I'm not sure if I'm playing with fire, but I just dropped a comment to the newly-born Official Google Mobile Blog:

Brilliant. Great work!!

And sure as hell, subscribed to your blog. Of course, if you are interested in your humble collaborators/competitors, do visit my humble playground at http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog someday too.

Hmm... I wonder whether we Nokia bloggers are allowed to have direct public discussions with Google guys in the blog world, and whether it would be beneficial for both Google and Nokia (and for our beloved users)?

Forum Nokia just released Nokia Energy Profiler, intended to help 3rd party developers to test and monitor (and improve) their application’s power consumption in real time in the target device. I proposed last month, inside Nokia, that we should release this under Beta Labs too. We decided not to go for it, however, because the app is clearly developer-focused, while Beta Labs is consumer-focused.

Yet, I wonder: are 3rd party application developers really motivated to measure and improve their power consumption? After all, if the battery runs out quickly, Nokia gets the blame - not the developer. But what if power users and loud-voiced bloggers started using this app, increasingly giving public pressure for the developers of applications that prove to be the worst power-hogs?

I wonder.

Update: I'm not talking about 3rd party apps only, but also about apps by Nokia and our partners.

Update: you can contact the Energy Profiler team directly by sending email to energyprofiler (at) nokia (dot) com. The team is interested in how to improve usability, fixing possible bugs, and your unexpected observations about power consumption in different circumstances.

Note: for Nokia Beta Labs specific discussions, visit Nokia Beta Labs blog.

Folks, Nokia Beta Labs blog has been moved from here to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

I already copied all our Nokia Beta Labs related discussions to the new domain. Next, I will close the related comment threads from here, in order to avoid two different branches of comments. Finally, I will rebrand this "Tommi's ... blog" to something completely different.

Subscribe to the new Nokia Beta Labs blog: (RSS feeds)
Nokia Beta Labs blog posts
Nokia Beta Labs blog comments

Hope to see you all at the new site!!

Darn, I missed the scoop, as Eseries.org and All About Symbian broke the news already. Yeah, it's true: significantly improved Nokia Sports Tracker beta is out. And it's good.

You can try it at http://sportstracker.nokia.com/.

We haven't updated the Beta Labs page for Sports Tracker yet, I'll try to get it done tomorrow. However, feel free to start sending us feedback already now!! It's still in beta, and the team is actively improving everything based on your feedback.

In the meanwhile, check out the presentation by Jussi Kaasinen, one of the main guys from the Sports Tracker team: (starts from 5:42)

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

We just got the (first beta version of) Advertising powered Download! client for S60 ready. So now, my UK friends, please give us feedback, and win a Nokia E65!!

Compatibility: Available in United Kingdom only. Nokia 5700, 6110, 6120, 6121, 6290, E51, N76, N81, N95.

Download here.

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

Nseries PC Suite 2.0 is back with a vengeance. During the last two months, the team has worked extra-hard, achieving significant improvements:

* Improved and more user-friendly installation: web installer - no need to download every time the whole package, only selected applications
* Nokia Photos integrated
* Single-click sync for more user-friendly synchronization
* Significantly improved stability

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

Click the images to enlarge

Ladies and gents, let me introduce Nokia Internet Tablet Video Converter, the first Beta Labs application for Nokia Internet Tablets. That's right, Beta Labs is not for S60 and S40 devices only: we are going to have lots of cool stuff for Internet Tablets such as Nokia N810 and Nokia N800 in the future too!! (I wonder if we should set up a dedicated section for these).

Anyway, all you N800 and N810 owners, try this out:

With Nokia Internet Tablet Video Converter, you can easily convert your videos – the ones you shot yourself and the ones you downloaded from the Internet (legally of course) – into an optimized format for your Nokia Internet Tablet. All you need to do is drag and drop your videos into the application, which automatically converts them into a size and resolution that are just perfect for your Internet Tablet.

Download here.

Please tell us what you think about the application, and how we could improve it! As always, send your feedback either (1) privately to the feedback form, (2) publicly to the comments section of this post, or (3) by writing your thoughts at your own blog - just link back and we'll hear about it.

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

I'm sure you have tried the built-in Download! Client (or "Catalogs") on your phone. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it's the Nokia application that enables you to buy apps and content directly from your phone. Right now, we are experimenting with an advertising-supported business model, and thinking about how to include advertising to the Download! Client. In the best case, everyone would win: more discounted/free applications for you, a good targeted-advertising channel for the advertisers, and more money for the developers and our beloved shareholders.

Please help us figure out the right concept!!

We just launched the first beta version of advertising-powered Download! client under Beta Labs. The focus of this initial pilot is the UK, and the advertising links will not work yet in other countries. To encourage you to send feedback, we arranged a little competition: UK people are eligible for a prize draw to win a beautiful new Nokia E65. Yay!!! Of course, non-UK people are welcome to send their comments too - we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Compatibility:
- Download! Java application: available now for Nokia 6300, 5610, 5310, 7900, 6500 Classic, 6500 Slide.
- Download! for S60 3rd Edition: coming very soon.

Download here. Go and play around with it, and give your feedback and enter the competition

Deadline for the competition = 20 December 2007.

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

Nokia Audiobook Manager, the PC application for Nokia Audiobooks concept, has been updated to 1.03.

