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Wednesday, March 31, 2010



















Yes, firefox is already pretty damn fast but did you know that you can tweak it and improve the speed even more?

That’s the beauty of this program being open source

.
Here’s what you do:
In the URL bar, type “about:config” and press enter. This will bring up the configuration “menu” where you can change the parameters of Firefox.

Note that these are what I’ve found to REALLY speed up my Firefox significantly – and these settings seem to be common among everybody else as well. But these settings are optimized for broadband connections – I mean with as much concurrent requests we’re going to open up with pipelining… lol… you’d better have a big connection.

Double Click on the following settins and put in the numbers below – for the true / false booleans – they’ll change when you double click.
Code:
browser.tabs.showSingleWindowModePrefs – true
network.http.max-connections – 48
network.http.max-connections-per-server – 16
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy – 8
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-server – 4
network.http.pipelining – true
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests – 100
network.http.proxy.pipelining – true
network.http.request.timeout – 300

One more thing… Right-click somewhere on that screen and add a NEW -> Integer. Name it “nglayout.initialpaint.delay” and set its value to “0”. This value is the amount of time the browser waits before it acts on information it receives. Since you’re broadband – it shouldn’t have to wait.

Now you should notice you’re loading pages MUCH faster now!

HowTo: Reinstall Ubuntu Automatically

Sometimes after a partial upgrade of Ubuntu you suddenly find that it has broken down the System Dependency Tree and now you are unable to revert back the changes.

In such cases there is a very simple command that reinstalls all the distribution packages and reconfigures them automatically.

sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh -a

Since this command would take a lot of time to process (~1 hour) depending on your hardware in case you have a minor dependency problem you can fix it via

sudo apt-get install -f

Secret ‘GodModes’ in Windows 7

The foxy-sounding name is a little deceiving, because as far as we know, it is exactly what people are calling it – a glorified control panel

. However, that goes without saying how useful this feature actually is.

GodMode is the name given to cheats in video games that provided you with all weapons and access to all areas. As it turns out, Windows 7 has a GodMode cheat as well. It is basically a control panel of sorts which provides you access to all the features in one explorer window

. In the Windows 7 control panel, features are grouped together either in categories or control panel item names. Nothing is grouped under anything in GodMode.

How to access GodMode?

Method 1:

1. Create a new folder and name it GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

2. The icon will be changed automatically to Control Panel’s icon.

3. Now open the folder and see the magic of Windows Registry!

Method 2

1. Create a shortcut with following path and set desired icon:

explorer.exe shell:::{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Note: Sometimes it kills explorer.exe using Method 1! probably Windows Vista x64 editions. Therefore I suggest to use Method 2.

Solution for the Crash

To get rid of this issue, Boot into Safe Mode with Command Prompt and delete that folder. For eg. You created a folder GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} on desktop, So either navigate to Desktop folder execute the following command:

RmDir “GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}”

Or type the absolute path of folder, like-

RmDir “C:\Users\\Desktop\GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}”

Applies To:

  • Windows Vista x86 editions
  • Windows Vista x64 editions
  • Windows 7 x86 editions
  • Windows 7 x64 editions

Windows has lot of GodModes

It is found that there are lot of GodModes and they differ based on the Strings used in Name the Folder.

In an e-mail interview, Steven Sinofsky, Windows division president, said several similar undocumented features provide direct access to all kinds of settings, from choosing a location to managing power settings to identifying biometric sensors.

As with the all-encompassing GodMode uncovered by bloggers, these other settings can be accessed directly by creating a new folder with any name (GodMode or otherwise) and then including a certain text string. Sinofsky noted more than a dozen strings create particular settings folders, in addition to the overarching GodMode folder option.

For example, the first one could be a folder named “Hungry Hacker.{00C6D95F-329C-409a-81D7-C46C66EA7F33}” (use everything inside quotes–but not the quotes themselves).

Here’s the list of strings:

{00C6D95F-329C-409a-81D7-C46C66EA7F33}
{0142e4d0-fb7a-11dc-ba4a-000ffe7ab428}
{025A5937-A6BE-4686-A844-36FE4BEC8B6D}
{05d7b0f4-2121-4eff-bf6b-ed3f69b894d9}
{1206F5F1-0569-412C-8FEC-3204630DFB70}
{15eae92e-f17a-4431-9f28-805e482dafd4}
{17cd9488-1228-4b2f-88ce-4298e93e0966}
{1D2680C9-0E2A-469d-B787-065558BC7D43}
{1FA9085F-25A2-489B-85D4-86326EEDCD87}
{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}
{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
{241D7C96-F8BF-4F85-B01F-E2B043341A4B}
{4026492F-2F69-46B8-B9BF-5654FC07E423}
{62D8ED13-C9D0-4CE8-A914-47DD628FB1B0}
{78F3955E-3B90-4184-BD14-5397C15F1EFC}

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

How to unlock your Cellphone for Free

First of all lets clear the basics and then we goto the tutorial.

