Nokia Smartphone Hacks | O'Reilly Media

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Most casual mobile phone users use their phones only for voice calls. The phone's keypad and small screen are well designed for such use. However, the modern Nokia mobile phone is much more than a voice communications device. In fact, the phone comes with a 200-page user manual, which covers many of the phone's advanced features.

Today's Nokia mobile phone is a voice, text, and multimedia communications hub, a personal information manager, a web browser, a multimedia entertainment center, a game console, and an extensible platform for new applications. In the rest of this book, I will discuss tricks and tips on how to make the best use of those features. But before you start on those hacks, you need to understand the Nokia phone's features and how they relate to network services. That's the focus of this chapter.

As I discussed in the Preface, in this book a smartphone is defined as a mobile phone that has computer functionalities, such as a web browser, an email client, a personal information manager, a media player, and video games. Under this definition, almost all Nokia mobile phones sold since 2003 are smartphones. If your Nokia phone has a color screen, it is most likely a smartphone covered in this book. Please note that our definition of smartphone is much broader than Nokia's own definition, which calls only its Symbian-based mid-range to high-end phones smartphones.

The best place to find information about Nokia phones is the Nokia web site. Unfortunately, the Nokia web site is hard to navigate and bookmark, since most links are generated dynamically. If you are curious about a specific model, you can just enter the word Nokia, along with the four-digit number of the model you're interested in (e.g., Nokia 6600), into the Google search engine (http://www.google.com/). The Nokia product page is typically the top-ranked search result. From that page, you can learn more about the phone, read the technical specifications, download the user manual, obtain additional software, and buy accessories.

A Nokia mobile phone works with either the GSM network or the CDMA network. You need to choose the right model to match your wireless operator

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Most casual mobile phone users use their phones only for voice calls. The phone's keypad and small screen are well designed for such use. However, the modern Nokia mobile phone is much more than a voice communications device. In fact, the phone comes with a 200-page user manual, which covers many of the phone's advanced features.

Today's Nokia mobile phone is a voice, text, and multimedia communications hub, a personal information manager, a web browser, a multimedia entertainment center, a game console, and an extensible platform for new applications. In the rest of this book, I will discuss tricks and tips on how to make the best use of those features. But before you start on those hacks, you need to understand the Nokia phone's features and how they relate to network services. That's the focus of this chapter.

As I discussed in the Preface, in this book a smartphone is defined as a mobile phone that has computer functionalities, such as a web browser, an email client, a personal information manager, a media player, and video games. Under this definition, almost all Nokia mobile phones sold since 2003 are smartphones. If your Nokia phone has a color screen, it is most likely a smartphone covered in this book. Please note that our definition of smartphone is much broader than Nokia's own definition, which calls only its Symbian-based mid-range to high-end phones smartphones.

The best place to find information about Nokia phones is the Nokia web site. Unfortunately, the Nokia web site is hard to navigate and bookmark, since most links are generated dynamically. If you are curious about a specific model, you can just enter the word Nokia, along with the four-digit number of the model you're interested in (e.g., Nokia 6600), into the Google search engine (http://www.google.com/). The Nokia product page is typically the top-ranked search result. From that page, you can learn more about the phone, read the technical specifications, download the user manual, obtain additional software, and buy accessories.

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A Nokia mobile phone works with either the GSM network or the CDMA network. You need to choose the right model to match your wireless operator.

Not all Nokia smartphones work with all wireless operators everywhere in the world. Wireless operators build their networks using different technologies, and a given phone typically works with only one of the network technologies.

If you got your Nokia smartphone directly from the wireless operator when you signed up for a service plan, you can rest assured that the device is compatible with the operator's wireless network in your area. However, as smartphone power users and gadget lovers, many of us actually buy cutting-edge devices directly from electronics stores and then use them with existing service plans. In this case, you need to be a little careful to select a phone that works with your operator's network.

Buying a smartphone from a third-party electronics store without a service plan will usually cost you more, since the mobile operator does not subsidize the cost of the device with service revenues in this case. However, you will have access to the latest devices that have not been officially supported by the operator, and you will be freed from operator lock-in [Hack #7] . Additionally, you get a handset unmolested by the mobile operator. Many operators apply custom firmware and branding to their handsets, such as adding new icons or removing functionality from the device. Even if you get a device unlocked from your operator, it will still have these customizations in place, and sometimes this can produce very undesirable effects.

Popular networking technologies used by today's wireless operators include GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network), and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access):

GSM: The GSM technology was originally developed in Europe for digital voice networks. It has been extended to support fast wireless data access via the General Packet Radio Service (GPRS; 20–40 kbps), EDGE (40– 230 kbps), and UMTS (384 kbps and up) protocols. GSM phones operate at frequencies of around 900, 850, 1800, and 1900 MHz. It is now the most widely used wireless phone network technology in the world. Most Nokia phones support GSM and GPRS. A few newer models also support EDGE and UMTS. I discuss how to set up data networking on Nokia GSM phones in "Connect Your Phone to the Internet"

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Nokia phones come in many shapes, sizes, and models. The Nokia Device Series provides a logical way to categorize those phones according to their features.

