Nokia Messaging for social networks hits beta, brings Twitter, and leaves out the N900
By Paul Miller 
posted December 14th 2009 3:20PM
posted December 14th 2009 3:20PM
posted December 14th 2009 3:20PM
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installing on my 5800 as we speak. I hope it's good because the current facebook app is really slow and unresponsive, and facebook mobile is kinda annoying, even using opera mobile 10
@(Unverified)
Agreed, it's very patchy for me... It works well on the mobile networks (3G ) but at home wifi, it doesnt work =( just freezes on the main page
I
heart interface standardization.
The N900 displays Twitter and Facebook like a computer so it doesn't need a weak, litlle "messaging application".
@Matej Bajan
I think having an app that is designed just for your display trumps viewing a webpage designed to be displayed on 1024x768
@glamajamma Or maybe use the mobile version?
@Matej Bajan
agree with you completely, the N900 doesn't need this!
@Matej Bajan
Why would you need the mobile version if it's supposed to display it just like your desktop does?
@Matej Bajan Wow, this may be the most idiotic thing said on engadget today. And that says something.
@Matej Bajan
"The N900 displays Twitter and Facebook like a computer"
"Or maybe use the mobile version?"
Does not compute.
@glamajamma I said this because you don't want to use a webpage "designed to be displayed on 1024x768". I say: "Use the mobile version, and for the rest of us, we'll use the full page."
Somebody better call the whaaaaaaaambulance! We have an urgent case here.
It's an early beta, Miller, is that really this hard to understand or even to mention in the post? Even the app itself is pretty limited at this pointt with lots of "coming soon" messages when you want to access features...but hey, it's just a blog, who cares about the facts, right?
@NewL I with you on this you said exactly what I wanted to say...it's not only a beta but coming directly from Nokia betalabs to further underscore the point. For those that message that a company like this is inconsistent, calm yourselves, nokia's been ahead of the game in features and I think the UI change coming next year will even further highlight how far ahead nokia has been.
@NewL
I agree.
Also someone needs to remind Paul that 5800, N97 together have sold several million units as opposed to N900, which is fairly new, so it isn't surprising, if they released first a new app for 5800/N97 and then the N900. I guess, that's simple business logic.
my e71 is a sad panda :-(
@doug Yep, mine too. That Nokia has a single OS and makes an app that can only be used on newer handsets that use the same OS is a bit of a miss on their side.
True - at current we're talking about a touch app, but it sure would be nice to see the same app come out with a non-touch version.
Typical Nokia garbage...singling out handsets and making their apps work on certain products. It's bullshit. Don't support companies that operate this way.
I've had this one from betalabs and have had MAJOR issues with both the app (and others) the firmware of the N97 (both v12 and v20 - which apparently has been pulled).
There are major script issues with a lot of apps that were broken even in their own resident apps!
Here's to hoping....
but at any rate, I'm still returning the N97 and await a greener pasture...
farewell Nokia...I've been a fan of you and your devices for 15 years...but it's time to move on until you pay more attention to your users.
@phy6nando
It's BETA. Getr over it.
Funny, on my N900 the Facebook widget for my desktop shows things fine, and I can upload images from directly inside the image manager.
I don't know why you'd integrate it with the mail or dialer applications, however. Is there something I'm missing?
N97 and 5800... smh
What about us E-Series users? We actually have phones that work properly, and that didn't need months of software updates before we became usable. We would like this app too!
@Butler
*before THEY became usable
Am i the only one that has absolutely no respect for guys that are concerned about facebook applications?
@(Unverified)
You are not alone.
@(Unverified), nope... To bring it up a notch - I have no respect for FB users as well...
@incognito
That's because you have no life to show for.
Some guy will make a Facebook or a twitter application for Maemo 5, Nokia doesn't have to make one...
Anyone can make a well integrated, feature-rich Facebook app for Maemo 5 !
On the other hand, it could be harder to integrate such an app on Symbian. (Given it's not yet open-source, and the APIs are a little dated to be really fit to the new needs..)
That's why Nokia felt the need to do it for Symbian and not for Meamo.
(Also the N900 is just out, Nokia might provide a version of this application in the next few weeks)
@Flix C There is Mauku for twitter, and witter is under active development.
People seem to be missing the comment that N900 users keep repeating here:
N900 has FACEBOOK and TWITTER integrated into the operating system. There's NO NEED for additional programs.
Ah well, the one's who didn't get this are never coming back to read this.
Of course it doesn't support the N900, Nokia is just monkeying around. They clearly don't have their sh!t together with this lovely Maemo device of theirs. The Exchange support is half-assed, and the Nokia's Exchange app has been around for years!
Hello,
I'm Davis Fields from the Nokia Messaging team. Just to be clear - this is the second beta release, which supports the N97, N97 Mini and 5800. That represents a very significant amount of users - but, we know there are many many more Nokia users that are anxious to try out Nokia Messaging.
Just like we expanded Nokia Messaging for Email and for IM, we'll do the same for Social Networking - we'll be bringing more device support (including Maemo), in more countries with more communities. This beta is just a starting point.
Thanks for your feedback on this beta - we drove most of the features in this release directly out of user feedback from the first beta that went live in September.
-Davis Fields
http://messaging.nokia.com
@davisfields
Hope your post is noticed by the knucklehead(s) writing the article.
@davisfields
I don't even own a Nokia but I would hope Palm would exhibit the same level of consumer interaction that you just did.
+1
@glamajamma Check out the Nokia Conversations blog or Symbian idea's etc. You can interact with developers, submit idea's to the "bank" etc. The US media does not cover these things but these guys have the best consumer and media relations out there (just search for WOMworld).
