It is no mistake that for years, Symbian became the dominant smartphone OS here in Nigeria, and indeed Africa. The peculiar conditions of this environment ensured that. Despite all the razmattaz of iOS and Android, Symbian kept its strong hold on the African continent – and for good reasons too. Here are a few:

1. Good power management. Most Symbian phones have good battery life
2. Data management. With some of the most basic bundle internet plans, you could run the average Symbian smartphone conveniently for a month. This means huge cost savings.

My 60+ father recently replaced his Symbian smartphone, a Nokia 6760 Slide (yes; dad uses smartphones too) with the new Blackberry Curve 9360. He had used his 6760 Slide for business purposes for over a year now. Of course, he got tired of Symbian S60 3rd Edition eventually. Who wouldn’t (remember my position that Nokia needs to stop producing those older versions of Symbian)? This is 2012, please.

What were dad’s motivating factors in his choice of a Blackberry? The two items that I listed above were key, of course!

BlackBerry devices are legendary for good battery life and data management. Dad is extremely delighted to have access to a full smartphone and internet service at only N1,500 per month.

Special Data Bundles For Android?

I have heard some Android users gripe and demand that network operators are biased and should also provide special bundles for Android phones. This is mostly based on ignorance (or just arrogance, of course). Network operators provide special Blackberry bundles because of the benefits that their networks derive from BlackBerry’s server compression service.

RIM’s compression technology means that BlackBerry devices eat up less data and put less pressure on mobile networks than devices from other platforms. Get it? As such, if Google would implement a data compression service for Android devices, then the networks would gladly provide special low-cost bundles for droids too.

BlackBerry And Good Battery Life?

Some of you are probably screaming blue murder about Blackberry battery life. Hold your horses while I burst your bubble.

Nigerian network providers have been notorious for epileptic Blackberry services. That’s what’s eating your BlackBerry’s battery for the most part. Get on a more stable network and see how much better your Blackberry’s battery performs.

BlackBerry, The Best Alternative To Symbian

As people flock away from Symbian, they are looking for an alternative smartphone platform that provides similar benefits to what they have been used to – multi-tasking, Mass storage, Bluetooth file transfer, and good resource (data and power) management.

With N28,000 or less, a brand new Blackberry 8520 can be picked up at most mobile retail outlets. That is not nearly as cheap as the cheapest Android and Symbian devices, but it is not a bad price either.

The Blackberry platform is the logical way to go for the most part. Even a non-geek like my dad can tell. He has never heard of Android. He knows iPhone, but won’t buy that. But he knows Blackberry, recognises it, likes the hardware QWERTY (he finds touchscreens unintuitive, but that’s an article for another day), and thinks it is both functional and cool. So does his business partner, who also uses a BlackBerry.

Last year, I wrote an article titled Will BlackBerry become the Number One Smartphone OS in 2012?. I still do not believe that it will happen in 2012, but it is certain that with the recent news of Nokia’s change in plans for Symbian, Blackberry now stands a good chance of indeed becoming number one smartphone OS in Nigeria. Perhaps in 2013. Perhaps beyond that.

Perhaps I will be getting a Blackberry as my primary smartphone too.

If this scoop by The Register is to be believed, Symbian is finally dead.

In brief, Nokia won’t push out 150 million Symbian devices again as previously announced, and are cancelling all future Symbian devices except one – an N8 successor.

If the N8 successor is a compelling upgrade, I’m game. And then, the curtain closes on Symbian. The register calls it pouring oil on burning Symbian. I call it The end.

The debate about what smartphone OS is the best has been an ongoing and heated one. Is there a general best smartphone OS?

I don’t know if I am alone on this, but picking a single mobile device that suits my needs and meet my budget can be a very challenging task. I have moved from one mobile phone to the other in search of the smartphone that will meet my need just because I do not want to carry more than a single device.

How Did I Get Here?

Before I get into the meat of this article, permit me share a vital point with you.

I have however noticed how some people push for a particular device (or operating system) recommending it to others without first finding out what the unique needs of those people are. I think this is shortsightedness.

To make it clear, you may want to read this piece by Rita. She wrote about her unique needs as someone who resides in Lebanon.

She had once stayed in Paris where she enjoyed high-speed internet, both on wi-fi and on mobile internet (unlimited data). On moving back to Lebanon, she had to stay within a 150mb to 200mb internet data window per month.

200mb per month!? I don’t know how I can use 200mb in a month on my former Samsung Galaxy S2. Yes, former. You see, I have traded my Samsung Galaxy S2 for a Nokia N8. All these adventures of mine have given me a broad perspective about my needs and how different mobile phones can meet them.

Before you blindly go ahead and pick an Android, iPhone or a Windows Phone, please hear me out. You need to weigh your needs and pick your device based on accurate information available.

