Risotto’s weblog

Nokia has released a new blackberry client for the old firmware 1.610.04.04 of the Nokia E61 smartphone. This release (v 6.28.1) was released for the new, yet unavailable firmware version 2.618.06.05. Nokia seems to have finally realized that this firmware is not yet available and seems to have back-ported the new blackberry client to the older firmware. I can confirm that the installation of the new blackberry client works on the old firmware. After upgrading you will have to restart your phone and re-setup your account in the messaging section of the phone. Don’t forget to request the registration from the blackberry menu. It will take a while until the phone is registered with the network.

As for the changes in the new release, things like opening urls from an email into the browser now work. I don’t know yet what else has been changed. It would be nice if Nokia provided some kind of changelog, as it is common practice in the industry.

The new client can be downloaded from the Nokia business software site: http://www.businesssoftware.nokia.com/blackberry_downloads.php .

As Steve Jobs has announced yesterday at Apple’s WWDC a new version of XCode was introduced. SJ talked about version 3.0 being handed out to developers at WWDC. He said that during the final minutes of the keynote. Today I logged in to http://developer.apple.com expecting to be able to download the new version. Instead I found another version of XCode. Namely version 2.4. The last available version was 2.3 until now, so 2.4 is still an update. It also looks like the 2.4 version has the features that were promised for 3.0. But why is this now a minor update instead of the advertised major release? There is a difference in stepping up from 2.3 to 2.4 or up to 3.0.

Does Apple distribute another version to website visitors than they are distribution to WWDC developers? I actually don’t know what version WWDC attendees really got. Would be interesting to hear from someone that was there…

Update: looks like XCode 3.0 is due for release in ‘07. The XCode 2.4 seems just an update for 64bit and some other stuff which may be relevant for the new Mac pro systems. Developers at WWDC probably only got a sneak-peak to XCode 3.0 and got 2.4 on their handed-out dvd sets.

I recently scratched my Nokia E61 quite badly. I decided to order replacement parts and to replaceme the cover and the case. I don’t like service points so I took the freedom to replace to cover on my own. The procedure will probably void your warranty, but then, how should they find out you changed the cover? As long you don’t brake things it probably wont void your warranty from an effective point of view.

In order to change the cover of my Nokia E61 I had to take it apart. I took a few moments to make pictures along the process. If you need instructions on how to remove the cover of your own E61, then follow the link to the E61 gallery.

I just found a new blackberry client for my E61 on Nokia’s business software homepage and noticed, that it has a new firmware requirement. It is asking for version 2.0618.06.05 . But todays E61 all come with version 1.0610.04.04 which is from the 19th of April 2006.
The new requirement is odd since even Nokia’s authorized service centers didn’t get the new version yet. Still, this leads to the conclusion that there is going to be a firmware upgrade ready. Maybe I’ll finally see all those nasty bugs squashed. I hope very much that Nokia is also going to upgrade their sip client. This piece of software has so much potential but is yet so buggy…

According to Orange Switzerland a new Blackberry Internet Service plan will be introduced on the 15th of August 2006. Instead of 3MB/p.m. for CHF 30.00 customers will get 5MB/p.m. for CHF 20.00. I noticed the new service on Orange’s own website today but according to a sales-person the service should not have been announced yet. Here’s the link to Orange’s bb page. As an avid blackberry user I strongly welcome the new service.

I have also been told that there is going to be a new data plan for GPRS and UMTS traffic. Allegedly it will be called “Optima Internet”. Details have not been disclosed but it was said it should have been introduced at the end of June 2006. Plans are now to introduce the new plan during the next two months. Maybe Orange is also going to offer some kind of plan with a flat-rate or at least a pretty high volume like Swisscom does. Swisscom is currently offering 1GB/p.m. for CHF 69.00, which in my opinion is completely overpriced! Since Orange has a more aggressive pricing I’m eager to see what kind of price-plan they will come up with.