Nokia S60v3 E90 VPN officially available from Nokia

It has been a long wait but now in silence Nokia Business solutions have released an updated VPN client for S60v3.1. So now in theory my E90 should be able to connect to my Cisco Pix

Nokia VPN New features:
Policy Maker application – a windows based software that helps you generate the policy file from your windows desktop. No longer a need for hand making a policy file and then “encrypt” and “sign” it. So a one-step policy file maker!

Nokia E90 optimized!

But the big problem is still that you need a VPN setup (like sip) for EACH of your Network connections. So on settings file for each 3G network. One settings file for each WiFi link. Why the Network settings are not just “online or offline” like iPhone or Windows Mobile – I still do not understand.

Nokia – please solve it so we have a “network connection center” and just can tick off which WWAN/WiFi access points that the VPN should use for tunneling!

But head over to download from
http://www.businesssoftware.nokia.com/mobile_vpn_downloads.php

Unfortunately Cisco instructions are still not there – so if any of you are better VPN experts than me – then please ping me with PIX setup instructions.

Nokia E90 Review – Longtime opinions

Now I have used my Nokia E90 for a long time (for me more than 2 months with a Phone is a very long time)

So despite the E90's shortcomings in many fields – it is a great phone. I bought my first E90 in Dubai – with Arabic keyboard –but went back to Denmark and bought another one – just to get a keyboard with fewer items on each key. (With Arabic keyboard you have both English and Arabic signs on each button – and makes it quite a lot harder to use in the Dark with Backlight)

So why is it still my primary phone?

Well here are the "long time pros and cons"

I love the E90 because:

1. The full keyboard
   
2. The internal screen is absolutely great
   
3. RoadSync for Exchange Sync (despite its shortcomings)
   
4. I can use SlingPlayer (again – despite SlingPlayers shortcomings on the E90)
   
5. WiFi works most of the time (except for a few WPA2 issues)
   
6. I can use Voice over IP without extra software
   

I hate the E90's shortcomings though. Here are a few

1. The browser keeps breaking down. (Try to do a search from iGoogle….) –
   
2. JavaScript is not 100% Google compatible (iGoogle that is)
   
3. The WiFi range is very poor compared to HTC phones (Not too funny when using VoIP…)
   
4. WiFi is not always WPA2 compatible
   
5. The detection of the E90 is in Open mode or Shut mode – is NEVER right – giving you the wrong keys on your keyboard in Open mode. Really a bummer when entering Passwords. Then you need to close your phone – and open it again – and then find your way back to the web browser or email you was about to write
   
6. The Internet Connection system. Internet is not "On or Off" – no each application has its own opinion on how to control and use your internet. Some applications are hard-coded to a profile (like RoadSync or SlingPlayer) – other applications can't co-use the internet if something else is using the internet. ("Internet Connection is in Use… Please disconnect and …")
   
7. Where is the VPN? It is a Business Phone for crying out loud. Even the iPhone got PPTP VPN from v1….
   
8. No firmware updates in 5 months to correct even the obvious bugs in the phone. (I know we are dinosaurs for using the E90… but come on…)
   
9. Yes my phone is wobbly when placed on a flat surface.. (Made in China..)
   
10. Yes my phone gets finger print markings on the screen from touching the keyboard
    

    
     

Someone in Nokia Management should be FORCED to use the E90 for 3 months… Then the bugs would certainly be fixed.

But I hope future firmware will solve the issues – and Nokia once again will be seen as a company that takes their business customers seriously. But I think Nokia is far too busy to fix the "iPhone" problem – to spend so much time on the E90.

But despite the cons list being twice the length of the pros's.. I still love my E90. The only thing that might change that… Is the Xperia X1 from Sony Ericsson or a 3G iPhone with Exchange Sync and a usable keyboard/keypad.

 

Ups - Nokia releases beta E90 Firmware 200.34.72

Someone in Nokia has goofed up. A Beta firmware for the E90 was accidentally set free to users of the Nokia NSU (Nokia Software Update).

A few people got to install it before it was pulled from the NSU site.

It seems like it was not the feature complete firmware since it have Maps 1.2 in it – and a few bugs. But in general an improvement, with faster application load. But more to be seen over the next few days.

Check in on My-Symbian for more info

 

VPN for Symbian – astounding figures!

I know there is a need for S60v3 and Symbian VPN. I just did at statistics run on my search engine referrals.

