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Nokia Beta Labs
Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0: The one and only Nokia desktop application (in the future)
Tue, 2009-06-23 13:38Written by: Samuli Ylinen, Nokia Ovi Suite team
Hey all! Dear Beta Labs folks, you have seen many different PC apps from Nokia: Nokia PC Suite, Nokia Nseries PC Suite, Nokia Ovi Suite, Nokia Software Updater, Nokia Map Loader, Nokia Music, Nokia Lifeblog, Nokia Photos, Nokia Device Status, and Nokia PC Suite Enterprise Edition. In other words, far too many. But, starting now, Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0 Beta is the first showcase how things are starting to change.
We've changed the direction and thought about what would be the ideal Nokia desktop app for our users. We've analyzed existing apps, looked how different people use them and really started to think what the primary use cases users need are. Then we started drawing, designing, usability testing, planning, implementing, and testing a totally new Qt-based Nokia desktop application, which we now bring to you for Beta testing: Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0, a fresh start to Nokia's desktop presence. With Qt we were able to make the UI look fresh and light.
Let's have Kalle tell a bit of the Nokia Ovi Suite story:
So this is it, the first beta version of Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0. It combines the key features from many existing Nokia desktop apps. For most Nokia users, this software should take care of the most important use cases on a desktop:
- Connect your device to your desktop with a USB cable or Bluetooth
- Sign in to your Nokia Account to use Ovi services. Or create a new Nokia Account; if you don't have it yet, now it's the time to create one.
- Home view in Nokia Ovi Suite - a quick summary of the new stuff you have in Nokia Ovi Suite or in your device.
- See your messages in a conversational view and keep them safely stored in your desktop
- View and edit your contacts, add contact photos, sync your contacts with Microsoft Outlook, and keep them safely stored.
- Make backups of your device, and update your device's software (yes, we integrated Nokia Software Updater features into Nokia Ovi Suite!).
- Get photos from your device to your desktop and share the important ones in Ovi.
- Download free maps before travelling and transfer them to your device.
- Transfer music to your device.
- Using your device as a modem, connect your desktop to the internet with just one click.
Some things were left out from first Beta, like for example application installation into device, video transfer and playback, and we are trying to get those into later versions. Also, this first Beta is English only, other languages will follow later.
We've been testing this software with many different S40 and S60 devices, many different Windows versions, laptops, desktops, and netbooks. But now we want to give you the opportunity to try out our product and tell us your findings. We've got tons of things in planning for Nokia Ovi Suite and would like to hear your thoughts about the app - how it works and how well it suits your needs. So, go ahead and download, install, and try out Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0. And let us hear your comments - we are here to listen to you! We will be making update releases of Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0 - so your feedback can make a difference.
Thanks, Samuli from Nokia Ovi Suite team
Downloading straight away...
Can't wait to try it out. But... For when a linux version? Since Nokia now has Trolltech, developing a multi-platform qt based ovi suite should be easy!
Cool, I'm installing it
Cool, I'm installing it now.
---
http://wa.se
Finally
This is a nice decision. My computer was too messed up with multiple Nokia applications. I'm downloading it right now.
Will we be able to update it through the application or do we have to download it from Beta Labs manually each time an update is released?
Mac version?
Nice but I would like a Mac version, when?
/ove
Mac version required!
I love my E71 but really would like a fully fledged desktop app to manage it on mac and linux.
Step Forward Integration
Few months back I had filled survey about OVI Suite and I am happy to see OVI suite 2.0 going in right direction according to feedback given. I am going ahead to try it.
Do we need to uninstall other apps? Nokia PC Suite, Software Updater or Map loader?
Suyog
Looks great so far.
Great work on the Suite, a definite improvement over PC Suite in speed and usability.The refreshing new UI looks really pretty, I love it. Sync via USB or BT connection is seamless. Everything I need to use with my Nokia phone in a tidy package.
Couple of things I'd like to point out. It doesn't seem to sync contact groups already created on the phone. Also there's no built-in calendar except for dependence on Outlook for calendar function.
Overall it still blows away the flaky old PC Suite, everyone should use Ovi Suite NOW.
Version for Mac
I hope a version for Mac is already in the work...
Linux version
I hope there will be version for the Linux too. Porting to Linux should be quite easy now when Ovi Suite uses QT.
All my computers run Debian Linux. I ofcourse can run virtualized Windows on top of Linux. But it would be much better if there would be Linux native version of Ovi Suite.
