June 19, 2010 at 10:49What Symbian the third prepares for us on the example of Nokia N8
In September, Nokia N8 enters the market, it will be the first device in Europe with Symbian 3 (a polished version of the S60 5th edition). Until the second quarter of 2011, Nokia’s main touchscreen OS will be Symbian3 (S40 Touch). Then it will be replaced by a fundamentally updated Symbian4, which I really like (excellent for Nokia, this is a big step forward, there is no novelty for the market). Given that I have been using Symbian3 on several models in everyday life for a long time, I’ll try to briefly tell you about what you like and what don’t. What has changed and what remains the same. The other day, Nokia has released a pre-release version of software for the Nokia N8, which means that there will be no critical changes in it. But this is not a review of the N8, although I will give a couple of screenshots from it. Impressions, of course, with the N8 as the most finished device. A kind of mixture. Go.
What has changed in S3 compared to previous models
- Field selection and one-touch input of information is supported. If you had to select a field before, then click again to enter data, now it is not. The right solution, I like it
- Synchronization with multiple calendars. A typical function for other operating systems, it is implemented in much the same way. Conveniently. There is a combined view.
- Searching for contacts when dialing a number is a convenient thing, why I didn’t have it by default before, I don’t know.
- Search all phone and content. The same Search application, only integrated differently. No major changes
- Several desktops, plus widgets. The set of widgets is not particularly pleasing, they are familiar by N97 and similar devices, no breakthrough occurred. You can vary widgets in different places, launch the same widget on multiple screens. The disadvantages include the fact that online widgets sometimes restart, as is done on all the latest Nokia devices (the screen blinks, the contents of the main screen are redrawn, apparently, this is done so as not to deal with memory leaks).
- USB host. Much has already been said about this function, I will not repeat it. There is an adapter in the kit, you can connect your USB flash drive. It is visible in the file manager, you can upload files to and from a USB flash drive. My device has 32 GB of memory, which makes using a flash drive not very necessary. It is easier to throw files into memory, then copy to any computer using either cable or BT. It is possible that someone will use this option often and will not forget to carry this adapter with them. But for me, the function is useless.
- The response of the screen (this is a software thing). When pressed, the device sometimes does not respond, this is a software problem. The same behavior for current models, for example, X6. It happens quite often, unlike the same iPhone.
- Icons and themes. You can change them with handles, but why they look so old is a secret for me. A sort of last century. At the same time, work on improving the appearance is visible in the menu part. The windows became rounded, not rectangular.
- Messages. You can choose the classic view, all messages are list by time received. Or select Conversations (as a chat).
- Access points. The ideology is exactly the same as before. Unite in groups, select the point that is available. Unfortunately, there are no improvements, so the required access point for each application is requested each time (you can set either a group for the application or one specific point). Sometimes it interferes with work. For example, if you have a WiFi connection, which already works, for example, in a browser, the device starts to break into mail using EDGE / 3G (in roaming, this is annoying from the heart, while the roaming warning also works).
- Cards. Great version. I really like the autosizing of the picture, there are also a couple of minor improvements.
- Location of programs in the menu. On three devices (different models), the icons are scattered randomly, that is, the same problem remains as before. We have to look for a calculator in the general menu or in the Office section. It is clear that the problem is for those who use Nokia phones of different models.
- Automatically create scheduled backups. It's nice that there is such a function. It is unpleasant that the time is not set when it occurs. For example, I can say with confidence that at night it would be convenient. Sometimes it happens during the day and then you take the phone in your hands and this application is launched.
- web. There are no special improvements, so the little things.
- The camera. The same interface.
- The gallery, it became more interesting, improved the speed of work (by default, photo icons are created, which are then loaded from the cache, it works visually faster due to this).
- Games. Exactly the same. Although Nokia promises to show some individual toys, but in general there are no changes. The experience on S3 will be the same in terms of the gaming platform. Well, not for games yet. Here on the S4 there are significant improvements. Not here.
- The speed of work. There are practically no brakes, a rather responsive interface. This is a plus. There are sometimes problems when loading pages with a flash in the browser, it starts shamelessly slowing down everything. It happens that when launching heavy applications, problems are also observed, applications, as before, can be closed arbitrarily in such cases, without any warnings. (I specifically mention that these are prototypes, but all commercial Nokia phones behave just like that, so I think miracles will not happen). Stability is average, this is not a buggy creation like the Nokia N97, but also not a device that never reboots. On requests for memory, applications, everything is similar to the previous Symbian.
- Certificates. Everything remains as before. It is rather a minus. You must sign your applications.
Dry residue .