In 2004, Nokia announced more than 40 new models of mobile phones to satisfy the diverse needs of the mass market. Add in the older devices that are still being supported, and you've got about 100 different models of Nokia phones currently in use by consumers. For most users, this forest of devices is confusing and difficult to navigate. Here is where a little knowledge about the Nokia device series could really help. If you are considering buying a Nokia smartphone in the near future, this hack also serves as a buyer's guide.

Figure 1-1: The Nokia device matrix showing different types of devices

Most Nokia devices share many common characteristics and can be grouped into several device series. The Nokia device series distinction is primarily a convenience for application developers (who need to distinguish between classes of device capabilities) rather than general consumers. Yet, as power users, knowledge about the device series helps us quickly identify the user interface (UI) style, available software, and hacking options on any Nokia device. In this book, I discuss hacks in the context of device series. For example, some hacks are applicable to only one series of devices, and others need to be applied differently on each series.

Currently, most Nokia devices are grouped into three series: Series 40, Series 60, and Series 80. You can see a complete list of devices in each series by filtering through the device series in the Forum Nokia device matrix [Hack #1] . Now, let's look at the key characteristics of the devices in each series.

The device series information is especially useful when you need to purchase a new device. Based on your software and UI requirements, you can quickly narrow down your search to a specific series. Then you can dig into the detailed device specification via the Forum Nokia device matrix or the consumer home page for each device on the Nokia web site.

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Given a choice between CDMA and GSM wireless network operators, how do you decide which kind of network, let alone which operator, to trust with your calls and mobile data?

We all love the gadgetry and cool factor of new equipment coming out these days. However, gizmophilia shouldn't be your primary deciding factor when picking a wireless network operator (a.k.a. carrier). Unless you live in a major market comprising at least a couple million people and choices and coverage galore, there are more important considerations than the quality of the onboard PIM or the choice of downloadable games. A mobile phone is simply no good without service, and it's fairly useless and more than a little irritating with spotty or iffy service. You should focus first and foremost on the available coverage and spectrum in your most frequent markets of use. Use the operator's web site to look up your home and your office, and if you regularly visit another city or town, check that out too. Make sure the coverage map of the network operator you are looking at covers the areas you frequent. Nothing is worse than discovering that you can't get a signal in the areas you visit regularly, or that you're subject to large roaming fees!

Just so that I'm perfectly clear: there is no such thing as a best wireless operator. It really isn't possible to be the best all around, for a lot of reasons, but I hope to give you the means to make an informed decision about which operator you should use in your primary market.

The two networks we are most concerned with are GSM and CDMA [Hack #1] . TDMA and AMPS are no longer being deployed, and Nokia does not make phones that support iDEN networks.

I recommend you find a handset [Hack #2] that answers your needs, and then find an operator that can support that handset or an operator that sells that handset at a discount. The CDMA operators typically aren't very willing to let you move to them a CDMA handset that you bought from a competing operator, but it has been known to happen (it can't hurt to ask). You'll have better luck moving from operator to operator with a GSM handset

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With their comprehensive wireless support, Nokia phones are some of the most data-friendly gadgets around. If you're going to use your phone to connect to the Internet, make sure you've got the right data plan.

Your Nokia phone can connect you to the Internet in a lot of ways, but it's going to cost you. Before you commit to a costly data plan, you need to consider what you'll do with the phone. Will you send and receive email on the phone [Hack #60] ? Do you plan to send a lot of camera phone pictures or video clips [Hack #69] ? How about posting to your weblog [Hack #56] ? And most important, will you use your Nokia phone to connect (tether) your laptop to the Internet [Hack #40] ? It's possible for you to use your phone for a lot of what your computer can do, and yes, there are plenty of hotspots around for that data fix when you need it. But I think you'll give in and tether eventually— just wait until the first time you open up your laptop and find no WiFi signal while your phone is showing five bars!

We will use the word tether even when referring to wireless methods of using your handset, such as the Bluetooth connection.

Data plans come in two flavors: metered and unlimited. With a metered plan, you get anywhere between 1 and 20 megabytes per month as a base allotment, and if you go over, you pay by the kilobyte. There are two types of unlimited plans: handset plans and really, honest, we-mean-it unlimited plans that let you use your phone as a wireless modem for your laptop or PDA.

The phone typically relies on the wireless operator's data network to connect to the Internet. The underlying wireless network technology is known as the data bearer of the mobile data. Here's a quick overview of the data bearers available from today's wireless service plans. Since the vast majority of Nokia devices are GSM-based, I focus the discussion on that technology.

