Nokia Bubbles experimental beta trial concluded
Tue, 2011-10-18 11:21
Written by Keijo Virtanen, Symbian Smartphones
We are happy that so many of you have downloaded and used Nokia Bubbles and we are grateful for all the feedback.
This project was a fun innovation exercise alongside regular R&D development that carried surprisingly far. With a unique idea to access key content and functionality quickly and utilizing powerful visual capabilities of Qt we were able to present something totally new in Nokia products.
We are happy about the positive feedback and suggestions we received and acknowledged also good criticism. To demonstrate the visual power of Bubbles, various YouTube videos demonstrating Bubbles received almost a million views and it was used in marketing events to show new ways of accessing key functionality.
We have now decided not to integrate Bubbles to products and are concluding the experimental beta trial here at Nokia Beta Labs. Although mostly working as defined, Bubbles has its usability, performance and stability challenges which would require further development effort.
The feedback gathered during the past months will be used as input when innovating and developing new alternate ways to use our devices and services.
- Keijo
Comments
Bummer. I loved this product.
I haven't had issues with Bubbles. Sad to see that its development is over. I will definitely use it as long as I have my N8.
This is definitely a bad news...
I agree. This was far too good a utility to be abandoned.
Nokia Bubbles was fun, useful and innovative and it's too bad that Nokia wasn't up to the challenge and, once more, decided to put away what users liked most. This can justify why some reach success and some don't.
So, it won't be released to market? :(
Would it be compatible with Belle?
*To bad. I really like it and I don't have any problems with it on my N8.
Big Bummer.
This is THE tool to show to possibilities of Nokia
Android users wanted this functionality
shame that the project is no longer available.
As you would expect from a bubbles fan I'm a bit disappointed, although I can see that as a UI it isn't really consistent with anything else and could confuse new users as a result.
On the other hand, it is a great and fun example project, particularly showing off hooks into so many of the standard applications from QT (not to mention surely the bubble physics could be hacked by a budding developer to make a great and addictive game!).
Is there any chance of the codebase being tidied and released under a permissive license to QT developers as an example project?
and what happens now!?, it stops working in my mobile !? ... I like the app!!
It won't stop working, it's just no longer available for download. It's a real pity as this is a really beautiful app. I use it all the time, and for all the great things I do with my N8, this is the app that always impresses people.
As hurwh suggests, it would be great to see it released to the community to continue the work on it.
I hope it doesn't disappear after the Belle update, have got used to it. Was going to request for a camera shortcut bubble.
At least open source it?
This is really sad. I had many people ask me about my phone, when using this application. Please reconsider this decision, and continue updating this application.
I was hoping this would even enter the shipping ROM of new phones.
It must be graduated and upgraded, not concluded. The email notifications still missing. There are a lot more works to do.
Everyone who touched my mobile absolutely fell in love with it. What a shame :(
Expected.. Like every other project with great potential Nokia abandons it. I don't think I can hold much longer with this kind of attitude. The americanization of Nokia (Microsoft, Elop, patent wars, creating a closed ecosystem, moving facilities to China) is destroying everything
totally crazy and disappointing. You finally have a product that even impresses the worst apple fanboys, and you abandon it, why??
It's just so sad that a great app ends like this.
Ok, Nokia has some Budget issues, so just release the sources of this awesome app and let the devs work on it and make it even more awesome!
Put it on a GPL so that no one can make money if you want, or just let anyone make money out of it and feel bad aftwerwards, thinking "Daaaamn, it could have been our product"... :P
I'm sorry that Nokia Beta Labs has made this decision, you speak of bugs even though I've never had these problems, I do not understand why you are abandoning this project is very valuable, I hope that with future updates this will continue to operate.
I hope that our feedback comes out another application like Nokia bubles no one has this application on its terminals, we had the other and we wanted to abandon what we do, Nokia has always been a leader in innovation, but lately I is failing , projects that are closed, sorry if I allow myself these words in vs against Nokia and I'm sorry but I love seeing her so.
Bad news for a great and innovative product. I will use as long as I have my Nokia C7.
I am running belle on my N8 and it works fine with bubbles. maybe there's some compability problems with other apps? I know there have been earlier.