What are Unlocked Cellphones? and Why anybody would want to Unlock it?

An Unlocked Cellphone is one that can be used on all networks operating on the frequency the phone is designed for. For example, in the UK there are four main networks, Vodafone, BT Cellnet, Orange and One2One. Vodafone and BT Cellnet operate on GSM900, while Orange and One2One operate on GSM1800. A UK dual band phone can operate on GSM900 and GSM1800, therefore being capable of working on all the networks.

However, as the networks don’t want to lose you as a customer, when they supply the phone (on contract or pay as you go) it can be locked to only accept SIM cards from their network.

If you wish to use a SIM from a different network, the phone needs to be unlocked.

How do I know if my phone is locked or unlocked?

There are two ways to check if your phone is locked/unlocked. Firstly, if you have a working SIM from a different network, try putting that into the phone and switching it on. If the phone works and you can make calls on that network, congratulations, your phone is already unlocked. If a message appears, saying “SIM card not accepted” or similar, the phone is probably locked.

How to Unlock your Cellphone?

It is very simple procedure.

  1. Download & Install ” Unlock Code Calculator”
  2. Start the software and Select your Cellphone Manufacturer and Cellphone Model
  3. Enter the 15 Digit IMEI Number of your Cellphone. You can get IMEI number for your Cellphone by entering *#06# in your Cellphone and press Enter.
  4. For Nokia Users you also need to select the Country and the Operator of your Cellphone.
  5. Press Calculate and it will generate a Code similar to #pw+CODE+n#.
  6. Now Press the Help button. Select your Cellphone Manufacturer and you will find the Steps of to use the above generated Code to unlock your phone.

Note (For Nokia Users): You might be confused by the DCT-2, 3 and 4. Here I have categorized different Nokia models into DCT 2, 3 or 4. If your Cellphone is not listed below it might be possible that it use Nokia DCT1 or 5. The List below is not exhaustive. I have prepared it by collecting it from internet.

Nokia DCT2: 3110, 8110, 8110i, 8146, 8148, 8148i, 9110, 9110i

Nokia DCT3: 2100, 2190, 3210, 3285, 3310, 3315, 3320, 3330, 3350, 3390, 3395, 3410, 3610, 3810, nk402, nk503, nk702, 5110, 5110i, 5120, 5125, 5130, 5148, 5160, 5170, 5180, 5185, 5190, 5210, 5510, 6090, 6110, 6110i, 6120, 6130, 6138, 6150, 6150e, 6160, 6161, 6162, 6185, 6190, 6210, 6250, 6290, 7110, 7160, 7190, 7290, 8210, 8250, 8260, 8270, 8290, 8810, 8850, 8855, 8860, 8890, 9000, 9000i, 9110, 9110i, 9210 y 9290

Nokia DCT4: N-GAGE, N-GAGE QD, 1100, 2110, 2300, 2600,2650, [NEM-2] (United states), 3108, 3100, 3120, 3200, 3220, 3300, 3510, 3510i, 3530, 3550, 3585, 3590, 3595, 3600, 3610, 3650, 5100, 5140, 6100,6170, 6200, 6220, 6230, 6260, 6310, 6310i, 6340, 6390, 6500, 6510, 6590, 6600, 6610, 6610i, 6630, 6650, 6800,[NSB-9] (United States),7200, 7210, 7210i, 7250, 7600, 7610, 7650, 7700, 8310, 8310i, 8350, 8390, 8910, 8910i, 9210, 9210i, 9290, 9500

(Update) Alternate Download Link: http://www.ziddu.com/downloadlink/8194135/NokiaUnlockCodeGenerator.zip

Thats all for Today. Happy Hacking!













Are you crazy about Google Talk. Do you want to be become a master of Google Talk? Then here is a source for you to know each and every secret of Google Talk. I think this is a complete list of tips, tricks, hacks, howto’s, keyboard shortcuts and few miscellaneous facts about Google Talk.

Tips & Tricks

1. Change the font size

While holding the control key, move the scroll wheel on your mouse either up or down. This trick works while being focused in either the read or write area.

2. Insert line breaks

If you want to have a message that spans multiple paragraphs, just hold shift and hit enter. You can add as many new lines as you want to create.