Great news, but a LInux version would be just brilliant
I'm checking this out on Windows 7, but my home laptop is Linux Ubuntu and that's what would be most useful as the Windows 7 install is just for testing.
Please consider a Linux version !
Nice to see Nokia use their
Nice to see Nokia use their own framework. :)
Please release Ovi Suite to any and all other operating systems. I use both Ubuntu and OpenSolaris on a daily basis and both would have great use for this application.
Cannot retrieve DRM-data
Hello!
First I must thank you guys for this great union of Nokia application. It simplifies a lot and looks great! I wish for the music application to evolve more and get support for Nokia Music Store (I cannot find it anyways).
A problem that has occured is that I cannot download DRM-data for my music-tracks I have downloaded through Nokia Music with Comes With Music. First I get a promt which ask me to download DRM-certs: Yes/No. I press Yes and then the login screen for Nokia Music comes. I enter my credentials and I get a message that a technical error has occured.
looks good
It's great idea to combine most useful features from Nokia applications to one Ovi Suite.
Linux
I too would like to put forward a plea for Linux and Mac support.
Thanks very much for the beta app, it looks great. A great improvement on the multi-app method.
Mac and Linux support - Nokia answer
Hi all! This is Samuli Ylinen from Nokia Ovi Suite team.
First: thanks for everybody, who have downloaded the first Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0 Beta, really great to see this interest happening. Keep downloading software, spread the word to your friends interested about Nokia Betas, keep reporting your errors and ideas - it's really useful for us.
Then, couple of comments about Mac and Linux support. As you know, we've implemented Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0 with Qt, but that's for the UI of of Nokia Ovi Suite 2.0 - most of our connectivity is based on technology from Nokia PC Suite and unfortunately, this connectivity technology doesn't yet have multiplatform support.
Then answers:
Mac: We are working for Mac version of Nokia Ovi Suite - so that's coming at some time in future.
Linux: As we use Qt in Nokia Ovi Suite UI, we have the basic tecnology enablers for Linux version available, but building Nokia Ovi Suite for Linux is not in the scope currently. Of course, we are constantly following how the desktop operating system market evolves.
Could you write your comments about Linux support under following discussion topic:
http://betalabs.nokia.com/foru
And comments about Mac support under this topic:
http://betalabs.nokia.com/foru
We will be looking into these and are very interested to hear your comments about these and wishes. I would like to hear following comments:
- which features in Nokia Ovi Suite would be most important for you in Mac / Linux?
- which Linux distributions would be most useful?
--
Samuli
finally thinking on usability
Nice. Finally Nokia is thinking on usability issues. Having multiple ui apps on computer is painfull. Will definetly try it out.
Why go back to the desktop?
Going back to a desktop app means you will have to create Windows/Mac/Linux version for every software. Or perhaps make the decision of leaving us Linux (or Mac) users out in the cold.
Why not just concentrate on making sure that the pre-installed applications on the phone can upload/sync with ovi.com and several other sharing websites (flickr, picasa, facebook, yada yada). I find it strange that Nokia calls its phones 'mobile computers' but then imposes a restriction of requiring a PC to do anything useful with them.
[Edit]
With the exception of Software updater that might require some dedicated desktop application, everything else can be done over the phone. Free us from having to depend on Ovi desktop software! :)
/Amit
Support for Lotus Notes
Hi There, things are looking good. But I'll still be using the old pc suite. The main reason is that it can sync my calendar with Notes 8.5.
The other reason is that de contactgroups on my Nokia 5800 are correctly displayed in pc suite. In Ovi suite the groups are empty.
Hopefully will these changes come in a new version.
grtz,
Herman
700 dollars for a phone without mac or linux support vs. iPhone
do the math
Initialising failed
Got that message when launching the installer. "Unable to proceed with the Installer execution".
I have XPsp3 with lots of earlier Nokia PCSuite and nSeries apps, so I doubt it's the computer. The installer failed immediately so I doubt it had time to find a conflict.
I re-downloaded OviSuite to make sure the original wasn't corrupt, but that didn't fix the problem.
Thoughts?
one more update
so you guys had PC suite.. and than you made a lot of changes to PC suite. and every time you did so, you used to make users download the entire thing all over again.. why couldn't you just get users to download the patches..
so now you have ovi suite.. you will make lots of changes.. and than you will get users to download the entire stuff again every time you update.. and the updates will be in sizes upwards of 80MB..
i think you guys lack a coherent software strategy...