I have the installation file saved on my computer so there's no problem installing it again.
only you know how to disapoint your users
I accept it's about time this project progressed out of the labs, but I had hoped that the app would get one last update to sort out issues with Anna and future firmware installs.
mbrett
N8 RM-596 (Product Code: 0599001) FW 022.014 (Symbian Anna)
http://twitter.com/MartynBrett
http://www.n8geeks.com
http://mbrett.wordpress.com
noooooooo por favor que vuelva el nokia bubbles , yo queria comprarme el nokia n8 solo por esa aplicacion :( nokia porfavor no saques esta aplicacion que ha sido todo un exito y si la sacas , renuevala , pero no las saques te lo ruego hazlo por tus fans que quedan en el mundo y por tus seguidores :)
well, this is certainly bad news :-(
I have been using Bubbles for some time on E7 and fortunately everything is working fine without problems. I am really sad that you've decided to stop the development of Bubbles, in my opinion, together with Sleeping screen, it's the most innovative Nokia app.
hello guys..I'm new here..does anyone know how I can download the firmware v35.0.001 on my nokia n95 8gb? :)
look forward to a reply soon..I'm desperate :/
This is one of the more innovative apps to have come out of Beta Labs(the other one being Sleeping Screen of course) & something I use to show my N8 to my friends(& tease them). Really sad to know that this beta is now closed & no longer developed.
This was a great way to use the torch, and much fun.
Maybe a "Torch" button could be put on the standard lock screen anyway for non-LED phones?
Nokia N8 FW 022.014.C14.01
Sad... i just can say this..
it was sooo cool!! I always use the torch at night it's so easy and helpfull also clock animation and style were so fluid and good looking...
i really don't like standard lock screen. :(
Well if anyone misses it and can live with known bugs, then you will be pleased to know that at least it is still available for download here:
http://nds2.betalabs.nokia.com/Bubbles/NokiaBubbles_installer.sis
and
http://www.mediafire.com/?gq9tu2r2oiuokk5
Best Regards
Eske Rahn
WHY ?? WAS THE BEST UNLOCK APP, WHY? ITS BETTER THAN ANDROID AND IOS UNLOCK SCREEN.. IS FOR MICROSOFT ? SYMBIAN IS LOST U.U
I'm sure that there are a few folks at Nokia who are wondering why everyone here is so upset and disappointed about the decision to cancel the Nokia Bubbles project.
Simply put, it's because we all care about Nokia products and want those products to succeed.
Nokia Bubbles was a great tool that could have been used to help all future Nokia smartphones stand out in an increasingly crowded smartphone market. It's just really sad to know that Nokia had (HAS) a winner here.....and they're tossing it aside.
As I recall, 99% of the reviews for the product were overwhelmingly positive.....5-STAR POSITIVE!
If you're in a building, and 99% of the building's occupants are running past you, telling you to get out because the building's on fire, well.... you're gonna listen and do what 99% of those people are telling you, right?
I'm just sayin'.
Thanks everyone for your support for this experimental project. As mentioned, the installer will remain available "as is" for a while, but is not guaranteed to work with future software updates.
John - Community Facilitator @ Beta Labs
that is bad news I will use it as far as i can.
The Nokia bubble has well and truly burst!
There are some older bubbles on my site at the bottom of the dump if anyone needs any :-D
http://chrislaff.weebly.com
Another very good product from Nokia Betalabs bites dust despite users loving it.
And I am not surprised at all :)
Best Regards,
Suyog
http://mobileyog.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/mobileyog
@Earthquakebass
I would put the 99%-analogue slightly different:
If you got a product in your store that 99% of the consumers praise, and raises awe among those that haven't got it, you should definitely think twice before pulling it off your shelves....
And instead use resources to improve it by fixing any shortcomings.
...I wouldn't be the least surprised if this is just another part of the strategy to avoid any internal competition with Nokias upcoming WP7-phones.
Best Regards
Eske Rahn
the best and unique unlock app for nokia..
i dun understand...
Im gona sell my n8 who wana buy it. Coz using my phone widhout bubles is like using computer widhout keybord uslessssssss.
