A couple of days ago, a twitter update from Nokconv (Nokia Conversations) announced an upcoming 11.x.021 firmware update for the N97. It’s out – now.

Exciting changes include backlight fix, transition bug fixes, improved photo thumbnail performance, and widget stability fixes. Oh, and this: “-Device reset when browsing with high speed packet access (for Malaysia)”. I hope “for Malaysia” translates into “For USA”.
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Yep, it's a new Nokia Messaging. No, there's no HTML.

Nokia’s infamous (at least on S60 Fifth Ed.) email client, Nokia Messaging, has a new release available for download. There’s no official mention of it anywhere, nor is there a changelog, but I can confirm it’s faster, more responsive, and most importantly: actually usable!

Unfortunately, it seems that this version lacks HTML email functionality too.
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The first Nokia Phone Blog official keyboard shootout!

The Nokia N97. The 5800 XpressMusic. The E75. Three phones, three distinct little keyboards. Does the N97 deserve the flak it’s taken for the mushy QWERTY? The 5800XM on-screen keyboard sucks, right? And how does the E75 stack up in all of this?

To find out, I conducted a little “keyboard shootout” experiment, pitting me, typist of 20 years (give or take 10 years) in one corner, against a stopwatch and the phrase “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.” in the other. To measure real-world time, the entire phrase had to be completely correct before I would end each trial.

Let’s see how it all turned out.
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The Nokia N97 bug list.

Update: Nokia N97 11.2.021 firmware was released on July 1, 2009.

It’s been a week since the N97 arrived at my door, and yet during that time I’ve seen some strange things. And not strange in a good way either. So I’m making my official Nokia N97 bug post here and updating it as I see fit.

The biggest issue right now seems to be with AT&T’s 3G network causing repeated reboots on certain N97s. I don’t know how many N97s are affected by this bug nor why it happens, but I’ve experienced it myself, along with couple of other people on the Nokia Europe discussion boards. Read more about it inside.
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Grab a new wallpaper for your N97 or 5800 XpressMusic.

A couple of weeks ago, I found a really, really, awesome desktop wallpaper. And so I decided it needed to be on my phone. After a little resizing, color changes, and experimentation on how the N97 deals with custom wallpapers (verdict: it doesn’t) – I came up with this.

Grab it inside. Also, more about the bugginess that is the N97’s custom wallpaper display feature.
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ZXReader: The best (and only) ebook reader for the N97 and 5800XM.

The Mobipocket eBook reader used to be my reader of choice. That is, until their Symbian programmer disappeared like a fart in the wind (or so I’ve heard), leaving behind nothing but a half-finished S60 Fifth Edition port. One that can’t even exit fullscreen mode without a complete reinstall. To put it mildly, I think it sucks.
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The N97 in all of its glory. First impressions inside.

I’ve spent a grand total of three hours with Nokia’s N97 “flagship” smartphone, and I have to say – it’s looking to be a mighty impressive device, and a worthy upgrade to the 5800 XpressMusic. But it definitely ain’t without its flaws.
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So right now i’m on a train heading to the Nokia Flagship store in New York City. There’s an Eseries event going on there tonight, so stop by if you get the chance.

This post isn’t about the event. It’s just some random musings by me to pass the time.
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Get the N97 + Extended Warranty + Overnight Shipping for $535.19 and Tax

While this deal is nowhere near as hot as the previous mega-hot N97 deal, it’s also currently the best price for this phone. The * refers to the price you’ll get BEFORE taxes (regardless of whether Nokia has a presence in your state…how scammy), so tack on your state taxes. For me, the total ended up being $583.34 thanks to 7% NJ tax. Hm…
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With Amazon and Dell now officially sold out, finding the N97 is turning into a huge chore. But let’s back up a bit – sure, the N97 is the latest Nokia Flagship Phone. But is it really that much of an improvement over something like, say, the 5800 XpressMusic – which costs almost $500 less?

Here’s some points you might want to consider when trying to decide whether to take the plunge and drop that $700 bucks – or simply wait for something better.
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