Additional features to be added.
So far so good. Here is my feedback.
1.) Some features that I like to see compare to Nokia Communication Centre is the Pop-up window for incoming calls when phone is connected to PC with the ability to reject a call with an SMS.
2.) The SMS Pop-up window working but you need to sync manually to view it on PC.
3.) Messages stored on the phone (Nokia E90) not sync to PC. This also not working on PC Suite.
4.) What about Battery level indicator and memory bar.
5.) Need to add calendar similar to the Nokia Communication Centre.
6.) Maybe have an option to choose what applications you would like to see on the Home Page.
7.) When synchronizing with Microsoft Outlook you need to add the option to specify the folders to sync with in order to have different phone books on Outlook for your different phones. Definitely need to add this functionality if OVI is going to replace PC Suite.
Splash Screen, Splash screens
Is is not enough that a user is going to http://betalabs.nokia.com to KNOW that he/she is downloading a software product & service offered by Nokia?! Is it not enough that in WinXP, Start> All Programs menu there is a Nokia Folder with Nokia Ovi Suite icon listed to launch (yet again) a Nokia software product? All of these actions are deliberate and explicit intent by the end user to USE a Nokia software product, so why the need for a LONG, and LARGE splash screen to indicate such a product is launching?!
There are only 2 products I've come across that either A) allow the user to quickly get rid of the slow loading splash screen, or B) do not have a splash screen at all (save for restarting a failed instance)
for a) its IBM Lotus Notes; I click on the splash screen and its gone I await while working or typing for the app to load in the background. B) Mozilla Firefox 3.1/3.5.
In any case allow the user to quickly "hide" or disable the splash screen or minimize its "Always on Top" nature of loading" or effectively disable it allows for more cpu resources, not to mention DDR-SDRAM to load the product not wasting time for brand recognition.
Please Nokia ... I know I'm using your products - but its my computer allow me full control of my workspace when using your products, please.
Thank you.
Initialising failed
Found the problem... I save downloads to a network share/mapped drive, and install from there. This installer doesn't like that, and must be loaded from the local machine only.
Internet-version of Ovi suite
Heips,
why is Ovi Suite 2.0 a program for a PC when Nokia says it becomes an internet company?
I would find it more logical and practical for the enduser if the Ovi suite would be in the web. I then could use it from my Linux nettops, from the Mac, from everywhere.
I would really suggest an online version of Ovi suite with installations done to the mobile devices over the air and same for synchronization, etc.
Go online with some PC, get the Nokia device online, get them linked and here we go...
Then we get rid of this Microsoft centered things. Its really crazy that I need Microsoft products to update my Nokia devices running on symbian (and thats the only reason why I still have a MS installation on part of my harddisk).
Linux/Mac clients
Nokia has adopted Linux for it's high end platform (N900 and future Meamo devices), so it's a real shame to see lack of Linux support in Ovi Suite 2.0.
As far as I'm aware, phonet driver has been in Linux kernel for a while, so there's nothing stopping you from developing Linux connectivity components (and frankly it must be already done - otherwise N900 wouldn't be able to connect to Windows client right?).
So personally I think it's more political than technological problem here (maybe Nokia has some kind of deal with Microsoft not to support other platforms?).
If you don't want to develop Linux/Mac clients, please open up Ovi Suite 2.0 API and community members develop all needed components for you (see projects like gnokii), so all you would have to do, is to recompile your lovely QT app (hey, no excuses here :)) to work on all platforms.
just more advocating for linux
I really like Nokia's moves to open source - I think this could really ignite the developer user base and in turn the regular user base.
But to get anywhere we need a linux sync suite (or network-based one as mentioned above).
I think almost all linux people would all of a sudden be very strong Nokia supporters if we had sync support.
Calendar and Notes sync issues and wish
I think its coming along well. I've had issues with duplicated contacts when I create them and the device syncs automatically. In addition to this it software is creating copies of appointments every time calendar syncs. I've disabled calendar sync function because of this.
I would like to see a view [icon] for the calendar appointments similar to the view in Ovi as well as notes. Syncing option for Notes doesn't appear to be possible as in the case with PC Suite. Notes does not sync OTA and I've had to do this through PC Suite instead. Had to add the fact that backup takes a really long...had to revert back to the regular PC suite for that too.