Nokia dont do this to uss and urselve !!
It's really get hard to stay a Nokia fan. This really sucks :(. Like everyone else here, I love the bubbles and it was always such a nice show off to other people and I also didn't meet any real problems with the prog. Nice modern world we live in :(.
Great app, too bad to see it gone..
BTW,Why Was My Previous Comment Deleted.
Gee, every time I think that things are getting better, someone at Nokia kills the fun.
I had, and liked, Nokia Bubbles. I removed it along with some other software before I upgraded to Anna. I have no plans to put the other software back on my phone (SPB Mobile Suite) but I did plan to re-install Bubbles. (There was some problem with the QT download way back when, and silly me, I figured that I'd just remove and re-install Bubbles.)
Anyway, now I find out that it's gone????? WHY?????
What harm can it possibly do to leave something like this available through Beta Labs? There is absolutely NO reason to get rid of it - it isn't hurting anything, and lots of us really enjoy it.
Anybody know if when I installed it originally, the "install file" might still be around on my computer or phone, so I can get it going again? Or are there possibly any other ways to get the program?
Nokia, I don't know why I even bother. Much of the time I think someone there is deliberately trying to get their customers angry. The ONLY thing I can think of, is that the new windified phones might look bad because they can't do it.... Sheesh. I don't know whether I should be more upset at myself for "temporarily" deleting it, or Nokia for killing it.
It was an amazing "toy". It was fun. It REALLY showed off the capabilities of the N8, doing something others can't match. How many "fun" things are there to do on the N8? Most of what I have, and do, is for a purpose..... Bubbles was fun for its own sake. It was cool.
I hope someone out there wakes up and changes their mind..... and if nothing else, at least let us buy the thing.
Hey everyone, whatever you do, don't let the secret out of the bag, but on a hunch, I tried to download Nokia Bubbles again, and it WORKS!!!!!
Go ahead and download it now, before someone wakes up and actually removes it!!!
(Or, in the slight chance that Nokia people are reading this, and turned it back on for us, THANK YOU!!!!!!)
Nokia please don't do this to the people who are fans of yours from childhood.....we all recommend you to further develop the Nokia Bubbles......please.....we can't lose it..... Please don't stop the development of Nokia Bubbles........
@MikeMyersN8
On your 'secret' in posting #46, you could have found that in posting #32, and even officially confirmed in posting #35.
...If you read the thread before posting that is. ;-p
Best Regards
Eske Rahn
Eske, well, it wasn't exactly "secret", was it? :-)
You're right - maybe there's a trick that I don't know, but I wish I could expand every post, so I didn't have to to this one by one... I read quite a few, then got very frustrated, then searched on my phone and computer for the file I had downloaded, and then on a hunch, went to the official download page here and it still worked!
You're completely correct - I should have clicked on each link, one by one, but with it being 1 or 2am or something (in India) I figured I'd post what I found, then go to sleep. Why I woke up at 5am and looked here is something I can't explain.
You are completely correct though - I should have read ALL the comments.
More seriously, I find it very difficult to understand how the same group of people who created this lovely little tool would EVER have simply killed it off like that. It's not logical. Perhaps it's because it will no longer work with "Belle", or something else, but NOBODY would have complained if Nokia came out with something new and exciting, and then said that this new program was incompatible with Bubbles. To just turn it off for no apparent reason, when people (I thought obviously) enjoyed it so much, just isn't logical.
Heck, this is just a microscopic view of what's happening to all of Nokia, I think. We're all enjoying and getting more and more excited about a platform that is officially dead. I never expected to see "Anna". I therefore never thought there would be anything after "Anna". That life here is continuing is wonderful... unexpected, but wonderful.
Maybe there's life at the end of the tunnel after all. Maybe, just maybe, there are some people at Nokia who aren't going to let all this vanish just because the big boss says Nokia is getting windofied.
(...and while I highly doubt it, maybe someone, somewhere, will do the seemingly impossible, and find a way to keep Nokia phones working more or less the same, even as the operating system changes... but I'm way off course here. Yes, I agree with what you wrote. Sorry again.
)
Its one of the greatest apps I've used in Symbian, should be integraded in the firmware, its so UNIQUE.