GSM: The GSM network provides data access over the phone (data calls). It works in the same way as the dial-up modem on a PC. The benefit of this technology is that it is available everywhere you can get coverage. However, the drawbacks are the slow data rate (between 9.6 and 13.2 kbps) and the dedicated phone call for the connection. Since the call must be connected for the entire data session, it counts against your air time minutes. If you want to make a voice call, you must first disconnect the data call. All Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 devices support the GSM data bearer. GSM data is known as 2G (second generation).

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Get the model number, serial number, and firmware version number of your smartphone. You will need them in future hacks.

In "Choose the Right Phone for the Network" [Hack #1] and "Pick the Right Class of Nokia Phone" [Hack #2] , I discussed how to map Nokia smartphone models to wireless networks and Nokia device series. But what if you already own a Nokia phone? How do you determine its model number? How do you find out other crucial information about your phone that is useful in more advanced hacks? Well, read on.

Nokia smartphones are identified by cryptic model numbers, such as Nokia 6600, 6230, 3650, etc. Do you know which phone you own? Well, it's actually easy to find out your model number, even if you lost the original packaging box and order receipt. First, power off your phone, and then open the back cover of the device and remove the battery. You can read the Nokia model number off the white label (see Figure 1-5). Make a note of this number, as you will need to refer to it when applying hacks discussed throughout this book.

As I discussed in the beginning of this chapter, if you Google for your Nokia phone's model number (e.g., searching Nokia 6600), you can quickly jump to Nokia's official product page, which contains detailed technical information, related software downloads, and accessories for the phone.

The International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) code is a 15-digit number that uniquely identifies your mobile phone. It is useful for many purposes. For example, the wireless operator can associate your IMEI code with your account and identify stolen phones, locking them out of the network [Hack #24] . Third-party software on Nokia Series 60 devices often uses the IMEI code to tie the software license to the specific device it is installed on [Hack #17] . There are two ways to discover your phone's IMEI number:

Figure 1-5: The white label under the battery in a Nokia 6600

The first method is to look it up on the phone's label. The IMEI number should appear on the phone's packaging box. If you lost the original box, you can find it on the white sticker underneath the battery (see Figure 1-5).

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Keep track of your account to avoid expensive charges for additional minutes!

Today's wireless service contracts are designed by the operator and for the operator. As a consumer, you pay a predetermined monthly fee to subscribe to a service plan. This plan usually includes a certain number of voice call minutes and SMS/MMS messages, and a certain amount of data bandwidth. Calls made at different times (peak or off-peak), from different places (home or roaming areas), and to different destinations (family members, in-network mobile numbers, etc.) are all counted differently in the plan. If you go over the usage limits of the plan, you will be charged a hefty fee. Intimidated by such additional fees, many mobile subscribers choose plans that are more expensive than they need to make sure they never exceed the limit. The unused part of the service plan goes wasted at the end of each billing cycle. That's a lot of extra profit for the operator, at the subscriber's expense!

Some U.S. wireless network operators offer solutions to the problem of unused minutes. On its Rollover Minutes plans, Cingular will allow you to carry over unused minutes from one month to the next. Sprint offers a different solution: its Fair and Flexible service plans will automatically switch to the next highest plan as your usage exceeds your limit.

As a well-informed power user, you can do better! You can beat the system and save money by tracking your account usage regularly and adjusting your usage patterns accordingly. For example, if you are running out of peak-time minutes near the end of a billing cycle, you can consciously make less important calls during the off-peak time, or even postpone them to the next billing cycle. By planning aggressively, you can reduce your month-to-month usage fluctuations. Such improved predictability allows you to choose a cheaper plan that closely matches your expected usage. The key to such successful planning is to gather accurate and real-time information on your account usage at any time. In this hack, I discuss how to do that.

Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 devices ship with a small program to keep track of phone use. On Series 60 devices, the program is called Log, and it is accessible from the Main menu. On Series 40 devices, the same function is accessible from the Call Registry menu. The Log program displays the total number of minutes for dialed and received calls, as well as the GPRS data bandwidth you've used. You can reset the log at the beginning of each billing cycle and use it to track account usage.

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Unlock your phone so that it works with all network operators when you travel or switch plans. It is your phone. Take control of it!

If you bought your phone from a mobile operator, chances are very good that it's locked to the operator's network. While the phone itself might be compatible with all GSM networks (i.e., a triband phone), it rejects SIM cards from other GSM operators. Locking imposes some limitations on how you can use your phone:

If you change your service plan to that of another operator, you will not be able to continue using the locked phone. You will have to buy a new phone and transfer all the data.
The locked phone probably will not work with prepaid calling cards in foreign countries, since the prepaid service requires a new SIM card from a local operator. See "Use Prepaid Calling Cards" [Hack #28] for more on prepaid mobile phone calling cards.
If you no longer use an old phone, it is difficult to sell or donate it if it is locked, as you have to require that the buyer or recipient has the same wireless operator as you do to make sure the phone functions as promised.

If you place a SIM card from another operator into a locked Nokia phone, it will display messages such as "Enter restriction code" or "SIM card rejected," and will refuse to even display the Main menu.

