First contact w the 6630: very disapointed (Mac OS X story)

6 replies · 3,854 views · Started 14 April 2005

lstelie 14 Apr 2005, 19:31

In case the following can be of some use for a Mac user looking like I am for a personal/professional phone that:
- is a good phone
- is able to handle a lot of contacts (my Address Book as 1500 contacts), synchronisation with my iBook (either automatic of manual by transfering files,) is a requirement
- is able to manage serously calendar (here also a way to synchronize is a requirement)

I don't care about video or even photo

The ability of using the phone as a MP3 player is a plus

I've been lent today a 6630, first reaction

1) The interface is ugly slow and completely anti-ergonomic.
Each operation takes two or three steps
I suppose this can be solve by setting short cuts

2) Nothing works with Mac OS X except Bluetooth. But Bluetooth is unusable (let's say I was unable to use it). When a file is sent using Bluetooth it is received as a message (like a SMS message) with no possibility to put it somewhere else in the file system. As a result, even if the phone has a 64MB RS-MMC card I was unable to Bluetooth a 15 MB MP3

3) Installing software is at least complex.
iSync doesn't recognize the 6630 but after reading this:
http://www.simondobson.org/weblog/nokia6630sync.html
I thought that it could be a solution.
Until now I've been unable to install smartvcard.
I Bluetooth it to the 6630 from my iBook then when I open the message the phone throw a security error (I downloaded the software three time to avoid a corrupted download).
And even if I had succeeded in installing smartcard, as my global cvf file would have been received as an SMS-like message I don't know how I could have uptaded the contact base. I tried to Bluettoth a single vcf, it was received as a note and opened as a text file (no way to import it in the contact base)

So probably my experience is for a great part linked to a complete lack of symbian knowledge, but for me a good phone is not a phone that requires a special knowledge.

I'm very disappointed because I'm a huge fan of my small 3100 that is a very good phone with a slick and quick interface.

Luc

fdxd 15 Apr 2005, 02:15

Bluetoothed files can be placed in any folder.

Make sure you learn how to use the main keys on the phone. They will save you alot of time.

The UI should not be slow. Make sure you dont have too many background programs running and that there is plenty of free space in the phone memory storage. Its best to keep as much as you can on your memory card.

Sounds like you have a Vodafone branded phone with their firmware. :icon13: You have to turn off their security settings. Installing programs is pretty straightforward, whether its from pc or on phone. Oh and vodafone branded phones do not have mp3 support. Dont know what you can do for that. I went with Orange so i am happy. :tongue:

Make sure the phone isnt bogged down. Smartphones are much like pc's. They do need some management and maintanence if they are overly bogged or badly run.

Make sure you download the latest Nokia pc suite off their website.

faizalmzain 15 Apr 2005, 03:41

this is a case of your incompetency and inability or not smart enough to use a smartphone. you'd better stick to basic phone.

lstelie 15 Apr 2005, 06:28

After a night struggling with the beast

fdxd wrote:Bluetoothed files can be placed in any folder.

And how do you do this ?
After searching a lot I ended to find that blutoothed files are in E:\system\Mail.
To realize this I had to install symbianware FileManager because the Organizer doesn't shows the file system on the 6630 I have (and it as let's say not obvious to guess that bluetoothed files arrive in the mail box)
The transfer windows doesn't display the Nokia file system (All that I wrote is from a Mac OS X user perspective)

fdxd wrote:The UI should not be slow. Make sure you dont have too many background programs running and that there is plenty of free space in the phone memory storage. Its best to keep as much as you can on your memory card.

From the main screen, if I want to access a contact that is on the SIM card I have to do
-Menu button (bottom left) -> browse to Contacts -> Click on contacts icon -> Click on Open (rather strange usually if I click on the contact icon the phone could imagine that it's because I want to open the contact list)

On my 3100 if I want to access to a contact been on the SIM or on the phone I do
- Bottom arrow on the multidirectional button -> First letter of the contact

It's what I call strange ergonomic (for me) even not talking about the difference in speed.
On the 6630, I don't know if this is a bad setting or something, but whatever I want to do I have to click on the command and then confirm open.

I have read in every sense the provided doc and found nothing (again it's not a generic report against the 6630 but a report from a Mac OS X user perspective)

fdxd wrote:Sounds like you have a Vodafone branded phone with their firmware. :icon13: You have to turn off their security settings. Installing programs is pretty straightforward, whether its from pc or on phone. Oh and Vodafone branded phones do not have mp3 support. Don�t know what you can do for that. I went with Orange so i am happy. :tongue:

I have a SFR/Vodafone one and you're right, I realized that there are security settings everywhere, now I can install app.
MP3 plays on my phone (and the sound is pretty decent)

fdxd wrote:Make sure you download the latest Nokia pc suite off their website.

My initial message title was probably not enough explicit.
My report was from a Mac OS X user perspective, there is no PC suite for the Mac.
On a Mac the classical choice in this range of phone are the Sony Ericsson (completely, automagically handled by Mac OS X synchronization system) , P900 for money-enabled people, V800 for others.
But I have used a lot of little Nokia's and I'd like to stick with this brand because I like very much the rather better "radio function" (Nokia can access the network when other brand failed because the signal is too weak)

lstelie 15 Apr 2005, 06:34

faizalmzain wrote:This is a case of your incompetency and inability or not smart enough to use a smartphone. you'd better stick to basic phone.

Thanks a lot for this very detailed answer, and thanks also for the very good point you raised, even if I'm not sure you realized raising it:
A "smartphone" is a phone for smart people or a phone that is smart?

In the first case, you're right, I may better stick with my 3100 but the problem is that I have to find something to handle contacts and calendar work
In the second, could you please elaborate what you call a "basic phone�? because following your explanation, my Nokia 3100 is a smartphone.

Thanks

nb: by the way I don't care about my phone been smart or not I'm just looking for a good phone able to connect to network even in weak conditions (therefore Nokia), and to handle a big adress book (therefore a phone w Memory card) and a calendar/appointement fucntionality. My old Plam did that pretty well and it was not especially smart

willbrady 15 Apr 2005, 08:14

1. To access your contacts from the standby screen simply press 'in' on the direction key, job done..

2. When in menus press 'in' on the direction pad to open the item - sound like you are using the left softkey all the time to select the item then select 'open' etc..

3. One you have sent your 'mp3' file to the inbox you can chosse to 'save' it where ever you want - just choose the 'save' option, quite straightforward really 😉

Once you have had the phone for a week and learnt how to use it you will discover that the symbian OS is the most easy to learn and intuative OS to use.
Basic phones are easy to navigate as their options are limited - a smart phone has MANY option and programs, there are normally many ways to carry out the same operation, some requireing more key presses than others, it's down to personal choice, thats the beauty of symbian.
Go grab a smart phone which does not have symbian (SE-V800 springs to mind) try that after using symbian and you will loose the will to live ;o)

As for conecting it to your computer - get yourself in line with the rest of the world my friend and by yourself a PC, you will find life much easier. No offense, but, the fact you have a MAC tells me a lot about you already, and I'm not suprised you are having trouble with your smartphone 😮)

No one is saying that the 6630 is faultless - but it's the best there is, if you are having trouble using symbian then you may as well give up with smartphones...

fdxd 15 Apr 2005, 09:53

I'm wondering if he even knows that you can press the pad? lol.

This guy doesnt have much understanding of Nokia phones. A manual would be a great idea at this point if you still cant get it.