@MikeMyersN8
he he...
You're right! A "show all" would be nice, like we have on the forum-threads.
Even though any blog-thread (like in the forum) have only unread (well un-exposed) threads opened by default. But yes on a large thread opening it does not always mean you have the time to read it all.
Hmm, perhaps what we really need is sort of the opposite function:
* "Close thread without marking as Read"
(Uhh, can someone better in English come up wither a shorter name for that??)
or
* "Mark opened as unread"
Best Regards
Eske Rahn
any chance of opening the source code for developers? these bubbles are amazing.
I love Nokia bubbles... It is in my top 10!!! you can not stop the development... in my N8 this app never presented any problem...
Trash it is the same as trash a ferrari's engine! Think about it...
Tks for all.
@EskeRahn
I agree with your comparison of the product having a 99% approval rating at a retail outlet, and yet being yanked off the shelves for no apparent reason. However, I went with the "burning building" analogy to stress the fact that Nokia has been in dire straights lately, and that when they come up with ideas / software to help save the company that are both unique and maybe even a bit radical, they should press forward with those ideas full-steam-ahead! Especially when those ideas consistantly get 5-star ratings 99% of the time!
That being said, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT for the "hidden" reason behind all of this: that somewhere waaaaaaay upstairs at Nokia World Headquarters, the new robotic overlord at Nokia decided to scrap the Bubbles UI Project because it makes the WP7 interface look WEAK when compared to it!!
i have it in my e6 so far its the best standby you can use, message, lock keys, profile, music and radio. a few update will make it perfect. is that what you call connecting to people? where's your heart in what you do? or you don't have any guts at all...
It would be so great if you integrate this awesome application to Belle. It's such a waste not finishing tnis work of art; you have made a great work creating this and we have followed the project step by step trying to colaborate in the process with our reports and sugestions. Please don't turn all this expectation and effort in nothing. Show us that you care for our participation here in Beta Labs and reconsider this bad choice you've made returning Nokia Bubbles where it belongs, that is nowhere else than alive and improving its amazing potential here in Beta Labs and then in Nokia Store or as part of future firmware updates. We, Nokia Beta Labs users will absolutly appreciate it so much.
this is why nokia died. They never care what people really want. My friend just gave up on nokia and get an iphone 4s. Me too, i'll rather get an iphone 5 next year. I'm too disappointed nokia, as a fan for so many years. I even sold my previous iphone to get a nokia n8. But now i think it's time for me to go back to iphone. You just lagged behind too much.
its too sad to listen that bubbles is no longer being developed.
It is by far the best personalization app for my c6.. And yet you stop it nokia? Apps like these should hit mainstream users and not rock bottom..
No! Bring it back. Great functionality: go straight to a text message from the lock-screen; change the profile without unlocking, etc, etc.
This was really a great achievement, very sad, really wanted to see this as screensaver for download.
Release sources. Maybe an nokia employee would be able to do it for all nokia fans. Without us nokia has no chance. Most of us care about nokias future, especially great phones. But I can see no future when americans lead this company. The are destroying everything to protect their own business.
not sure but suppose it's related to patent No#8,046,721 which was granted to Apple this week IMO
How can I remove it from my mobile? I don't want it.
Downloaded it and its Working on my Nokia X7... Even tho the site would not let me put it on my phone it is on my phone..
I really much perfer this over the other lock screen..
Its really a good thing, sad you are not supporting a WONDERFULL app.
I love this produt .
So so so sad T_T
Hi... I tested this beta version and i found a bug... The screen got unlocked even without dropping the key bubble right on the lock bubble.. To be more specific, both the bubbles almost barely touched each other and the screen got unlocked.. But speaking otherwise, this app is just great.. Contacts, easily contacting ur dear ones... This makes ur life much easier..
It's a simple product with a burst of applications on screen.
I am gonna use it till I have my N8 with me.
Hello there, I have hard formatted my phone so I need to install bubbles again. I am downloading the installer but while it is working I am getting "unable to install" error. Is there any chance or method that I can install bubbles from now on?(c7 here btw)
@yunusgedik
Try links in post #32 above
@EskeRahn thanks for your interest but I have already tried that link but still getting the same error.