If the error message is related to a SIM security code, or if it reads something like "SIM registration failed," you might not be able to connect to the network, but the phone is indeed unlocked. The acid test is to see whether you can access the Main menu. If you can, the phone is unlocked; if you can't, the phone is locked.

The rationale for operator locking is that the operator subsidizes the phone's price via service charges. So, it should do something to prevent the user from switching to other operators' services with the subsidized phone. However, from the customer's point of view, this is not a convincing argument, as the subsidy should be considered part of the marketing and customer acquisition cost. In fact, in most mobile service agreements, nothing prohibits you from unlocking the phone (check your service agreement to make sure this applies to you). In addition, the operator has no way of knowing whether your phone is locked.

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You can dial numbers on your keypad to get billing information from your cellular operator or to configure forwarding settings.

If you're a T-Mobile USA subscriber, you can dial #646# (#MIN#) [Hack #6] and a message will come back that tells you what your minute usage is for the billing period. You also can dial other little features on your phone to get interesting information or change network settings such as call forwarding.

On GSM networks, you can check the status of many services by sending messages from your handset to the operator's network. Some GSM networks, such as T-Mobile USA, offer # codes, as shown in Table 1-4. You need to press the Call button (the green phone button you press after dialing a number) after you type in these numbers. Short * codes work in the same way—some of these are shown in Table 1-5. You should check your phone manual or your operator's web site to learn which codes you can use.

Table 1-4: Short # codes
Short code	Result	Example operator
#MIN# (#646#)	Sends the minutes usage to your handset as a message	T-Mobile USA
#NUM# (#686#)	Sends your mobile number to you as a message	T-Mobile USA
#999#	Sends the balance of your prepaid account to you as a message	T-Mobile USA
#BAL# (#225#)	Sends your balance to you as a message	T-Mobile USA

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Avoid battery drain by conserving power, using mobile chargers and spare batteries, and practicing proper battery maintenance procedures.

Your Nokia phone displays a battery gauge on the right side of the idle screen to indicate the remaining battery charge. The battery gradually loses its charge even if the phone is powered off. Therefore, it is essential to recharge the battery every several days to keep the phone in a ready-to-use state. Older batteries need recharging more often than new ones, since the battery loses its capabilities as time goes on.

It is helpful to understand how batteries are charged. In most cases, both the battery and mobile phone contain electronics that monitor and manage the charging cycle. A full battery charge occurs in two phases. The first is the quick charge, which generally takes the battery up to an 80% charge. The second is the trickle charge, which slowly tops off the battery. As the battery gets older, it holds a smaller charge, so the time required to get to a full charge will vary.

If the battery charge is too low, the phone will alert you periodically via a "low battery" message accompanied by a single beep. You can silence the beep by turning the phone to a Silent profile. From the first "low battery" message, you have about an hour of standby time or 10 minutes of talk time until the battery finally runs out. A mobile phone with a drained battery can cause lost productivity, missed opportunities, and even anxiety among some people. To avoid battery drain, you can proactively adjust your usage pattern to conserve power and keep a second battery on hand as a backup. And, for the longer term, proper battery maintenance practices help prolong battery life and improve the capability of older batteries. In this hack, I cover all these topics.

First, try to make voice calls only from places where the signal strength is strong. This way, the radio doesn't need to amplify its signal, and hence, you save energy. You can also set up the phone to make GPRS connections only "when needed" as opposed to "when available" to save the extra energy needed to maintain an always-on GPRS connection. You can change the GPRS connection setting via the Tools

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By their very nature, mobile phones are connected devices. They are useful only when connected into the wireless network. Connecting a mobile phone to the wireless voice network is straightforward. Just turn on the phone and it automatically finds and registers on the network.

Smartphones, however, have features well beyond those available with simple mobile phones. To fully utilize the data-processing power of smartphones, you should connect them to the wireless data network. In this chapter, I cover the Nokia smartphone's data connection configuration, as well as issues with both the wireless Internet and local Bluetooth networks.

Your mobile smartphone is as powerful as desktop computers were not too long ago. Not only that, but you can connect to the Internet with it. Combine these capabilities, and you've got a smart device that can connect you to email, the Web, and more.

The mobile Internet is a key part of the mobile lifestyle. Many of the cool features crammed into your Nokia phone are designed specially for Internet use. However, an October 2004 mobile survey conducted by Wacom Components suggests that more than half of the users polled thought that it was too difficult to access the Internet from their mobile phone, and hence they avoided the mobile Internet altogether.

If you're like these users and your phone is not yet connected to the Internet, you are not only missing out on a lot of fun, but you've also wasted your money by buying an expensive gadget that you don't use to its fullest extent!

Once you understand the key concepts involved, accessing the Internet from your Nokia phone becomes very easy. In this hack, I'll tell you all about it.

First I'll discuss the basic concepts of data access settings on a Nokia device. Then I'll cover how to determine the right setting values for your device and your network.