Nokia has more people working on R&D than the entire Apple staff (35000 people. 2B+ Euro's/year!).
Palm is a startup in comparison and like a start up company. Considering the circumstances they have done quite well imho.
Miller THIS is exactly why Nokia bought trolltech 2 years ago. Qt framework will be the same on Symbian Foundation and in Maemo 6 2H 2010. It boggles my mind that tech journalis dosen't know what's happening inside the largest smartphone and phone maker.
Thought i do agree that they should already get this thing going. Maemo seems to be nicely in track and Maemo 6 might just be something amazing. With Symbian... we will see.
@Pdexter
Finally someone who gets it. Kudos to you.
While we might.think that N900 is the flagship i don't think Nokia and all it's customers agree. My N900 can do more than first iphone or Android 1.0. Symbian is still more complete OS and some heavy Symbian users just can't use N900. Same goes for wm, android and even some cases to iphone users.
If people think Nokia has no plans for maemo you don't need to look further than investor event some weeks ago. Nokia is expecting to sell 50-65 million maemo phones in 2011 that's 2 years after maemo enterd to phone market and first full year with maemo 6/harmattan. While Symbian goes more mass market by going mid end. The thing is that Maemo 5/N900 got bigger than Nokia thought and i don't think Nokia wanted normal Symbian, osx users to jump on the platform just yet looking at how Nokia exec and Maemo boss talked about N900
@Pdexter Yeah. They did nothing to hype it. Even at its release @ Nokia World they played it down and told everyone who cared to listen that it was step 4 in their 5 step Maemo strategy. They were aiming it at developers and not the mainstream - thus its limited release. It was bloggers who went APE and build it up as the be all end all device from Nokia.
These guys do not seem to understand the difference b/w a vertical and horizontal strategy. They do not understand that s60 is NOT Symbian! Its Nokia's UI/UX layer on TOP of Symbian.
UI & UX can be fixed. Its the underline OS that needs to be powerful and Symbian still does more than everyone else COMBINED even till the last quarter. (& before someone points to the decline in market share, look at the numbers closely. Nokia sold more S60 devices than ever before. They still lost market share due to the growth in the total market and the biggest gains have been from Blackberry! Another OS that is "Old"!).
Serving 6 billion people and form factors that range from candybars to sliders to clamshells to slates etc Symbian is a Horizontal OS for Nokia. Can they achieve that with just one OS?
Just look at Andriod. Its hardly on a dozen devices and already people are complaining about the fragmentation and breaks in compatibility.
S60 has a 100+ Million devices with a dozen form factors and as long as you have app for the right OS version, it will work well on your device.
With Maemo they are doing something that most of the American media cannot even seem to understand. Its a Vertical strategy but unlike anything else out there. Apple is the only one trying it but they control it so tightly that they are bogged by their own rules and more and more developers complain everyday that they are too restricted.
With Maemo Nokia is setting tight Hardware guidelines and lets developers use every aspect of the device (except in cases that break integrity or security) and the only "moderation" is done by the community.
It does not have drm yet but they have already said that in v6 if something gets rejected from the Ovi store, the developer can still sell their app independently. Which other manufacturer is offering that?
(Oh and before people start kicking the Ovi store, yes its had its troubles but if you use it lately its a very different program. Its getting a Million + downloads a day and a "version 2.0" is to be released around April).
@Munk Exactly. Nothing really to add there.
"See, this is what we were saying."
& this is why you get ridiculed in the comments.
a) This is a beta product.
b) Its aimed at touchscreen devices. i.e. s60 5th edition. The three devices mentioned means that they are the one's Nokia officially tested them on but like with every other betalabs "product" you can install it to any phone using the same OS (s60 5th edition).
c) If you had done 0.0000001 min of "research", people would not be complaining that a beta product designed for touchscreen, slate phones does not work on their E71.
d) None of the betalabs "products" works on the n900. Its a very new platform and Nokia has already said they are working on Maemo 6 full speed which is more important than a facebook app (which since Maemo is open source anyone from the community can create one).
Also if you guys bothered thinking objectively and reported actual facts instead of bitching non-stop against Nokia you would know that even the Maps app on the n900 is the ancient v2. Nokia has already come out and said they are working on porting v3.1 to Maemo soon via a firmware update.
These things take time and efforts of a lot of educated people. I've been commenting on Engadget for five years so where's that edit button!??
You guys give the impression that you're so cool for hating Nokia. If that is the case then a) you're not, b) stop covering them if you dont care. c) let someone like Chris or Thomas cover these stories since at least they will back up their opinions with research and background.
Yet another Engadget FAIL!
No love for 5530?
Eh. At least there's Fring.
"It's just that Nokia has just built an app that only works on the N97, N97 Mini and the 5800, leaving the company's quasi-flagship handset the N900 out in the cold."
OMG, what a BIG surprise that S60 5th edition app does not work on Maemo! They are two completely different operating systems, it's like saying "OMG this winmo app does not work with Droid".
Btw. has Nokia ever called N900 as their flagship device?
Do Good, Do Bad....
But Engadget wont stop its Fav Time Pass "Nokia Bashing".
Fail!!
Hey Paul...
Since you might be ignorant in this question:
-N900 has sharing built-in for facebook/flickr/ovi and also pixelpipe if you so choose
-N900 has an applet for facebook that stays in the Desktop all the time showing status updates
It is a pity that you need to prove your self right every time some minor slippage in a beta software happens.
@Mr w00t
I wonder if those rumours about Korean manufacturers paying for Nokia bashing are true. Hopefully compensation is at least sufficient.
@Merlot and Shiraz I would not be suprised...
Sadly nokia also pays them for the bashing. I wish someone would start paying attention and cut the money here... let them create their own engadget logo with a finger print all in blood..