35% of you come here to find out about some kind of VPN solution for Symbian devices – and we are not talking small figures.

Now which supplier will come out with a solution to give the users Symbian Based VPN?

Nokia WAKE UP!

anthavpn WAKE UP! Get Movian VPN out in a E90 supported Configuration!

Stop sleeping there is a gigantic need for VPN for Symbian Devices!

Nokia S60 VPN gone missing

Guys – how hard can it be to put VPN on a Symbian Phone

I do really love my new Nokia E90. Great screens – easy to use. My Roadsync is up and running with my exchange private certificates (see previous article). But the biggest missing object from my phone is ability to use VPN.

I'm constantly on non-encrypted Access Points everywhere. I don't check anything with passwords, unless I can get through a VPN connection on my computer.

But checking the built in Nokia E90 Communications tutorial – it states:

"For VPN usage..." (go through tutorial..) Contact your systems administrator." - Nokia – are you taking the piss?

But Nokia forgot to inform the world's system administrators on how to provide VPN access to a Nokia Phone. Hacks exists on the Internet on how to use "older" E series Nokia Phones Mobility VPN package, and install it on the E90. But that requires mechanical software skills most people do not have. You have to do a LOT of work to get your VPN up and running, including getting special security certification to "encrypt" the settings you send to the phone. And Nokia has strategically removed the "download" options around the world for the "old" VPN software, leaving even hard ball techy guys in need of VPN with only one solution – find a "pirate" copy.

MovianVPN used to be a solution. But Certicom does not offer that anymore. You can still buy the Movian VPN for S60 from anthavpn but despite 3 attempts to contact them about E90 compatibility I have so far to succeed. Not a single answer so we must assume they have gone bust or are to busy selling anthavpn solution for Microsoft Mobiles. And that is despite Microsoft Mobiles got VPN built in out of the box.

So dear dear Nokia, please wake up and make a good VPN client available for the S60v3 series of phones. I would not mind to pay – as long as it can connect to standard VPN boxes out there like Cisco or my Microsoft Server based VPN – or even OpenVPN. I just need something so I know my browsing is secure and no one can sniff my passwords – and when I am in "Protected" areas, where VoIP is blocked by network operators –that I can tunnel home and establish my phone connection anyway.

My only alternative is changing to the HTC Kaiser (TyTN II) when it comes out and once again be able to surf and call with piece of mind – which pretty much have the same specs as the E90. So Dear Reader – write your Nokia representative J and complain! I did!

Kaz911

I got a Nokia E90 and I like it

The Nokia E90 buglist and missing features

Last update: August 15th. 2007

I just got the Nokia E90. It comes in Communicator package, but runs Symbian S60 and not the S80 the other communicators use. So basically a N95 with better and bigger hardware. I'm a http://www.my-symbian.com/ user J and have been for a long time. And the My-Symbian forum got a lot of Info on Symbian based phones, including the E90.

So I have been cruising the forum to check for known bugs and other stuff. And while i like the forum, the "Official Bug Thread" is getting crowded – so I though... What about a compiled list of issues with the E90. The Bug Quick Reference guide...

So let's try.. I have split it into hardware and software – most bug's courtesy of the S60 E90 forum users on http://www.my-symbian.com/. The bugs are only reported in the list if confirmed multiple times or I have seen them myself.

Nokia E90 Hardware

• Internal keyboard might touch the inner screen, leaving "marks" on the screen. Mostly finger grease is transferred but potentially will scratch phone. There are reports of a slightly newer model with better spacing.
  
• The bottom corner "protectors" are not the same height, making the phone a bit wobbly when used on a flat surface
  
• It is not possible to charge the Phone via the USB connector L
  

Nokia E90 Software/Firmware fixable

• GPS is very slow to acquire satellite fix. As slow as on Nokia N95. New N95 firmware got A-GPS (Assisted GPS, where you download the Satellites position map/almanac via the internet, and don't have to wait for the phone to "download" the data from the slow GPS data stream.) Some N95 users are reporting satellite fix within 15-45 seconds. On my E90 it takes 4-10 minutes in clear sky.
  
• Navigation Application License looses activation when flashing firmware. This is a big problem since Nokia only allow 2 activations. If you need more than 2 activations it takes forever with Nokia Support. (Took me 4 weeks..)
  
