60 tablet screen (which fortunately isn't broken) would cost $435. And that doesn't include labor.

And that labor is the main reason why you probably shouldn't replace your own screen. Unlike desktops, laptops aren't designed for convenient, amateur repairs. So you better never do it.