3. Bold Text

To write something bold, you can use an asterisk before and after the word. For Example *Hungry Hacker*

4. Italic Text

To use italics, use an underscore before and after the word. For Example _Hungry Hacker_

5. Switch windows

Hitting tab will cycle through open windows. It will select minimized conversations, to expand them just hit enter. If you just want to cycle through IM’s and don’t care about the buddy list, control-tab will do that and will automatically expand a minimized conversation if you settle on one.

6. Invitation Tips

You don’t need to say Yes or No when someone wants to add you as a friend; you can simply ignore it, the request will go away. (On the other hand, someone with whom you chat often will automatically turn to be your friend, unless you disable this in the options).

7. Show Hyperlinks

You can show your homepage or blog URL simply by entering it in your away message (at the top of the main window). It will automatically turn to a link visible to others.

How To’s

1. Use multiple identities on Google Talk

Want to run Google Talk with multiple Gmail identities? If you have several Google Gmail accounts you also may want to run multiple instances of Google Talk This is especially important for families that share a single PC. Basically, to have “Google Polygamy” you need to run Google Talk with the following switch: /nomutex

  • Right-click on the desktop
  • Select New -> Shortcut
  • Paste the following into the Address box:

“C:\program files\google\google talk\googletalk.exe” /nomutex

  • Click Next and choose a shortcut name such as Google Talk1, Google Talk2, or something related to your Gmail account for easy remembering which account is which.

2. Use Google Talk via a Web Browser

You want to use Google Talk anywhere ? Follow these guidelines :)

  • Opens your favourite web browser.
  • Go to following Website

http://www.webjabber.net:8080/jim/

  • Follow the instructions of the Page.
  • You can talk with your friends

3. Conference Calls

  • Open up a copy of Google Talk on all computers with which you wish to conference.
  • After one copy is opened make a new shortcut for Google Talk but at the end of it add /nomutex.
  • If you installed it to the default folder then your shortcut should read “C:\Program Files\Google\Google Talk\googletalk.exe” /nomutex.
  • Open 2nd instances of the software on every user’s computer.
  • After this start a chain: User 1 should connect on one instance to user 2. User 2 will connect on his second instance to user 3. User 3 will connect using his second instance back to user 1. With this chain everyone is connected to everyone.

4. Change Nickname

You can’t change your nickname in a way that other people will see it change. Every nickname in the Google Talk Contact List is the part that is before @gmail.com (only the alphabetical characters are used) or the name you chosen for your GMail account. To change the nickname you need to do the following:

  • Go to your Gmail account and change the name there.
  • Choose Settings, Accounts, and then Edit info. Click on the second radio button, and enter your custom name.
  • As a result all of your emails will have that nick as well, there is no way to seperate the two.
  • You can add a website in your custom message, it will be clickable when someone opens a conversation window with you.

5. Contacts

You don’t need to say Yes or No when someone wants to add you as a friend; you can simply ignore it, the request will go away. (On the other hand, someone with whom you chat often will automatically turn to be your friend, unless you disable this).

6. Play Music

It’s possible to broadcast music, MP3, etc. through Google Talk. Follow the steps given bellow:

  • Unplug your microphone.
  • Double click on the speaker icon in the lower right corner. This will open up “Volume Control”.
  • Select “Options” and then “Properties”. Then check the button next to “Recording” then click OK.
  • You may also have to change your setting under Mixer Device. Now the Recording Control screen should be up.
  • On my computer I selected “Wave Out Mix”. Click on the green phone in Google Talk and call your friend.

Registry Hacks

Before applying any of these Registry Tweaks follow the steps given below:

  1. Backup your Registry
  2. Start -> Run -> Regedit
  3. Now Navigate to the following directory
  4. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Talk.

  5. Make Changes based on the info given bellow.
  6. Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.

The “Google/Google Talk” key has several sub-keys that hold different option values:

Accounts: This one has subkeys for each different account that has logged in on the client. These keys have different values that store the username, password and connection options.

Autoupdate
: Stores the current version information. When the client checks for updates it compares Google’s response with these values. If an update is needed, it will download and update the new version.

Options: This is the most interesting part, where most of the current hacks should be used (keep reading).

Process: Stores the process ID. Probably used by Google Talk to detect if it’s already running or not.

  1. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Talk\Options\show_pin
  2. If 1, shows a “pin” next to the minimize button that keeps the windows on top of all the other open windows when clicked.

