The Nokia N95 is personally one of the best media devices I have ever purchased. As you can tell I dislike like calling it a phone because it’s more than a mobile. The device was released last year 2007. The phone integrates music, video, wireless broadband, 5mega pixel camera, satnav, and even more. The dimensions are 9.9 x 5.3 x 2.1cm which is good considering all the technology inside the device.
These are a selection of my favourite methods to harness the power of the Nokia N95. Theses tips may also work with other phone models especially S60 Symbian phones.
Who really needs the Nintendo DS and IPod when you have the N95
This is a brief explanation of where to obtain music for your mobile. There is a fantastic website where you can download music directly to your mobile absolutely free. Alternatively you can download music to your computer hard drive. The website is called www.4shared.com and using the wireless network capabilities will guaranty super fast downloads of music directly to your mobile device. I really do not understand why everyone talks about iTunes and not 4shared. I have never used iPods and such as I think it is all hype. My Nokia N95 does all that and more.
Would you like to create your own themes because I do? I use fantastic software called Carbide.ui S60 Theme Edition 3.1 to create S60 themes. Carbide.ui 3.2 Theme Edition is powerful software that allows the creation of themes for S60 and series 40 devices. Carbide.ui has thousands of elements available. With the theme editor you can totally transform your mobile device.
My N95 mobile is like a Swiss army knife just not as dangerous. I am starting to use the media device to its full potential.
With the Nokia N95 TV output cables it is easy to watch films on your home TV. Just download the film convert to an appropriate file I normally choose 3GP (Third Generation Platform). To convert my films I use ImTOO 3GP Video Converter or Xilisoft 3GP Video Converter 3. This software not only converts to 3GP but numerous other file types. In my opinion there is only one reason why I convert to 3GP because the file size is minute when compared to other video file types. 3GP is a simplified version of the MPEG-4 specifically designed for mobile devices.
At one time I was playing java mobile game. Now I play Quake. The PC version of this classic game. I also play Saga Megadrive games such as sonic on my mobile using an emulator called PicoDrive.
Maybe you have heard of the N95’s accelerometer. This is a mechanical or electromechanical instrument that measures acceleration. The N95 uses the inbuilt sensor in the mobile. This is really smart allowing you to shake your phone to control various functions. A good example is software called Shakelock. Shaking the phone up and down will cause the phone to lock. The software has been written in the programming language python. In conjunction with Shakelock I use PowerBoot For S60 3rd edition. This is another useful application used to execute software automatically when the phone starts. So when my mobile is switched on Shakelock will become active.
The very best applications using the accelerometer are:
- NokMote
- RotateMe
- LightSaber
- Inclinometer
- Accelerinvaders
- ShutUp
- Nokia 95 DJ
- Rock and Scroll
- ShakeSMS
- FlipSilent
- NiiMe
I recommend regularly checking for N95 firmware updates. This also applies for all phones mostly S60 devices. Updates should be mandatory as they fix software bugs. From experience the firmware updates really work. There must be some non internet type people that are unaware they can obtain updates. I expect those who are reading this are familiar with the excitement of new firmware updates.
Software Modifications 1
This will modify the Symbian software and give full permission to view and edit all files. Before we start make sure you have a file explorer like X-plore or Y-browse installed.
Required Downloads
The magic python script and TRK application for Nokia Nseries + AppTRK
- Application to turn security on and off from phone
(for Nokia (n95 ,n82 ,n73 ,n80 etc)
Now for the main instructions.
- Install the AppTRK Symbian application on your phone's memory and start it, then in options>settings, select connection as USB.
- Now you need to connect your phone to your PC via USB. This should be done in PC Suite mode and then AppTRK will report connected on your phone
- Navigate to the Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager>Ports Or in Windows Vista: Control Panel>System>Device Manager>Ports.
Make note the COM Port your phone is using
- Open the python script in notepad ( The one downloaded in previously with .phy extension)
- Search "serial.ser" without quotes and then replace the numerical value in bracket with the value of your COM Port minus 1 i.e. if your port was 7 then replace it with 6.
- Now it should display !!!!!!candidate!!!!!!! in the output window...
- Congratulations now your phone is really yours!!
- Now you can terminate the AppTRK application.
- Verify the hack with X-Plore or Y-browser, see if you can explore c:/sys/
- III. Copy CProfDriver_SISX.ldd from RAR downloaded in step 4a into C:\sys\bin
CapsOff = Security OFF and do whatever you want to do with your phone :)
This shows that there are no retractions and you can access the sys folder
CapsOn = Restrictions ON :(
Retractions by default are enabled on all mobile phones. When you reboot the mobile restrictions will be active again. If you are going to make more changes to your mobile turn the CapsOff.again.
Turning the CapsOff removes restrictions allowing you to make more software tweaks such as changing menu structure as show below.
Modification 2 - Changing the menu structure
This is to transform the menu structure
Before
After
Quick tutorial explanation how to achieve this result.
You are required to have a modified phone for this. If you followed the first modification you are ready.
- Copy Menu.mif into; C:\resource\apps\
Box.net - Free Online File Storage, Internet File Sharing, Online Storage, Access Documents & Files Anywhere, Backup Data, Send Files
Copy the appshelldata.xml file into C:\private\101f4cd2\content. If you
are asked to overwright the file, allow this.
Reboot your phone and you are finished You should get all the 15 special folders This modification should work on all Symbian OS S60 devices. It works on my Nokia N95.
Modification 3 - Changing the Startup animation
- Here is a quick guide to changing your Startup animation.
This is the professional way to remove the shaking hands animation.
First Enable CAPS OFF
Use FileBrowser and navigate to Z:\resource\apps
- Copy the startup.mbm, startup.mif and the rsc file corresponding to your installed language (*.r01 = english, *.r03 = german, etc.) to C:\resource\apps
- Now browse to C:\resource\apps and press '8' on the startup.rXX file. Now you have the hex view of the file.
- Scroll down to line 000050 (it's 000050 in startup.r03. It can differ on other resource files.
- Change hex value '5A' which stands for 'Z' to '43', which will be 'C'.
- After saving the file, on boot, device will look in C:\resource\apps for the Startup.mbm and use it!
- Copy some modded startup.mbm there.
I recently took delivery of a “High Capacity Extended Battery 1800 mAh” For Nokia N95. It increases the life of the Symbian smart phone by a third on standby. Without battery intensive applications running I can get approximately 3 days light use of the phone.
Posts