A Nokia device can access the Internet via several different data bearers [Hack #4] , wireless operators, and proxy servers. Each valid combination of such parameters is known as a data access setting

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By their very nature, mobile phones are connected devices. They are useful only when connected into the wireless network. Connecting a mobile phone to the wireless voice network is straightforward. Just turn on the phone and it automatically finds and registers on the network.

Smartphones, however, have features well beyond those available with simple mobile phones. To fully utilize the data-processing power of smartphones, you should connect them to the wireless data network. In this chapter, I cover the Nokia smartphone's data connection configuration, as well as issues with both the wireless Internet and local Bluetooth networks.

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Your mobile smartphone is as powerful as desktop computers were not too long ago. Not only that, but you can connect to the Internet with it. Combine these capabilities, and you've got a smart device that can connect you to email, the Web, and more.

The mobile Internet is a key part of the mobile lifestyle. Many of the cool features crammed into your Nokia phone are designed specially for Internet use. However, an October 2004 mobile survey conducted by Wacom Components suggests that more than half of the users polled thought that it was too difficult to access the Internet from their mobile phone, and hence they avoided the mobile Internet altogether.

If you're like these users and your phone is not yet connected to the Internet, you are not only missing out on a lot of fun, but you've also wasted your money by buying an expensive gadget that you don't use to its fullest extent!

Once you understand the key concepts involved, accessing the Internet from your Nokia phone becomes very easy. In this hack, I'll tell you all about it.

First I'll discuss the basic concepts of data access settings on a Nokia device. Then I'll cover how to determine the right setting values for your device and your network.

A Nokia device can access the Internet via several different data bearers [Hack #4] , wireless operators, and proxy servers. Each valid combination of such parameters is known as a data access setting. A Nokia device can hold and manage multiple data access settings. You can assign a different setting for each application, or activate a different setting when you roam to a new wireless network. The Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 devices [Hack #2] manage data access settings in different manners.

On a Series 60 device, all data access settings are centrally managed as access points. You can define new access points or edit existing ones via the Tools → Settings → Connections → Access Points menu (see Figure 2-1). You can assign a default access point to each network-aware application on the device via the application's own settings menu. For the Services application (your phone's web browser

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We all use cables to connect things, but this can rapidly become unwieldy. Use Bluetooth to connect your phone to other phones, PDAs, computers, and more. Bluetooth makes it easy for mobile devices to become part of your personal network.

Bluetooth is a short-range (about 30 feet, or 10 meters) wireless technology that operates in the unregulated 2.4GHz radio band. It is developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), which consists of more than 2,000 companies, including Nokia. Bluetooth is designed as a "cable replacement" technology to cut down on cable clutter in the increasingly digital home and office. For instance, Bluetooth-based keyboards and mice have gained a lot of popularity these days.

Your WiFi network and some cordless phone systems operate in the same 2.4GHz radio band. The interference between those networks is generally negligible.

Bluetooth is ideally suited for mobile phones and handheld devices. Smartphones are not only voice communications tools but also tiny computers. Like regular computers, mobile devices are most useful when they work in collaboration with peer computers or devices. However, due to the mobile nature of those devices, cable-based solutions are inconvenient. You shouldn't have to carry around USB cables or cradles just to synchronize the contact list from your phone to both your home and office PCs!

Bluetooth technology enables you to build ad hoc personal networks that connect all nearby devices wherever you go. Since the mobile phone is always with you and (usually) contains your most up-to-date personal information, it is a central component in the personal network. For example, the phone could provide Internet access to any laptop computer you happen to work with through your GPRS subscription [Hack #40] ; the phone could become the remote control for your computers [Hack #41] and [Hack #42] . Many hacks in this book rely on Bluetooth to work.

Most Nokia devices are sold without the serial or USB cables. If you opt for a cable-based solution, you will have to purchase the cables separately. Also, you need special software to communicate with the device via cables. The Nokia PC Suite is a good choice for such software on Windows PCs

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Configure and set up a Windows PC to work with your Nokia smartphone over a Bluetooth connection.

Bluetooth support in the Windows operating system was weak until Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), which significantly improved Bluetooth support. In this hack, I cover Bluetooth for both Windows XP SP2 computers and older Windows computers.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 is a free upgrade for all Windows XP computers that includes greatly enhanced security and better WiFi and Bluetooth support. I highly recommend that you download and install it.

Once you have the Bluetooth connection set up, you can follow the instructions in "Use Bluetooth to Replace Cables" [Hack #11] to pair the phone with the PC.

In pre-SP2 versions of Windows, including Windows 2000, you have to install the vendor-supplied software for the Bluetooth adapter. The software typically provides both a device driver and Bluetooth service management tools for this adapter. Many different kinds of Bluetooth adapters are available, and I cannot cover them all. So, in this section, I'll use the WIDCOMM software, which is used with many USB Bluetooth dongles, as an example.