Nokia has always said that S3 is a work on bugs, but not the next version of the OS. And so it happened. Removed minor flaws, worked on the performance of individual functions. But nothing revolutionary happened. The same menus, the same impression of the interface (it does not seem to me very modern for the second half of 2010). This is an intermediate version between current models and S4, which is much more interesting and better in every sense. A good OS that lacks stars from heaven. If you are familiar with the current touch phones from Nokia, then you can safely assume that you are familiar with S3. Perhaps he missed something in his story, dwelled on the main points. At the weekend I sit and write a review, I hope that by the middle of the week I will add it. There are all sorts of problems with third-party software, but by the time they are released, I hope they solve it.
What has changed in S3 compared to previous models
- Field selection and one-touch input of information is supported. If you had to select a field before, then click again to enter data, now it is not. The right solution, I like it
- Synchronization with multiple calendars. A typical function for other operating systems, it is implemented in much the same way. Conveniently. There is a combined view.
- Searching for contacts when dialing a number is a convenient thing, why I didn’t have it by default before, I don’t know.
- Search all phone and content. The same Search application, only integrated differently. No major changes
- Several desktops, plus widgets. The set of widgets is not particularly pleasing, they are familiar by N97 and similar devices, no breakthrough occurred. You can vary widgets in different places, launch the same widget on multiple screens. The disadvantages include the fact that online widgets sometimes restart, as is done on all the latest Nokia devices (the screen blinks, the contents of the main screen are redrawn, apparently, this is done so as not to deal with memory leaks).
- USB host. Much has already been said about this function, I will not repeat it. There is an adapter in the kit, you can connect your USB flash drive. It is visible in the file manager, you can upload files to and from a USB flash drive. My device has 32 GB of memory, which makes using a flash drive not very necessary. It is easier to throw files into memory, then copy to any computer using either cable or BT. It is possible that someone will use this option often and will not forget to carry this adapter with them. But for me, the function is useless.
- The response of the screen (this is a software thing). When pressed, the device sometimes does not respond, this is a software problem. The same behavior for current models, for example, X6. It happens quite often, unlike the same iPhone.
- Icons and themes. You can change them with handles, but why they look so old is a secret for me. A sort of last century. At the same time, work on improving the appearance is visible in the menu part. The windows became rounded, not rectangular.
- Messages. You can choose the classic view, all messages are list by time received. Or select Conversations (as a chat).
- Access points. The ideology is exactly the same as before. Unite in groups, select the point that is available. Unfortunately, there are no improvements, so the required access point for each application is requested each time (you can set either a group for the application or one specific point). Sometimes it interferes with work. For example, if you have a WiFi connection, which already works, for example, in a browser, the device starts to break into mail using EDGE / 3G (in roaming, this is annoying from the heart, while the roaming warning also works).
- Cards. Great version. I really like the autosizing of the picture, there are also a couple of minor improvements.
- Location of programs in the menu. On three devices (different models), the icons are scattered randomly, that is, the same problem remains as before. We have to look for a calculator in the general menu or in the Office section. It is clear that the problem is for those who use Nokia phones of different models.
- Automatically create scheduled backups. It's nice that there is such a function. It is unpleasant that the time is not set when it occurs. For example, I can say with confidence that at night it would be convenient. Sometimes it happens during the day and then you take the phone in your hands and this application is launched.
- web. There are no special improvements, so the little things.
- The camera. The same interface.
- The gallery, it became more interesting, improved the speed of work (by default, photo icons are created, which are then loaded from the cache, it works visually faster due to this).
- Games. Exactly the same. Although Nokia promises to show some individual toys, but in general there are no changes. The experience on S3 will be the same in terms of the gaming platform. Well, not for games yet. Here on the S4 there are significant improvements. Not here.
- The speed of work. There are practically no brakes, a rather responsive interface. This is a plus. There are sometimes problems when loading pages with a flash in the browser, it starts shamelessly slowing down everything. It happens that when launching heavy applications, problems are also observed, applications, as before, can be closed arbitrarily in such cases, without any warnings. (I specifically mention that these are prototypes, but all commercial Nokia phones behave just like that, so I think miracles will not happen). Stability is average, this is not a buggy creation like the Nokia N97, but also not a device that never reboots. On requests for memory, applications, everything is similar to the previous Symbian.
- Certificates. Everything remains as before. It is rather a minus. You must sign your applications.
Dry residue .
Nokia has always said that S3 is a work on bugs, but not the next version of the OS. And so it happened. Removed minor flaws, worked on the performance of individual functions. But nothing revolutionary happened. The same menus, the same impression of the interface (it does not seem to me very modern for the second half of 2010). This is an intermediate version between current models and S4, which is much more interesting and better in every sense. A good OS that lacks stars from heaven. If you are familiar with the current touch phones from Nokia, then you can safely assume that you are familiar with S3. Perhaps he missed something in his story, dwelled on the main points. At the weekend I sit and write a review, I hope that by the middle of the week I will add it. There are all sorts of problems with third-party software, but by the time they are released, I hope they solve it.