Breaking-In

Okay. This is my first post for the year 2008 and I kept on scrounging in my brain on what to talk about. I should start writing notes again on my handheld to remind me of what topics I should post here. Anyway, it’s like having a new blog again so let me start talking something tech: my gear.

I am not really a person who buys the latest gadgets. Most of the time I loan them or I use them because my work requires me to. So don’t expect to find me using the latest and the greatest (and at the same time, expensive) gadgets known in the tech world.

Back to my gear, let’s start with phones.

I’ve been using Windows Mobile Pocket PC Phones or Smartphones for the past few years but I became fascinated with the Symbian OS so I got myself a Nokia E61 as my main phone. I know it’s an old model but it’s one of the few Nokias I’ve been eyeing to use (besides, I think I have a knack of appreciating devices where people normally ignore). There were bad impressions about it when it was released back in 2006 but that did not hinder me from trying to get one. I bought a 2nd-hand unit last October for a good deal and I’ve been enjoying it ever since.

NokE61

There are things I like about the E61:

1. Thumboard – After using the Palm Treo 500v (more on that later), using the E61’s thumboard made me appreciate it more. The keys are just the right size for my thumbs and they are soft to press. I can type comfortably on it compared to other PDA Phones or Smartphones I’ve used before.

2. Symbian S60 – Symbian’s S60 3rd edition is quite impressive, a lot better than the 2nd in terms of UI (user interface) and functions. They may have somehow copied the Today screen found on Windows Mobile devices but it’s something I welcome.

3. Battery Life – Now this is a feature I miss having in a handheld device. The E61’s battery life gets me by at least 3 days! There are some days that it can reach up to 4. That’s a far cry from my Windows Mobile phones that reaches usually up to 2 days. The battery capacity for this unit is 1500 MAh.

4. Doesn’t “hang” – This is something I complain with WM phones. The E61 doesn’t hang while on a phone call. And it doesn’t hang while on standby mode. And it doesn’t hang when I use applications. In short, IT DOESN’T HANG!

Not everything though can be loved on the E61. I find its WiFi connection temperamental. While other laptops and PDAs can detect WiFi signals, the E61 can’t. My UMPC’s connection with my WiFi connection here at home is steady while my E61 gets disconnected once in a while. Applications-wise, I like using S60 apps on the E61 but I miss the ones I’ve been using for WinMo. Applications for Windows Mobile are aplenty, and I’ve relied on them for the past several years. Still making adjustments on finding S60 counterparts though.

The E61 doesn’t have a built-in camera which is not a big deal. But it’s built-in Office applications and the Quick Office I’ve installed are no match with Office Mobile with WM.

Overall, the Nokia E61 is a trusty device and I don’t think I’ll let go of it even if I get a new phone. During my first month here in Singapore, I relied on it heavily for e-mails, web-browsing and note-taking. Aside from being my main handheld, it served as a way for me to learn on  how to use its operating system. This will help me in giving recommendations for people who are looking for a smartphone.

2 Comments
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  1. You should take a look at Quickoffice v5. It has more features than WM6 including full PowerPoint editing. Quickoffice has better data integrity than WM6 for editing Word, Excel, and PPT.

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