• Battery Meter – shows from one to seven bars of power. Sometimes the Battery meter seem to get stuck –and a "turn off/turn on" will set the Battery meter significantly different than before the reboot.
  
• 3G network failure when using Data Connections. "Gateway failure"
  
• Taking pictures in Scene modes applies HIGH sharpening to picture, giving them an un-natural look.
  
• Internal Applications does not seem to agree on which button should be "Exit" Some uses lower Softkey – others uses top softkey+menu selection. Flaky design.
  
• Wireless connection when connecting to Netgear 854T with WPA2 – requires usually 2 connection attempts before connection. Connection stays fine when finally connected.
  
• Bluetooth connection to Sony Ericsson HBH-970 Stereo headset is "flaky" – especially when coming out of "connection sleeping"
  
• External Wireless Keyboard mapping is not perfect... Some keys are repeated even on the Nokia SU-8
  
• Some applications do not recognize the ctrl-c (copy) / ctrl-v (paste) (QuickOffice. New version of QuickOffice 4.5 can do cut/copy/paste)
  
• Sometimes Internal keyboard messes up. This seems to be because the phone still think it is "closed" so fx. number keys takes the properties of the front keyboard. (Press 2 for a/b/c - press 3 for d/e/f). Closing the phone and opening it again will fix it. (Updated August 5.)
  
• Spontanus Reboot after a call. (Updated August 15th)
  
• FM kind of loud hiss on GSM phone calls from time to time. (Updated August 15th)
  
• Built in browser does not correctly reconize Anchor tags (#) in URLs (Updated August 19th)
  
• Buildt in Browser JavaScript is not compatible with iGoogle - the personalised Google pages. Some keeps showing "Loading" after page is complete. (Updated August 19th)
  

Nokia E90 Missing Features from older communicators

• Scheduled SMS
  
• Fax capability
  
• Recorder goes on Pause when going to another application (Bug or feature)
  
• People complain about lack of speed – fx. when switching to contacts menu compared to old communicators.
  
• Calculator - 3 digit spacing (eg. when entering number then 1000 becomes 1.000) (updated August 6. thanks to Anonymous )
  

Nokia E90 3^rd party application Bugs

• TOMTOM 6 Navigation does not recognise built in GPS
  

  
  

But despite the above bugs – I still like – a lot more than the N95 anyway. But I'll report back later with my views of the phone and the software. Follow the thread on my-symbian for more info on the bugs.

Installing Exchange Certificates on S60 - Update to my N95 Review

I just got a Nokia E90 for testing, and decided to get certificates to work with Roadsync, so push-mail with Microsoft Exchange works without constant confirmation. Nokia wants signed certificates or downloaded x.509 certificates it seems. So not as simple as on Windows Mobile where you just “click” on the file to install it.

The problem is only present when you have a certificate for Microsoft Exchange you have generated yourself – which our exchange server have. So Nokia has among its many documents hidden instructions on how to generate the certificate. But in the document there is a small shortcut and I’ll publish it here :-)

Basically the easy way is to add a mime type to your web server, rename the generated certificate file from .cer to .der – place it on the web server – and then download it via the phone browser.

I did that – and in less than 5 minutes my certificate was installed – and now Roadsync works like a charm with no bugging messages about server security all the time. Perfect. Roadsync should put this on its FAQ list for sure.

If anyone of you need it – and trust me – you can send me a certificate and then I'll put it on the webserver for you to download via your phone – if you do not have access to a web server yourself.

Instructions from Nokia:

Installing a self-signed certificate to an S60 device

This chapter describes how to install a non-CA self-signed certificate to an S60 device. This is an alternative solution to the one described in Chapter 2, “Steps.”

To install a self-signed certificate, you can do the following:

1. Export the certificate in DER format (without private key).

2. If the certificate file extension is .cer, change it to .der.

3. Copy the certificate file to your Web server.

4. Set the MIME type for the directory where the certificate is to application/x-x509-ca-cert.

* In some servers, this can be done from properties of the Web directory -> HTTP Headers -> MIME Types… and adding the mentioned MIME type for the .der file.

* When using Apache server, edit the mime.types file.

5. Use the Web browser in the S60 device to browse for the certificate.

6. Save the certificate (as described in Section 2.7, “Install the CA certificate to an S60 device,” from step 3 onwards).

Thanks Nokia for the information :-)