@yunusgedik
Sorry to hear that.
Haven't got a s^3 device my self, so can't test it.
vry nice...gud work...
This is one of the most praised things that has come out of Beta Labs and canning it now when it's so close to completion is almost a crime. It doesn't have to be supplied on the phone on the off-chance that it might confuse new owners, it can be put in the shop in the screensaver section for those who want to find it.
All that's happened by canning it is that the competition now have a great idea served to them on a plate. A couple more months and it'd be ready unless there were insurmountable issues (doubtful).
A conspiracy theorist would say that anything that puts WP7 in the shade is either being canned or dropped on Symbian and ported over to WP7...
How about open sourcing it and letting others carry on where you left off?
Agreed with most posters so far, bubbles has been one of the most impressive little apps on my recently acquired E7. It really is unique in the app ecosystem on any plaform including iOS and Android and its a pity that Nokia has decided to can it.
Cost issues aside, this app really should have been nurtured fully, even if only as a show off application to new or returning symbian users. I can easily see this as a WOW application on the showroom, quick and easily demonstrating the power of Symbian Anna or Belle as it may.
At the very least, would be great if Nokia could open source this so some handy dev work on it and put up on Ovi Store
nokia luck is very bad yar that ur nt with that company
Please respond to this comment as I'm interested to know what you think of this new feature on Android ICS.
On this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcyRJFxwIf8
jump to 3:48 and take a look at the new lock screen. Does the feature look familiar?
I can't tell you how much I love the Bubbles app. I use it all the time to unlock my phone, call and text people, jump to messages or missed calls and control my music player. It's a shame on one level that Nokia discontinued it because it's so cool, but it's just adding insult to injury to see the same concept turn up on Android.
As I say, I'd love to see someone from Beta Labs respond to this. Were you aware of it?
Thanks.
Whattt????
This is definitely a bad news...
wen it will come to store?????
@ Nikhilgoud.love
Never they have stop this projet. I don't know why. :-(
This is the best what I have found in the NokiaBetaLabs and they give this projet up.
I hope they bring it back, when Elop was fired!!!!
magnífica app. Sólo puedo decir que su uso mejora en un 100% la experiencia de uso. La iluminación, la posibilidad de sms, llamadas, modos... Increíble
I like my Symbian Anna and Pupples. Thank you Nokia .
please, put this in the nokia store, the people love this, is a creative mode to unlock the phone, and only in nokia, this app is diferent, is for nokia
Message bubble does not work! It simply unlocks the device. I'm using C6-01 Belle.
i want downld ths swf, bt sad not found.
Sad... T_T Cant use the last vesion of this sfw on my e7-00 belle... Its causing some problem when i install it... Why conclude it?
Plus one on the reason why I hate nokia... Hmmp..
sweet, thanks eskerahn. belle upgrade made mine disappear but now it's back!
Unbelievebal Nokia cancelled such a great projekt. It's probably the product with the most response and the most loved betalabs product, also loved by envy android and iphone users.
But nokia did a great job to cancel great thing the last 3 years such as the changable equalizer, metadata change, the search function in the music player and they merged up album and artists. It's a pain to listen to music with the s^3 devices. Simply unbelievable!
Awesome!!!
But how can I delete an favorite contact on the locked "bubble" screen!? thanks
EDIT: have it, just hold it on the favorite contact you would like to delete and pull it into the "-".
Please,please revive bubbles for all Nokia S3 smart phones.
It's realy an eye-catcher.
Add additional function to shake bubbles with when I shake the phone
add additional funktion to rotating a liquid level when phone is going round
add battery charging level as water liquid level ....
bring back bubbles.upgraded to belle,and now its gone.i call that downgrading,,RUBBISH.
when my contract runs out, iphone here i come
you had a good thing with bubbles and you let it go.
Could you pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease reopen this because it is aswesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This will always be my favorite app from Nokia. Just go ahead and bring it back with more bubble shortcuts added.
I want Nokia Bubbles back and running on my N8-Belle! This attitude of dropping great projects is dragging customers away from Nokia. Please, give Bubbles back to us!