Moving to Nokia 5800

[Hook]

Deep breath.

I've decided to do it. After 6 years with Palm OS (Garnet), I'm moving to a new platform. This is being brought about by the convergence of "dang, I want something new" and a tax refund. There is no good reason for this as Hookette is doing just fine, but I decided I wanted something new before she was no longer working and I really needed something. I wanted time to learn and adapt to something new.

So I went looking and have decided to try Symbian via the Nokia 5800 ExpressMusic.

If you check the link above, this is a touchscreen device with an impressive feature set, including stylus handwriting recognition and on-screen keyboards. It seems quite capable of acting as a full-up PDA even if I don't put a PAYG SIM in it. I have been searching Symbian apps and, although some of the version compatibility with different editions of Symbian is a little confusing, I seem to have found reasonable apps to replace what I do on a Palm. There is also Styletap. Not that I don't want to be open to new ways of doing things, I will. If I'm going to learn a new OS, I'm going to immerse myself in it.

Also, for me, an important consideration is that I can get this unlocked device at a reasonable price. The 3.2" screen (640 x 360) is the smallest I would consider in any device. I would have gone WinMo if I could have convinced myself of the reliability of the Ipaq 210, but I couldn't. Any decent sized screen on a WinMo smartphone jacks the unlocked phone to $700+. I have to have unlocked because I have no phone signal about 10 hours every weekday. A contract makes no sense for me.

I considered the Touch with the 3.0 update (won't be available until at least the Summer), but Symbian feels to me (just from research, I haven't had any hands on opportunities) like a more modern Garnet. I like it's simplicity, but it seems like a much more serious working platform. If I have made a mistake and it is the only other viable choice, I can always move to the Touch.

Notice I am not waiting for the Pre. It is a nice device, but I believe it is too focused on connectivity and I would need a GSM unlocked version anyway. Maybe down the road there will be a WebOS device that will be useful to me, but I don't believe the Pre will be it.

Of course, short of a trip to NYC (Nokia Store), it is a gamble. I could be flushing $400 down the drain and will end up hating it. (I doubt it).

I haven't ordered it yet, probably the end of this week. So, like the wedding, if anyone has any reason, etc. etc., speak now or forever hold your peace.

When I finally get it, I'll begin posting here and in the Symbian forum describing my experiences and asking questions of the other Nokia/Symbian folks here. I will particularly, in the beginning, make note specifically of what it is like coming from Garnet and a Palm TX. I hope to really generate more Symbian activity here because, although I found a couple of nice Symbian fora out there, there is nothing like Brighthand.

Oh, and don't worry about Hookette. She will still be going strong and happy for a new sister. Luckily (for her, not me), she won't have to share Shawn.

Guess I better get working on a new Avatar and Sig.

[Antoine Wright]

Ooooh. Defintely looking forward to your thoughts and experiences.

One thing of note, its more like WinMobile than Garnet. Much more like WinMobile than Garnet. Do take your time and be patient to learn it (a week or two). Also, make sure that yours has the latest firmware, since the NAM version did have an issue recently.

Sucks to make this jump I know; but in terms of just learning, its fun to stretch some.

[jigwashere]

Install Fring (Fring for Nokia 5800) on it and enjoy free calls when WiFi is available. A friend uses Fring with his Nokia to call South Africa.

[Hook]

Also, make sure that yours has the latest firmware, since the NAM version did have an issue recently.

Sucks to make this jump I know; but in terms of just learning, its fun to stretch some.

Yes, I saw discussions of the firmware. I will take care of that, thanks.

I'm excited about learning the new platform. Once I have PIMs and Music doped out, Hookette will take a vacation and, eventually, may migrate to Mrs. Hook.

Since I have never used Symbian, I have no idea what the architecture is like. I was only remarking on looking at the simplicity of app interfaces I've seen when comparing to Garnet. Actually, I should have said it looks like a cross between Garnet and Linux, but I'll find out what it really is like soon enough.

Install Fring (Fring for Nokia 5800) on it and enjoy free calls when WiFi is available. A friend uses Fring with his Nokia to call South Africa.

What, you expect me to use the phone? Thanks Jig. I'll check it out, but not at work apparently, the website is blocked. I can call my Mom in Brasil.

