Nokia N8 - every day a little bit better

No other mobile space offers comparable functionality for that price. The main reason for my purchase was initially the camera and the free navigation - more a family mobile. Like everyone else I have previously compared the Internet and annoyed the seller in stores. Meanwhile, after 6 months of use I can say that there has never been a problem and that I want to give up any of its many features, though there are already smart phones with dual-core processor (would a Nokia but also are good).
The N8 has been described by many users comprehensively. Here are a few additional tips for better performance and comfort is not exhaustive.

Touchscreen

From a modern smartphone is expected lag-free handling, otherwise annoys you every day. Who the Symbian ^ 3 would miss a Turbo, should install the program SPB Shell. It's not about gambling but about speed. Everything runs smoother and faster; the touch screen responds to the slightest touch without jerking absolutely no delay. The hardware of N8 is so fast enough, it is more like the mature software update! The program creates a much better way user interface. The nested submenus are reduced and the most important applications instantly accessible.
If you want, you can also make free to theme up to 10 Home screens for. Instance. The widgets can be resized in several steps and put in any position. What's new is that you can store files as widgets or your own photos. On some home screens I just preferred videos, pictures and files placed. Thus, it makes sense to set up sufficient home screens.
Many useful app's are also here. The SPB Shell better contact management, calendar and weather forecast come with. Tip: As you can resize the widgets that might fit when changing from portrait to landscape is not everything. Then proceed as follows: set homescreen only in landscape mode and then correct accordingly in portrait mode. SPB Shell remembers then the settings forever.
The program is not free, but worth it. Incidentally, the 3 Nokia homescreen remain unchanged. So you can use depending on your mood both systems.

Navigation - at Nokia Beta Labs have the Version 3.07! Meanwhile 3:08

The navigation is very often used- car and sometimes on foot. She is very well known when turning the street name, knows the local speed limits and warns if you're too fast. Meanwhile, I was able to test the Navi abroad - especially important even without Internet, otherwise unaffordable for expensive roaming.
Note: Be sure to try the right attitude at home! The offline mode in Navi under "Tools" is not enough. In the menu "Settings - Application sett -. Positioning - Positioning methods" off the two Internet Options. In offline mode, the GPS satellites are found not so fast. The rapid positioning is indeed the real meaning of the A-GPS. At first me the long search for the satellite annoyed. However, you have just set off and after a few hundred meters of the contact is made.
Pure Internet-based Navi I think frequent travelers despite flat rate for the general data limit in domestic unfit (I hope ... joy are now no offense).

The N8, like the Nokia predecessors, a speech recognition. The call button is held for 2 seconds say the name from the contact list and you are connecting. A useful feature in your car.

Photo, Video

Meanwhile, created with the N8 more than 1,100 photos and videos. you can view them directly via HDMI cable on the TV. Much too late I realized how important the order of the images in albums is appropriate.
The quality is absolutely top for a cell phone. It is nonsense to say that images are insufficient in low light or at night. How is that even go with the small lens?
We recommend the free app "Nokia Big Screen" from the OVI which generates a convenient menu on the TV screen.
If you have a DLNA-enabled TV, it is also wirelessly via WLAN. You just have to under - represent the Media Server "ON" "Settings Connections". If you have a PC running Windows 7, you can access wirelessly to the N8 by the Windows Media Player, once you have the settings enabled in "streaming". The mobile phone is then suddenly visible in the Windows Media Player. By the way the created albums are displayed sorted nice (if you have created any). This feature is also present in older Nokia phones. My old N82 can also.
Another new feature is the wireless transmission for DLNA-enabled TV (provided that the remote control allows) or Windows 7 PC from N8 from. This requires free "NokiaPlayTo" from the Nokia Beta Labs. For PC that works wonderfully - my Panasonic TV does not like despite DLNA unfortunately.
The software for video editing (cutting, joining smaller videos for a film) is already installed. Interesting is the app "Nokia Photo Browser". Leaving your finger on the screen, once a magnifying glass opens for viewing details. However, the program works properly only up to 500 images. From it, the amount of data no longer fully represent (beta version, the default browser has no problems).
With the free app "YouTube Downloader" from the OVI, the N8 can download videos directly and convert if necessary immediately. Convenient as it gets.

Memory

The large space with a total of 48 GB is a great advantage and also necessary as the HD video take up more space. If then added music videos are occupied quickly 25GB. Probably the N8 may soon also handle 64 GB memory cards. (My old N82 can also update to 32GB!) It's also nice that you can connect a USB flash drive or an external hard drive with the N8. Currently, I use an existing 500 GB hard drive with its own power supply to the storage directly without a PC.
Incidentally, you can send the app "Nokia Drop" information from your PC via Wi-Fi to the N8 and use with "JuikuSpot" the N8 as wireless Surfstick.

Internet

The browser is undoubtedly a reflection of Nokia's "sleepiness". With the next update "Anna" finally come to a faster Internet browser. Until then it is worthwhile for free to install the new Opera 11. Opera 11 supports pinch-to-zoom and auto formatting of web texts on screen size. This is one of the most useful features!
Opera now has the QWERTY keyboard in portrait mode, and of course also supports Flash. So you can watch movies, for example, on the ZDF media library and other sites. Opera Mini 6 is also, however, the beta version of Opera 5.1 Beta was twice as fast, so I installed the beta version again.
On the subject of only one speed compared to my laptop with i3 processor and Firefox. Firefox with newest update is usually only about 1 second faster than the N8. However, the comparison is not entirely correct because a smartphone usually has to load the mobile version of a website. For everyday use, but that does not matter.

E-mail

I have several email addresses and have me "ProfiMail" risen (there's often the small special price). The program leaves nothing to be desired and also gets constantly free updates.

Others

Some app's installed, just tried and cleared quickly. Internet television with SPB TV, many versions of Internet Radio and translation programs with its own virtual Tatstatur in other languages ​​as "PONS" and "SlovoEd" online for free reading books with "Wattpad" just to name a few, extend the functionality of the N8. Other users certainly know a lot more.
Almost daily in the OVI Store add new interesting apps. It is worthwhile to visit frequently such as the "Symbian Lounge" and the "Nokia Beta Labs". Here the latest apps are introduced and explained. Some interesting application I might otherwise have never found.

Conclusion:

By constant improvements the N8 is not comparable to the product launch in 2010! Despite intensive use of video via the Internet I am not yet reached its limits.
Problems, as described by other users, I can not confirm and we are sure of a technical defect or software defects due to which one can fix any. It may well be no consolation that other well-known manufacturers considering its recessions are just as many complaints.
Incidentally, I have a contract free phone without branding. Updates or in the worst case installations are possible at any time. I think this is now very important!

Addendum:
Since 19 August, I installed the update Anna. The safest can install firmware with the 'Nokia Software Updater' from the Nokia Beta Labs.
The internet browser is actually better and faster. Above all it is now possible to scroll back to the previous page set. Now I use that browser have frequently next to the Opera.
All other improvements are as published by Nokia, usable. Fortunately, work all installed app's problems after the update continues.
Despite Anna, so my assessment, you can not do without the above-described SPB Shell. With SPB Shell Symbian is still faster and easier to use.

You have already seen the video from the Belle update and the latest browser, is 'Anna' obviously only a preliminary stage. The best is yet to come - hopefully this fall.

The N8 I recommend therefore still.