Nokia Beta Labs has been silent for a good while but today they have released a new Facebook app for the Nokia N97 and N97 mini. I’m not sure what their goal is behind this “Social Messaging” application, but at least we get a new option besides the junk Facebook widget that came installed on the N97. Props to Nokia for trying to keep up with social networking but can’t we have just ONE solid Facebook app. Maybe this version will be the solution.
From the Beta Labs team,
We are pleased to announce that Nokia Messaging is expanding with the Social Messaging beta. This new client is the start of what will become the multi-community social networking client. As a part of Nokia Messaging, we expect operators to offer email, IM and in the future, mobile social networking all for one fixed low price. Be sure to visit the email site to set up email and Instant Messaging on your Nokia device. We continue to add support for more devices and communities in all parts of Nokia Messaging. This is an early preview release straight from the Messaging Labs. Today, your feedback on what you like and need will help us deliver the product you want.
Key Features:
- Contextual homescreen widget – jump directly into posts to comment
- Post your thoughts and photos from the camera or gallery
- Communication choices – choose how you want to respond to a friends post directly from the post (e.g. post a comment, call, SMS, or send a message)
- Share your current location in a post or in a message using Ovi Maps; view friends’ location
- Support for the N97 and 6700 classic. More device support coming
Screenshots:
Video Demonstration:
Nokia – Why Use The C: Drive?
It’s one thing to force us to install this application on the C: Drive. That’s not the bad part. Trying to figure out why this application took up so much space I found the reason. It downloads and stores the images within the application as thumbnails on the C: drive. Every photo you see of your friends in this app is saved on the phone memory. What the hell?
More Initial Thoughts
- Nicer to use than original Facebook app, much smoother.
- Calendar functionality will be added in future updates.
- Homescreen widget is very slick.
Will I Keep It On My Phone?
I don’t know. Seeing as how I’m down to 14mb on my phone memory, probably not. Keep in mind this is a beta application and not meant to be a final version at all. The Nokia Beta Labs team is really good at listening to user feedback so hopefully the phone memory issue will be fixed in the next update. Be sure to leave them your feedback.
Download
Head over to Nokia Beta Labs to read the download instructions. Be sure to check out a few other applications they’ve recently added for the N97. They have another app called Lifecasting which gives you more Facebook functionality, this time focusing more on location. We’ll talk about those in another article.
Related Articles:
- New Ovi Maps 3.0 Version From Nokia Beta Labs
- N97 Facebook Application: Video Demonstration
- Ovi Maps (beta) Updated, Quietly Adds “Surfer Dude” And US English Street Names Guidance Voices
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