[Neero]

I do not have the Nokia 5800 but I do have an N76 symbian phone and have since made it my main PIM device. I was a loyal palm user since the late 90s with the Vx up to the T|X and have tried winmobile and even the iphone. I like the S60 a lot compared to the others but the PIMs are not in par with the dedicated PDAs like palm but for what I do with it, it works great.

Anyway, as a palm user, I am at home with symbian but your experience may vary

I also have an N810 internet tablet just in case I miss the touchscreen experience but your device combines both (minus the keyboard).

[raspabalsa]

I've been using a S60 phone for over a year. I find the GUI quite simple and intuitive, but I'm not ready to do the jump. Mostly because my device (Nokia 6120C) has a tiny screen and no touchscreen. But overall the Symbian experience is quite satisfactory.

However, once you get past the GUI things get ugly. File management under Symbian is more complicated than under PalmOS. The file system in S60 is locked, so the user can't access system folders. Some of the important stuff is kept out of the user's reach. However, there are ways to hack the phone so as to access these system areas. Once you do this you can do a lot of power stuff with your device.

If you think PalmOS's file organization is a mess because it doesn't have folders and subfolders, then you'll meet the other extreme in S60. A typical S60 file tree is incredibly complex, and not easy to understand. It consists of many levels of subfolders, each one with a cryptic name, for example 10003a3f, FE500310, etc. These are actual folders names from my 6120C. This means it's very hard or even impossible to match programs to their corresponding folders.

In all honesty, all this may be a problem only if you want to get down to the core of your S60 device and tinker with the OS. Most users, perhaps more than 95% of them, don't know or care about all this. I mention it because I'm used to get to the core of PalmOS, and was surprised when I tried to do the same in S60 and found something much more complicated than I expected.

[Hook]

I've been using a S60 phone for over a year. I find the GUI quite simple and intuitive, but I'm not ready to do the jump. Mostly because my device (Nokia 6120C) has a tiny screen and no touchscreen. But overall the Symbian experience is quite satisfactory.

However, once you get past the GUI things get ugly. File management under Symbian is more complicated than under PalmOS. The file system in S60 is locked, so the user can't access system folders. Some of the important stuff is kept out of the user's reach. However, there are ways to hack the phone so as to access these system areas. Once you do this you can do a lot of power stuff with your device.

If you think PalmOS's file organization is a mess because it doesn't have folders and subfolders, then you'll meet the other extreme in S60. A typical S60 file tree is incredibly complex, and not easy to understand. It consists of many levels of subfolders, each one with a cryptic name, for example 10003a3f, FE500310, etc. These are actual folders names from my 6120C. This means it's very hard or even impossible to match programs to their corresponding folders.

In all honesty, all this may be a problem only if you want to get down to the core of your S60 device and tinker with the OS. Most users, perhaps more than 95% of them, don't know or care about all this. I mention it because I'm used to get to the core of PalmOS, and was surprised when I tried to do the same in S60 and found something much more complicated than I expected.

Hmmm, thanks for the heads up. As someone who refuses to use APT and way underuses Resco Explorer, I don't think this will be an immediate problem. I'm more interested in managing folders on my SD card.

It may turn out that file management may be more optimized on this device. Here is a free file manager that has been updated for the touch screen.

Again, this is all a gamble until I get my hands on the device. I remember when I was first researching Palm, I was equally bewildered. This will be fun --maybe very expensive fun-- but I'm very excited. WM will always be out there if it doesn't work out.

[Antoine Wright]

Like with any new move, get associated with the default before going to 3rd party apps (Symbian is less intimidating that way).

[Hook]

Like with any new move, get associated with the default before going to 3rd party apps (Symbian is less intimidating that way).

Heeheehee I'll try.

Seriously, I have no intention of adding 3rd party apps until I have spent some real time with the device, even though I am lining some up (Quickoffice, Handytaskman, Splash ID, Titanic ).

I have to laugh, though. When I got my T2 (my first Palm), I was good for about a week and then I bought zLauncher.

[harpgliss]

Hi,

I do not now, nor do I plan to switch to Symbian but look forward to reading more on your switch.

The few times I have switched formats, I have always enjoyed the discovery of new things.

As mentioned above, take your time to just get a feel for the device.

That was my bit of advice, except for this, enjoy and I hope it meets your needs and wants.

David