Why did I switch to the Nokia N8?

These are MY OWN reasons. Note: I am not trying to say that the Nokia N8 is the best phone for everyone. I am sharing from the perspective of MY needs. Those who share my views and have similar needs with me can then hop on a similar device.

1. The N8′s power lasts longer than my Samsung Galaxy S2, even if I use them for the same period. I have used the Nokia N8 for more than two months previously. This is my second time of buying it.

2. The internet data management on the N8 is minor. It is not as data hungry like the Android powered Galaxy S2.

I found out that I use between 2GB to 4GB on my mobile monthly. I download and try different applications, Youtube videos, pictures and sometimes tether my internet with other people’s devices and my PC.

I found out that the Samsung Galaxy’s power and data management was digging too deep into my pocket, as I do not have access to Wifi. All my internet needs are supplied by mobile internet data subscriptions. I would have kept the Samsung Galaxy S 2, got an extra battery (since the battery is replaceable) assuming I have access to free wireless internet.

3. The N8 is not as pricey as iPhone 4 or iPhone 4S, which were also on my list of options. I tried the iPhone 4 running iOS 4 for 24 hours and was impressed with the battery performance. I will eventually get an iPhone, but for now I do not have a budget for an iPhone. You know we do not get iPhones on contract packages here in Nigeria. We have to buy them cash down.

4. The Camera is superb. Not just because it has a 12 megapixel camera. The N8 simply shoots amazing pictures.

5. I can use one of my most preferred applications that is available only on Symbian – Gravity.

Things I am going to miss while using the Nokia N8

1. I will miss the swift and very fast UI of my Samsung Galaxy S2 (But I will save money and use less internet data now)

2. The productivity apps that I have grown fond of — Springpad, Evernote, Anydo, Bufferapp, Facebook for Android, Dolphin browser, plus the ability to download and read PDFs easily without stress.

Moving On

I hope to keep this Nokia N8 for a very long time. Even when I pick my next phone, which would most likely be an iPhone, the Nokia N8 will still remain with me.

There will always be a battle between fans of different OSes till the Lord’s kingdom comes. However, when we engage in those debates, let us keep things in perspective. We must consider specific factors in specific scenarios.

Just over a week ago, we published information that our app for Symbian, MeeGo and Java phones has been downloaded over 6,000 times.

As at that times, it still carried the old “Mobility Nigeria” branding – logo and name. We have since modified it to bring it up-to-date in terms of branding.

The app is now called the “Mobility blog” app and carries the current logo and look.

You can easily find it by searching for “Mobility blog” in the Nokia Store or using any of the direct links in the sidebar of this blog.

The Mobility blog app is available for Java, Symbian and MeeGo devices. Android users can expect an app for their platform very soon

Of course, for everyone regardless of the OS you use, Mobility blog loads a mobile-friendly version when you visit it on any mobile.

Top 5 Countries
Top five countries for downloads are as follows:

1. Nigeria – 5908
2. Ghana – 155
3. United Kingdom – 64
4. Saudi Arabia – 43
5. India – 40

We are currently editing the app to reflect our new brand “Mobility blog”, as against “Mobility Nigeria” when it was published.

Other Platforms?

Perhaps it is time for us to explore an app for other platforms too, especially Android.

I am not a big fan of dedicated blog apps, but the demand is there, so who am I to say no?

Any proficient Android, Windows Phone and iOS developers in the house who can build those for us without us requiring a subsidy from Abuja?

Download Links

The download links are on every page of this blog under the “Quick Links” section. Still, here they are again:
Java | Symbian (WRT) | MeeGo

StatCounter is a global web monitoring service which tracks the browsers and OS used to access those websites on which its codes/scripts are embedded.

The statistics from StatCounter show that Symbian is still top dog in mobile web browsing, with a comfortable lead over others.

Yes; this is only StatCounter statistics. Still, note that StatCounter are not small players in this field. As at 1 June 2010, StatCounter tracking code was installed on more than 3 million sites globally.

It is interesting to see that inspite of the claims by many that the Symbian browser is “crappy” and that Symbian is either “dead” or “dying”, this old dog still holds its own.

Of course, partly responsible for this is Symbian’s huge installed base.

In response to this news, someone said, “Symbian is a beast. It just will not die!” Perhaps. Perhaps not. But the message is clear: this dude is no pushover.

Pronounced burning by its own CEO. Maligned on all sides by bloggers. Ignored by carriers/network operators. Outsourced to foster parents.

Still, Symbian has refused to die. The plucky devil’s still got some spunk!

At the moment, we have a Nokia Belle smartphone in the house here for review at Mobility Towers. So far, I have been impressed. I actually prefer a number of things about it to my N9.