Based on your feedback, the team has made a few improvements and bug fixes:

Change log V 1.03:
- Progress bar works now correctly also for the first converted file
- Corrected CD ripping problems: retry did not work
- Audio volume of converted books is increased for having easier listening in noisy environment
- "Audiobooks" directory now created to memory card if it does not exist, this was causing false error for not having enough space in memory card

Download new version here.

On behalf of Nokia Audiobooks team, thanks everyone for your feedback!!

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

Minor changes done here and there:

- Supports Chinese language
- Auto updates & download via GPRS, 3G or WiFi
- Small enhancements
- Bug fixes

Download here.

Thanks for your feedback, keep it coming!!

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

I just had a chat with the program manager of Nokia Multimedia Transfer for Mac, and he told me the story about how Eseries devices became compatible with Mac (which he said I could share with you).

Last June, after a period of hard work, the team proudly released the first version 1.0 of their app, designed to delight Nseries users. As their surprise, loads of Eseries users started loudly complaining about the lack of support for them (see for example the comments thread to my post). Nobody expected the overlap of Mac and Eseries users to be that high. Anyway, the team humbly took your feedback, and worked extra hours to make it compatible with Eseries.

Simple as that. You talked, the team listened. Happy end.

Ps. at this point, we decided not to include Nokia Multimedia Transfer 1.2 in Beta Labs app portfolio, as it's very mature as a "beta" already. However, please send your feedback to the system that they have built into the application, it can really make a difference!

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

Now, this looks promising. The guys from Nokia Research Center have built a beta concept that I really like:

Nokia Audiobooks is a beta concept that enables you to enjoy audiobooks while on the go. It includes a highly efficient audio compression technology optimized for voice (AMR-WB), a player application for S60 (Nokia Audiobook Player), and an audio converter tool for PC (Nokia Audiobook Manager). Whereas traditional music player applications are optimized for music, Nokia Audiobook Player is optimized for audiobooks, enabling you to browse chapters, set bookmarks, and automatically continue from where you last time stopped listening.

A typical 400 page novel translates into a 10-20 hours long audiobook, which would traditionally take more than dozen CDs or hundreds of megabytes of low-quality MP3 files. Nokia Audiobooks uses a codec called AMR-WB, which is optimized for voice. With Nokia Audiobooks, you will get 5-10 times more content to your phone with similar voice quality, compared to content compressed with MP3 at 64 or 128 kbps.

I've been listening the book Master and Margarita, and I really like it. You want to try this too.

Download here.

As always, please send your feedback either privately to the feedback form, publicly to the comments section of this post, or by writing your thoughts at your own blog! (just link back, and we'll hear about it)
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Ps. I did'nt add 2D barcodes pointing to download links this time, because I haven't been able to figure out an easy way to keep them up-to-date...

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

MOSH Client is now available for download at Nokia Beta Labs:

MOSH is a service by Nokia, providing a user-driven distribution channel for applications and other content for mobile devices. It enables you to create, upload and share your applications, games, audio, images, and video instantaneously. Or you can be a spectator, and just enjoy what other people have shared.

The service is available at: mosh.nokia.com.

The MOSH client, available for download below, serves as a shortcut to all the basic functions in MOSH, such as searching and browsing content, uploading content, and checking your stats.

Right now, the MOSH team is planning how to make the client application richer, and how to provide the best user experience for you. Try it and tell us what you think!

Download here.

For those of you who wonder, the MOSH team had already launched the same client application under MOSH website. However, we wanted to release it under Beta Labs too, for two reasons:

1) to make Beta Labs application catalogue comprehensive
2) to collect your feedback

Go for it, tiger.
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Update: as you wished, here are the barcode-links pointing directly to the download files:

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

All you Mac lovers*, attention!

Nokia Multimedia Transfer 1.2 Beta for Mac just became available for download.

What's new:
* Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard is now supported
* Improved Nokia Device Browser with folder view
* Ability to customise the transcoding of files in iTunes and iPhoto transfers
* Performance of iTunes and iPhoto transfers with a large number of files has been improved
* Many bug fixes and minor improvements

Note: we at Nokia Beta Labs didn't have anything to do with this launch, but I'll find out who are the right contact persons from the team, and make sure they will hear your feedback!

* = from now on, count me in this group, as I finally managed to convince my wife that a new Mac with Leopard would be a good investment...

Update: comments thread closed. Nokia Beta Labs blog and all related discussions have been moved to http://betalabs.nokia.com/blog.

Carlo Longino wrote at MobHappy: Nokia’s An Internet Company… As Long As You Use Windows and IE

[Nokia] launched today one of its first major services ... But apparently the “Internet” means people using Windows and Internet Explorer — and that’s it. ... The reasoning isn’t particularly important; the issue is that Nokia’s taken a very narrow view of what constitutes the Internet and its users.

I don't want to comment about this particular case (it's still in beta), but I'm sure that nobody in Nokia thinks that Internet = Internet Explorer. Such a view, in my opinion, would be like committing a professional seppuku. Even if the majority of Internet users today do use Internet Explorer, the majority of early adopters and other influencers use Firefox or Safari. You don't want this group of people to hate, ignore, or ridicule you.

For example, here are some stats about the readers of this blog:

You'll do the math.

Carlo continues:

Perhaps the bigger issue, though, is that this sort of move calls into question just how seriously the whole organization takes this idea of openness, and understands that it truly must embrace it to be taken seriously as an internet and services company.

Individual people always change earlier than institutions do. But as soon as a critical mass of individuals changes, you'll witness a phase transition in the whole - and a radical change in the output. Interesting times ahead, I believe.