  3. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Talk\Options\view_show_taskbutton
  4. If 0, hides the taskbar button, and leaves the tray icon only, when the window is shown

  5. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Talk\Options\away_inactive
  6. If 1, status will be set as Away after the specified number of minutes.

  7. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Talk\Options\away_screensaver
  8. If 1, status will be set as Away after the specified number of minutes.

  9. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Talk\Options\inactive_minutes
  10. Number of inactive minutes to become away if auto-away is on.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut Use
Ctrl + E It centralizes the selected text, or the current line.
Ctrl + R It justifies to the right the selected text, or the current line.
Ctrl + L It justifies to the left the selected text, or the current line.
Ctrl + I The same thing does that Tab.
Tab It is giving the area to each of the windows opened by Google Talk.
Ctrl + Tab The same thing does that Tab but in reverse.
Shift + Tab The same thing that Ctrl + Tab does.
Ctrl + Shift + L Switch between points, numbers, letters, capital letters, roman numbers and capital roman numbers
Ctrl + 1 (Key Pad) It does a simple space between the lines.
Ctrl + 2 (Key Pad) It does a double space between the lines.
Ctrl + 5 (Key Pad) A space does 1.5 between the lines.
Ctrl + 1 (Num Pad) It goes at the end of the last line.
Ctrl + 7 (Num Pad) It goes at the begin of the last line.
Ctrl + F4 It closes the current window.
Alt + F4 It closes the current window.
Alt + Esc It Minimize all the windows.
Windows + ESC Open Google Talk (if it’s minimized, or in the tray)
F9 Open Gmail to send an email to the current contact.
F11 It initiates a telephonic call with your friend.
F12 It cancels a telephonic call.
Esc It closes the current window.

Google’s Secret Command-Line Parameters

There are a few secret parameters you can add to Google Talk and make it function differently.

You can use these parameters as follows:

“C:\program files\google\google talk\googletalk.exe” [PARAMETER]

Parameter Use
/nomutex Allows you to open more than one instance of Google Talk
/autostart It will check the registry settings to see if it needs to be started or not. If the “Start automatically with Windows” option is unchecked, it won’t start.
/forcestart Same as /autostart, but forces it to start no matter what option was set.
/S upgrade Used when upgrading Google Talk
/register Registers Google Talk in the registry, includig the GMail Compose method.
/checkupdate Check for newer versions.
/plaintextauth Uses plain authentication mechanism instead of Google’s GAIA mechanism. Used for testing the plain method on Google’s servers.
/nogaiaauth Disables GAIA authentication method. The same as /plaintextauth .
/factoryreset Set settings back to default.
/gaiaserver servername.com Uses a different GAIA server to connect to Google Talk. Used for debug purposes only, there are no other known GAIA servers.
/mailto email@host.com Send an email with Gmail.
/diag Start Google Talk in diagnostic mode.
/log Probably has something to do with the diagnostic logging

Miscellaneous G-talk Facts

  • A message can be 32767 characters long.
  • The Gmail account ‘user@gmail.com’ can’t be invited as your friend

Hack Mobile Phones Through Bluetooth

Yes guys it is the mobile bluetooth hacker. It is a software which can be used to hack any mobile phone through bluetooth network. Once connected to a another phone via bluetooth you can do the following:

1) Call from his phone. It includes all call functions like hold etc.
2) Read his messages
3) Read his contacts
4) Change profile

5) Play his ringtone even if phone is on silent
6) Play his songs(in his phone)
7) Restart the phone
8) Switch off the phone
9) Restore factory settings
10) Change ringing volume

Notes:

1.) When connecting devices use a code 0000
2.) At start of programming on smartphones do not forget to turn on bluetooth before start of the application
What else you want
Just go and downlaod it
download
enjoy and keep visiting us

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Less banter, more death

Battlefield: Bad Company 2
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Ever wondered how a squad of four characters as badly suited to Army life as those of B Company could be such crack shots? They don't seem the types to stay for hours and hours on the shooting range, working on their aiming, practicing throwing grenades or preparing their rather average bodies for the recoil shock of high powered rifle.



They seem more likely to be in the mess hall, dodging some superior officer that wants them to actually do something with their military careers. Yet, there is no sign of extra weight, resulting from too much food or too little exercise.

There's no terror in the way they take out guerillas and Russian soldiers, and there's quite a bit of bravery in the way they tackle one of the biggest and weirdest threats against America.

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is a first person shooter, so the player needs to limit the amount of questions that they throw at the structure of the game in order to be able to enjoy it.

Still, the shooter made by DICE manages to deliver both a passable single player campaign and a very engrossing multiplayer while never seeming on the brink of becoming a recruitment tool for the military.