Perhaps, just perhaps, Belle may still have a future if Nokia so chooses to reverse its position on this “burning platform”.

Source

A summary of the votes cast:

1. Samsung Galaxy S 2: 13 votes
2. Nokia N8: 9 votes
3. Nokia N9: 3 votes
4. Nokia E7: 2 votes
5. iPhone 4S: 2 votes
6. Samsung Galaxy S: 1 vote
7. Nokia 5800: 1 vote
8. Samsung Galaxy Nexus: 1 vote
9. Motorola Droid Razr: 1 vote
10. HTC EVO 3D: 1 vote
11. LG Optimus 3D: 1 vote
12. Nokia X2-01: 1 vote
13. Samsung Galaxy Gio: 1 vote
14. Nokia 701: 1 vote

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you Mobility blog’s phone of the year 2011, the Samsung Galaxy S II:

Our own regular here, Lord Banks, has put up a rejoinder to Ibukun Olaoya’s recent article, Why I Have Refused To Jump Off Symbian. The rejoinder, titled Symbian Will Die – Long Live The User Experience, is a well written piece that addresses issues I also had with a number of EyeBeeKay’s reasons.

Here are the key points:

1. The quality of the user experience should never be dependent on the user’s willingness to customise it
2. Normal people generally don’t enjoy spending lots of time under the hood of their cars (or in this case, smartphones), messing around with the innards
3. Symbian has AIDS – Apps Incentive Deficiency Syndrome

I pointed out some of these issues in response to EyeBeeKay earlier. For example, the need to customise the user experience in order for it to be acceptable has been taken care of in Nokia Belle. Belle is a complete transformation into a modern user experience.

If you have used a Symbian device in the last three years, I recommend that you pick up and use a Nokia Belle device for a few weeks to see how good it really is. If you haven’t used Belle, any comments that you make about the Symbian user experience are likely to be 99.9% outdated and no more valid.

This is part of why it is my position that Nokia needs to stop putting outdated Symbian software in new devices. If users keep running into older, less-supported software (S60 3rd Edition & S60 5th Edition) on their smartphones, it is counter-productive to the experience of the different beast that Belle is.

Like I said to Ibukun, he needs to throw away that S60 5th Edition Nokia 5800 and get himself one of the new Belle devices.

However, I am not sure that much can be done about the Apps Incentive Deficiency Syndrome at this point. Belle seems to be coming after many developers had decided that it wasn’t worth the trouble anymore.

New apps are showing up for Belle on a regular basis, but not at a fantastic rate or anything comparable to what obtains on iOS and Android. If Nokia are able to somehow turn the tides on developer churn, then there is a fighting chance for Belle.

In the meantime, you will want to read Lord Bank’s complete article: Symbian Will Die – Long Live The User Experience

Compared to the other modern Operating Systems (OS), the Symbian User Experience (UX) is not as exciting and productive. Symbian lacks very little apart from this. Symbian is resource efficient, does multitasking well, and generally gets the job done.

Note that this un-intuitiveness obtains mainly on pre-Belle Symbian versions – Editor

I have often contended that no matter how wonderful an OS Interface is, or how much capable it is out-of-the-box, there will always be some lapses. This is where third-party applications fill the gap.

Hauling a smartphone around without making full use of the power of third-party applications is like permanently driving a V8-powered special Utility Vehicle (SUV) at a maximum of 40Km/hour on macadamized expressway. Hardly what it is built to handle!

Occasionally, I have been tempted to purchase a device powered by iOS/Android (Fruit & Robot). After all, variety is the spice of life. But that temptation is usually momentary. I end up asking myself, What UX can Fruit & Robot furnish that my Symbian-powered touchscreen device can not?

I am still struggling to discover this. Conversely, are there certain functionality available on Symbian that the Fruit & Robot lack? I know of a few.

I employ mercenaries (third party apps) to supercharge my aged Symbian-powered (s60 version 5th) Nokia 5800. Using these, I have not been able to justify being unfaithful to Symbian.

There are activities that we performance frequently on our devices. These activities should be accessible from ANY application. I attempt to highlight a few elegant applications that I employ on my Nokia 5800 to enhance my user experience, and mimic the Fruit & Robot OSes. This is not exhaustive.

With ‘DzSoft SettingBar’ installed, I can drag down from the top of the display. A screen pops up, allowing the following activities:
- Tweak profile settings
- activate silent and Offline mode,
- Turn bluetooth setting,
- Directly adjust screen brightness,
- Engage WLAN,
- juggle the music controls
- show the current time and battery status.

Settings Bar

More interestingly, I am able to specify a maximum of five (5) applications/functions which can be invoked at any time – from any screen.

