2009-06-11

E71 Free Symbian Applications I Use (Top 5)

Here's a list of some FREE apps which i have installed in my E71. I even included a download link for a compilation of all the apps at the bottom of this page, just in case you'd like to download it all in one go (i even added some extras).

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1. JBAK Taskman v1.00 by JBak



This would be the very first software i have to install on my E71. Reason? As symbian does not have an application shortcut list, this is one software which provides such feature. So it gives faster access to the apps installed on your device.

Not only does it gives access, it also gives control of the apps on your device. JBAK Taskman is actually a task manager and process viewer that easily beats the current nokia task list (accessible by long press of home button) so as that needs no further explanation, try it to explore its capabilities!

Link: Author's website

Oh and some useful features are battery status (not very accurate) and soft reboot.

2. Activefile v1.40(186) v1.42(1) by Alie Tan



Activefile is a file manager software, so what's the big deal you might ask?

Well not only does it show the total size and current usage of your main drives (very important don't you think), it also allows browsing of files and folders in two (2) separate window panes. So this enables easy moving and copying of files from one to another.

EDIT: You can also access files transferred via bluetooth inside the message inbox using this app, superb!

Hint: If you can sign unsigned apps, the unsigned with extended version allows soft reboot and also screen capture.

Link: Author's website

3. Opera Mini v4.02(0) by Opera Software



Simply another alternative to the existing nokia web browser, and preferred by most users. Faster and better loading of web pages and the 'back' option really does browse back to the previous page and this is a big plus point for me against the existing browser.

I don't have a .sis file for this, you'll have to download it directly to your mobile (better use wifi if you're not on flat data plan) by going to this link http://mini.opera.com (use my tip HERE if you're lazy to type)

Link: Software website

4. Worldmate v7.00(43) by Worldmate Inc



I consider this very important to me as i go around places sometimes and communicate with overseas client/colleagues, this software gives world clocks, exchange currencies, weather conditions as well as day/night map.

If you go gold (paid version), other services are offered such as flight schedules, alerts and flight status.

Link: Software website

5. Wefi v1.04(10) v1.07(21) by Wefi Ltd



I've stopped using Nokia WLan search software ever since i found Wefi. Wefi scans the place for wifi connections and lets you see open, require sign in and locked spots from its scan. Wefi will also automatically connect to the best wifi connection, saves a lot of time rather than you testing each connection one by one.

EDIT: This new version seems slightly faster in searching and connecting to network.

Link: Software Website

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And then there are others like Nimbuzz, Fring, Google email client, Google maps, cCalc, Calcium and others but i thought i'll limit it to five (5) apps which i use the most first for this round.

What applications must you have on your device?

If anyone would like to download the above apps, they can be found HERE

NOTE: Post edited and apps updated as of 23rd Oct 09.

2009-06-08

NOKIA Barcode Reader: 2D Barcode

Often when i need to copy a web link to my mobile browser to download apps, or to send a home address to friends and colleagues, i find it inconvenient to type the long link with all the special characters and all...so i found this easy and most simple way to do it, which is to use a website to generate a 2D barcode (on my PC) and later use my 'barcode reader' to scan and copy the link (in my phone).

Check this website: http://qrcode.kaywa.com/ it can basically generate any web links, text, phone numbers and even sms.

Once you click generate, you'll be given something like this:

qrcode

Use your barcode reader to scan and translate it! good luck trying..

If you don't have the barcode reader, you can try this java version of the reader at http://reader.kaywa.com/ but it may have some limitations so you'll have to try it to see if it works..

and by the way, i tried the barcode reader on my groceries stuffs as well and surely it wouldn't read anything, that's because those are known as '1D barcode' and not readable by the nokia barcode reader.. har har..

2009-06-07

NOKIA E71 PROBLEM: memory card corrupted, memory card in use and memory card locked

OK ever since i got my new NOKIA E71, i seemed to have met with all the 3 problems mentioned above and i assure you it is really frustrating..so i decided to share a bit of experience in this blog just in case somebody else gets the same predicament and also as a reminder for myself..

MEMORY CARD IN USE

This was the first problem ever encountered. Whenever i plugged my E71 to PC using the USB cable, i'd get to choose either "Nokia PC Suite" mode or "Mass Media Storage" mode. Whenever i chose Nokia PC Suite mode, i will get an error message saying "F:\ refers to location that is unavailable...bla bla" and therefore i cannot access the memory card. If i choose mass media storage mode, i can access the memory card and carry on with copying stuffs, but when i unplug the phone and browse to my memory card folder, i get the "memory card in use" error in my phone and it stucks there. Only workaround was to restart or reboot my phone and it was really annoying. From forums i browse, some believe that the memory card supplied may have been formatted with a different format which confuses the phone.

SOLUTION: With the memory card inside the phone, format it using the phone from the memory card menu. GOTO Menu > Tools > Memory Card > Format

After formatting, i was able to access my memory card from both nokia pc suite mode and mass media storage mode without the "memory in use" error.

MEMORY CARD CORRUPTED

I had this one only once and i didn't know what had happened. After searching through the internet, some had suggested that the phones randomly encrypt the memory card and therefore had caused the memory card to become unreadable due to the encryption (thus corrupted). The solution below was also suggested from the forum and i myself have not yet any chance to try it (i formatted my memory card and lost all my data when it happened to me that time), will update this post when i do.

SOLUTION: GOTO Menu > Tools > Encryption > Encrypt and save Key > Cancel (prior to actual encryption) unless you wish to encrypt your card.

When you choose 'encrypt and save key', you'll be asked for a passphrase (do not lose this) and a key name. This key name (it should be xxx.pk5 will be saved into folder 'others' in phone memory so be sure to back it up into your PC. The encryption status shall be turned to 'on'.

So whenever you get the memory corrupted error again, just simple go back into encryption mode and use 'encrypt with imported key', key in passphrase and it should solve the issue. Let me know if it doesn't, i may not be able to solve your problem but it would be helpful to other readers.

MEMORY CARD LOCKED

After all the frustrations, i felt like cleaning up my phone so i did a factory reset. As you may have guessed, i got the memory card locked error. Basically when i restarted the phone it would pop up a password menu for the memory card but problem was i didn't set any password, or did i?

SOLUTION: GOTO Menu > Tools > Settings > General > Security > Phone and Sim > Allow remote lock. You will be asked for a remote lock message, i entered "lockit" and then it will ask for lock code, the factory lock code should be "12345" (i strongly suggest you change this).

Thereafter you can simply enter "lockit" (remote lock message) as your memory card password to unlock it.

By configuring the remote lock, it wipes any password of the memory card and replace it with the new remote lock message password.

EDIT: I receive info from our reader, Bassam that the above method did not work on new firmware 210.21.006 i just updated my firmware to latest version 300.21.012 and as suspected i will get the 'memory locked error'. I tried the last remote lock message "lockit" and it was solved. So i tried hard resetting it again, and again the error message came out. This time i tried the above step and set a new remote lock message "phone", so i tried "phone" to unlock the memory card but was unsuccessful. so i tried my last password "lockit" and voila! it was unlocked.

Another reader, mäenpää suggested to try 'lukitse'as the password which may or may not be a generic/original password for the E71. Try it out and post here is it really works. thanks.

DO NOTE THIS: If you never set "remote lock" option then the above method may just work, but if you had, make sure to try the last remote lock message to unlock your code.