Most Bluetooth adapters on the market use the WIDCOMM Bluetooth software for Windows PCs. Hence, all these adapters have a similar look and feel from the user's perspective. However, different hardware manufacturers use their own customized version of the WIDCOMM software, so you generally cannot use one manufacturer's driver with another manufacturer's adapter. You can find the vendor-specific Bluetooth driver in the CD that comes with your device. Or, you can often download the latest driver for free from the vendor's web site. You can get more information about the WIDCOMM drivers from http://www.broadcom.com/.

Once you install the WIDCOMM software, it adds a new My Bluetooth Places shortcut to each user's desktop and a Bluetooth icon to the system tray. My Bluetooth Places opens like a folder in Windows Explorer. The content in the folder shows the devices in the network and the services available. The available Bluetooth operations, such as searching for new devices and starting/stopping local services, are listed in the Bluetooth Tasks sidebar. The tasks are context sensitive. For example, a different set of Bluetooth tasks is available when you are browsing connected devices than when you are browsing the services on the local computer (see Figure 2-11).

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Configure and set up a Mac OS X computer to work with your Nokia smartphone over a Bluetooth connection.

Mac OS X provides excellent support for Bluetooth. Most new Mac laptops are shipped with Bluetooth preinstalled and preconfigured. To check whether yours has built-in Bluetooth, you can open System Preferences and check whether the Bluetooth icon exists. If your Mac does not have built-in Bluetooth, you can simply insert a compatible USB Bluetooth dongle. Mac OS X recognizes most Bluetooth dongles and automatically adds the Bluetooth icon to System Preferences. If it does not, it is unlikely that you will be able to obtain drivers from the vendor. If you click the Bluetooth icon, the Bluetooth preferences pane opens. In Figure 2-15, the top window shows the Bluetooth properties of this Mac and the lower window shows the paired devices. Click the Set Up New Device button to search for and pair with your phone [Hack #11] .

Figure 2-15: The Bluetooth management tool in Mac OS X

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Configure and set up a Linux computer to work with your Nokia smartphone over a Bluetooth connection.

Bluetooth support on Linux is a complex issue. As with many emerging technologies, competing implementations of Linux Bluetooth support exist. The two main implementations are Affix and BlueZ. Affix was developed by Nokia and is now hosted as an open source project at SourceForge (http://affix.sourceforge.net/). BlueZ is also available (http://www.bluez.org/) and is the official Bluetooth stack of the Linux kernel.

Although Affix is a mature and functional project, BlueZ receives more testing and has been more widely adopted. For this reason, this hack focuses on the uses of the BlueZ Linux Bluetooth stack and libraries.

Bluetooth support under Linux requires a recent kernel. If your kernel is Version 2.4.22 or better, or if it is a 2.6 series kernel, you're all set. Otherwise, you must upgrade your kernel. Alternatively, if you do not want to upgrade, and you have kernel 2.4.18 or better compiled from source, you can apply the patches from the "kernel patches" area of the BlueZ web site (http://www.bluez.org/).

Patching and recompiling the kernel for Bluetooth support is not a trivial matter. For a complete set of instructions, please refer to Chapter 7 of Linux Unwired (O'Reilly, 2004). I recommend that you use a recent kernel rather than a patch, if at all possible.

In addition to kernel support, you must install a set of utility programs to help you manage your Bluetooth devices. Table 2-2 shows the name of the packages and their purpose. You can either install the versions of these tools that come with your Linux distribution or compile and install them from source.

Table 2-2: Utility programs for managing Bluetooth devices
Package	Purpose
bluez-libs	The application library that all other Bluetooth tools require to function

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The Nokia PC Suite allows you to use a PC to control, manage, and extend your Nokia smartphone. It greatly enhances your device experience.

Today's smartphones have computing power similar to PCs. However, due to their small screens and limited keyboards, they are not about to replace PCs. In fact, the phone and PC usage models nicely complement each other. You can do the heavyweight computing (e.g., writing and compiling code, creating gigantic spreadsheets, or designing a company newsletter) on a PC and have mobile data access on your smartphone anywhere you go. The phone is a smart extension to the PC. The Nokia PC Suite lets your Windows PC work with your Nokia phone. Many hacks in the rest of the book use the Nokia PC Suite.

The Nokia PC Suite software is freely available from the Nokia web site, at http://www.nokia.com/pcsuite. You will be asked to choose your phone model, and the Windows operating system version on which you plan to run the PC Suite. Depending on your choices, you will be presented with several possibilities. All of the version numbers in the following list are current as of April 2005. For a complete compatibility table of devices and PC Suite versions, please visit http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,72030,00.html#model.