On my device, I have set those 5 slots to :
- ‘Home Screen’,
- ‘Settings’,
- ‘Messages’,
- ‘Contacts’
- ‘PhoneRotate’ (allows changing the phone screen orientation – at any point – without turning on the orientation sensor, which wastes battery power)

FIVE IS NOT ENOUGH
Of course, you are probably thinking: Just five application slots? That is not adequate! Enter ‘SmartPhoneWare Instant Menu’.

Instant Menu

The applications I have assigned to ‘InstantMenu’ are the following: MsDict Viewer – (multi_dictionary application from MobiSystems Inc).

Kylom Project (outline application).

EpocWare ‘Handy Calendar’ (Appointments, reminders, etc).

Sticky Notes – ubiquitous electronics stick-it notes.

To further embellish instantaneous accessibility to my phone applications, I make use of JBak TaskMan.

Jbak Taskmanager

The last software that I utilize is Usanov-Kornilov Nikolay’s QuickLaunch. This application allows you to specify five (5) application icons that popup on your touchscreen – in the usually anytime, anywhere fashion.

The apps I have assigned to QuickLaunch are:

- UC Mobile Browser (surprised?)
- LonelyCatGames X-plorer
- Opera Mini – better known than ‘money’!
- Quick Office – a versatile office application

LOCKING MADE EASY
We often need to (un)lock our device several times during the day. I have avoided using any of the physical keys on my Nokia 5800 – they will eventually fail. I prefer instead to use software solutions.

The camera, powerOff, (Un)Lock, Call (Green), Terminate (Red) and Menu (white) buttons have been permanently on holidays on my device. I do not use them (does that remind you of the buttonless Nokia N9?).

The ‘dzSoft DzLock’ application provides a variety of methods to (un)lock my phone. Swipe, double tap proximity sensor, cover the sensor for 3 seconds – are examples. You can (un)lock anytime, from
anywhere.

I urge people who spend good money on smartphones to get good Return On their Investment (ROI) by making use of software that brings out the power of their device.

Are you really making use of that smartphone?

So, you know why Symbian has me by the Jugular, and I am not complaining !

If you think I am ‘missing something’, please elaborate!

The Nokia E5 runs S60 3rd Edition

By outdated software, I mean Symbian S60 3rd Edition and 5th Edition. Is it that those versions of Symbian are non-functional? No; they are.

But they are outdated in the sense that something much better is already out there – SymbianNext (that’s my generic term for Symbian^3, Anna and Belle).

When most people complain of Symbian, they are mostly doing that from the standpoint of Symbian S60. Take a look at this recent complaint springing from my review of the Facinate app for Facebook on Symbian phones:

This is what i hate about nokia, so my E5 can not get this… Oh yes i paid 43,000 and i cant get a single decent facebook app, anytime i hear them better the new symbian while leaving the other ones outside makes me doubt if i would ever get a nokia device again. When did this phone come out that its nw dead, make no mistake it has a 600mhz process and 256 mb ram so am pretty sure it can run better apss…..

As a nokia fan i tell you that they abandon their phones like too early, remember that symbian carla will nt come to n8, e7,e6… E6 when did that come out that its called nt eligible.

Nokia is highly confused…… And this should def be my last with them i have had it. Ps i bought E5 january this year and by march it was already outdated……… Talk of trash

Note that a valid complaint has been made. But note how that valid complaint has been easilly mixed with invalid thoughts.

It is not true that Nokia abandons their phones early. Till today, Nokia is still supporting S60 3rd Edition and 5th Edition with upgrades.

Also, note that the app he is complaining of was not made by Nokia. An independent developer was responsible for that app – and chose to ignore 3rd Edition (and we can’t blame him for that; who wants to keep supporting old software when the new is here and much better?).

But here is the point – Nokia is responsible for this mess. So valid or invalid, Nokia continues to generate complaints from users. Read: public relations issues.

How is Nokia responsible?

I said earlier when Symbian^3 was launched that Nokia should simply stop rolling out phones with older versions of Symbian. That way, the issues of apps incompatibility and fragmentation can be put aside in the shortest possible time.

Also, everyone who went to the market for a Nokia would be getting the newest version of their Symbian OS. The benefits are all too clear. Whatever other business considerations informed continuing to push out older software, the demerits are grievous and costly in the open market.

But, No. We have a mishmash of 3rd Edition, 5th Edition and SymbianNext devices. Unfortunately, the average user cannot tell the difference. He buys a phone running 3-year old software, gets burnt using it and simply screams blue murder! Rightly so, too.

All the best apps are on the most up-to-date versions of Symbian. Devices running older firmware will get ignored one way or the other by developers. As long as Nokia keeps pushing those older firmware, users will keep screaming, whether or not all of the noise is valid.

Your comments and thoughts!