Most Nokia phones work with both the Nokia PC Suite v6.5 (for Windows 2000 and XP) and v5.8 (for Windows 98 and ME). The v5.8 software is provided only to support older Windows computers, and is no longer under active development. It is not as feature-rich as v6.5. Some phone models, including the popular Nokia 7610 (Series 60 [Hack #2] ), work only with the Nokia PC Suite v6.5. You cannot install a Nokia PC Suite for those devices on a Windows 98/ME computer.
Some Nokia devices, including the popular Nokia 3650 and 6600 (Series 60), require special versions of the Nokia PC Suite (e.g., the Nokia PC Suite for 6600). Those special versions work on Windows 98, ME, 2000, and XP. However, some of them have known problems with Windows XP SP2's native Bluetooth drivers.
Some older phone models (black-and-white screen models) work only with the Nokia PC Suite v4.8.x, which runs on Windows 2000, XP, 98, and ME computers. Those devices and their PC Suites have limited functionalities.

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A key characteristic of smartphones is that they can run third-party applications. Those applications add new features to the phone, essentially allowing you to extend the phone beyond its original capabilities. In this chapter, I'll cover techniques to install, run, and manage third-party applications on Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 smartphones. Issues related to running applications on the phone, such as filesystem and memory management, are also covered in the hacks in this chapter.

Your phone has a built-in Java environment that lets you run all sorts of cool applications and games. Installing and managing these applications is easy, once you know how.

All Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 phones support Java applications (a.k.a. MIDlets) that you can add on to your phone after you get it. With these applications, you can customize, enhance, and extend your phone to suit your preferences.

A MIDlet is a Java application that conforms to the Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) standard. The MIDP specification defines the Java Virtual Machine and API available on most Java-compatible smartphones, including all Nokia smartphones.

Java technology is most widely used to develop mobile games and entertainment applications for Nokia phones. In fact, your Nokia phone probably was preinstalled with some popular Java games (e.g., Golf and Beach Rally) and utilities (e.g., Converter and World Clock), courtesy of Nokia and your wireless operator. Here is a list of web sites where you can purchase or download MIDlets:

Handango is the world's largest online mobile software store. It runs Nokia and Motorola's online software stores. Visit Handango at http://www.handango.com/.
The mpowerplayer web site (http://www.mpowerplayer.com/) provides "previews" of mobile Java games right on your desktop computer. You can download any game and play it on your computer. You need only to pay for the game once you decide to install it onto your phone. It is extremely cool. Check it out!
The Midlet Review (http://www.midlet-review.com) publishes reports and reviews of new MIDlets, especially games.

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A key characteristic of smartphones is that they can run third-party applications. Those applications add new features to the phone, essentially allowing you to extend the phone beyond its original capabilities. In this chapter, I'll cover techniques to install, run, and manage third-party applications on Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 smartphones. Issues related to running applications on the phone, such as filesystem and memory management, are also covered in the hacks in this chapter.

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Your phone has a built-in Java environment that lets you run all sorts of cool applications and games. Installing and managing these applications is easy, once you know how.

All Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 phones support Java applications (a.k.a. MIDlets) that you can add on to your phone after you get it. With these applications, you can customize, enhance, and extend your phone to suit your preferences.

A MIDlet is a Java application that conforms to the Mobile Information Device Profile (MIDP) standard. The MIDP specification defines the Java Virtual Machine and API available on most Java-compatible smartphones, including all Nokia smartphones.

Java technology is most widely used to develop mobile games and entertainment applications for Nokia phones. In fact, your Nokia phone probably was preinstalled with some popular Java games (e.g., Golf and Beach Rally) and utilities (e.g., Converter and World Clock), courtesy of Nokia and your wireless operator. Here is a list of web sites where you can purchase or download MIDlets:

Handango is the world's largest online mobile software store. It runs Nokia and Motorola's online software stores. Visit Handango at http://www.handango.com/.
The mpowerplayer web site (http://www.mpowerplayer.com/) provides "previews" of mobile Java games right on your desktop computer. You can download any game and play it on your computer. You need only to pay for the game once you decide to install it onto your phone. It is extremely cool. Check it out!
The Midlet Review (http://www.midlet-review.com) publishes reports and reviews of new MIDlets, especially games.

A Java application consists of two files. The Java archive (JAR) file contains the application's executable code. The Java application descriptor (JAD) file is a text file that contains attributes about the application and the location of the JAR file. During the installation process, the phone first grabs the JAD file, parses its content, and checks whether the device has the required software and memory space to install the application. If everything looks OK, the device follows the URL in the JAD file to locate and download the JAR file. Then the device compares the JAR file with attributes in the JAD file (e.g., application name, vendor, size, digital signature, etc.). If everything matches, the application is installed and becomes available to the user. This hack covers how to install and use Java applications on your phone.

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Enhance your Series 60 phone with Symbian OS applications.

Nokia Series 60 devices are based on the Symbian operating system (OS). They can run native Symbian applications in addition to Java MIDlets [Hack #16] . Compared with Java, native Symbian applications integrate much better into the underlying phone system. In fact, most of the phone's built-in applications, such as the call dialer, the messaging client, and the browser, are Symbian applications. However, native Symbian applications are also more difficult to develop than Java, and hence, fewer of them are available. Most third-party native Symbian applications are commercial applications.

Here is a list of places where you can purchase or download Symbian applications for your Nokia phone:

Handango is the world's largest online mobile software store. It powers Nokia and Motorola's online software stores. You can visit Handango at http://www.handango.com/.
My-Symbian.com (http://my-symbian.com/) publishes news about the latest Symbian software. It sells Nokia Series 60 and Series 80 Symbian applications via its online store.
SymbianWare (http://www.symbianware.com/) offers Symbian applications for Nokia devices. Some applications in its catalog are available for free download.
The SYMBOS software store (http://www.symbos.com/) sells Symbian and Java software for Nokia's Symbian OS phones.

A Symbian application is typically distributed in a single installation file with a .sis filename suffix. All the executable code, resource files, and metadata are bundled in the .sis file. While it is possible to install the Symbian .sis file directly over the air from your mobile browser, most Symbian application download sites do not have the correct MIME type (the application/vnd.symbian.install type) associated with the .sis files. If you point your mobile browser to a .sis file on those sites, the browser just treats it as if it is a text file and displays it in the phone's Note editor program (see Figure 3-7).

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Use the Python scripting language to develop small hacks for your Series 60 device.

While Java and Symbian C++ are powerful programming languages, their learning curves are too steep for most smartphone users. Most users do not need a full-blown programming platform to develop small hacks for their phone. A scripting language is the perfect tool to automate simple tasks and perform simple logical processing.

Python is a widely used scripting language in the computer world. It is easy to learn and supports object-oriented program construction. Nokia provides support for Python on most of its Series 60 devices.

Speaking of running scripting languages on Nokia Series 60 smartphones, there is an unsupported Symbian port for Perl 5.8x and 5.9.x. You can find the installation package and usage instructions from this mailing list posting from a Nokia engineer: http://www.xray.mpe.mpg.de/mailing-lists/perl5-porters/2005-04/msg00439.html.

The current Nokia phones do not come with the Python runtime environment preinstalled. You have to download and install Python yourself.

You can download the Python for Series 60 package from the Forum Nokia web site under the Series 60 Platform → Tools and SDKs category. The download package is a zip file with the .sis installation files, documentation, and example code. Make sure you read the Getting Started document in the download bundle to choose the correct .sis file for your phone. Then, you need to install the extracted .sis file to the phone, following the instructions in "Run Symbian Applications" [Hack #17] . The .sis file installs the following components to the phone:

A Python language interpreter
The necessary libraries (DLL files) to run Python applications
A plug-in for the phone to recognize Python scripts and Python libraries downloaded from the Internet or embedded in incoming messages

Once the Python runtime is successfully installed, a Python icon appears in the Main menu.

Click the Python icon to open it and then select Options → Run script. You should see a list of installed Python scripts and applications (see Figure 3-10). If this is the first time you've run Python, the scripts that appear will be the demo scripts from Nokia. You can try any of them. The

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You might install a lot of applications, and if you're on a Series 60 phone, you might run a bunch of them at once. With all this potential disorder, you need to be able to quickly launch and switch between applications.

Nokia smartphones can be loaded with applications—both factory-installed and user-installed. However, to launch any application, you must go through multiple menu items (for Series 40 devices) or scroll up and down in a grid (for Series 60 devices). It is a slow process for busy people on the move.

Different phone users want quick access to different applications. For instance, a mobile photographer probably wants to start the Camera application quickly to catch a precious moment. The frequent instant-messaging user wants to keep the Messaging application available at all times, even though he might temporarily switch to other applications from time to time.

The easiest way to add a shortcut to an application is to assign it to a soft key in the phone's idle screen (a.k.a. the home screen). On a Series 60 device, you can use the Tools → Settings menu and then select Phone → Standby mode to customize the soft keys (see Figure 3-14). On a Series 40 device, the menu path is Settings → Personal shortcuts (see Figure 3-15).

Some Series 40 devices, such as the Nokia 6230, allow you to customize the application shortcut for the right soft key only. The left soft key is always mapped to the GoTo menu, which contains a customizable list of applications and bookmarks for quick access, and the middle soft key is always mapped to the Main menu.

Figure 3-14: Assigning soft-key shortcuts for Series 60 devices

Figure 3-15: Assigning soft-key shortcuts for Series 40 devices

Notice that only the factory-installed applications can be assigned to the idle-screen soft keys.

On some Series 60 phones, such as the Nokia 3650, assigning the Call Forwarding application to a soft key is the only way you can launch the application.

If you need quick access to a user-installed application on a Nokia Series 60 device, you can use the speed launch feature, which allows you to launch an application with just one touch of the keypad from the Main menu. To do that, first you press the menu key to enter the Main menu. All the applications and top-level folders are listed in a grid of icons in this menu. For the first nine applications in the grid, you can simply press their corresponding number key to launch them. For instance, in F

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