Review image Review image
Nice little houses
Tank warfare

Plot

The overall presentation succeeds in delivering more emotion than that of Modern Warfare 2 without being as bombastic and as filled with military and diplomatic jargon. There's a quiet urgency to everything that happens in the single player campaign but the fights are always the main attraction. There's little in the way or bombastic rhetoric offered up by the Bad Company squad itself or by the various authority figures they are meeting. Most of the dialog is functional and when it's not, the small talk between the members of the team itself goes towards a more humorous track that is actually quite interesting, even if it does not make the player laugh out loud, some of its plain old gallows humor, the product of the military life and bullets whizzing constantly around the soldier. But some of it is even grimmer, the product of the stakes of the current mission. And, of course, there are the jibes at Modern Warfare 2, clearly meant to show Battlefield: Bad Company 2 as the superior single player experience.

The whole narrative built around Aurora and the now traditional Russian colonel is a bit nuts at times and features plenty of moments where suspension of disbelief is impossible, but it matches the craziness of the characters themselves. Preston Marlowe again acts as the proxy for the players, with Sergeant again worried about his retirement, Haggard focused on the quality of the explosions that the squad generates and Sweetwater concerned about their chances of making it out alive.

Gameplay

As with the first Bad Company, the big aspect DICE brings to the Battlefield series is the concept of fully destructible buildings. It's a more advanced implementation than in the previous game, with no cover spot safe from becoming just a pile of debris offering no protection. The player quickly learns to always be on the move, stopping just enough to fire at one or two enemies and then moving on. It's actually hard going back to games like Mass Effect 2, which do a nice job of offering a third person cover-based shooter but don't have any destruction after playing Bad Company 2 for more than a couple of days.

The set pieces are nicely laid out, with several offensive missions having sections where defense is the order of the day and with vehicle-based fights, which feature everyone's most loved enemy in a military first person shooter, the helicopter gunship (that, of course, the Russians have in numbers). There are plenty of weapon combinations to try out and strategies in approaching enemy positions to test. I suggest that those who have played the first game should try playing on the highest difficulty level to truly be tested with other FPS players targeting moderate difficulty.

Graphics and audio

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 does not aim for hyper realism in its depiction of the characters or in the way it shows off the background. The colors used are a bit muted, with some levels flooded by light and others shrouded almost completely by darkness. The snowed out areas are especially important, the reflection of light of the layers really straining the eyes and forcing me to tone down the brightness on a couple of levels. It all moves smoothly, the buildings crumble in spectacular fashion and the enemies are easy to distinguish, even if, at times, they seem to be part of some sort of clone army.

Review image Review image
Banter
Blow us a hole


The sound is not as impressive. The weapons rattle nicely, the vehicles sound heavy and strong and the voice actors handle their parts well, with a nice mix of desperation, dread and humor. There are some great lines delivered in a deadpan tone. The soundtrack is not particularly inspiring, frequently taking me out of the action.

Multiplayer

When it comes to the multiplayer element of Battlefield: Bad Company 2, the accent is on getting players to cooperate as they aim to achieve an objective, not to compete. There's plenty of experience to gain and a lot of unlockables to look forward to using on the battlefield but the main element here is not going out solo hunting for one more kill but staying close with your buddies, complementing their moves and helping achieve a bigger objective. It's pretty important to jump in the game with a group of people who know each other and work together but the experience with a group of strangers can be as satisfying.

The most engaging game mode at the moment is Rush, the mode where sections of the combat area are opened up in progression, the attackers needing to plant a charge and the defenders aiming to stop them. The attackers have limited lives. The mode is at the same time frantic and planned. Just going forward shooting will never advance the stage, so the squad becomes crucial to any progress. Conquest is also pretty engaging, with the ticking down mechanics that have always been central to Battlefield titles.

In multiplayer, one can also expect to see new modes introduced by DICE and Electronic Arts, starting with Squad Rush, now exclusive for those who pre-ordered the title on GameStop.

Conclusion


I like Battlefield: Bad Company 2 more than Modern Warfare 2. The experience offered is more mature and, at the same time, more concerned with the player having fun rather than with delivering complex views on war that are contradicted by the immediate gameplay. It's just a game about a group of guys who are in way over their head and need attempted humor to keep their sanity while dodging bullets and grenades. And about killing a high number of enemies with the help of bullets, grenades and blowing up buildings.

Bad Company 2 has also managed to truly amaze with the advanced destruction engine, an addition to the shooting genre, which will be central to all videogames coming in the next two years. It fundamentally changes the way fire fights work, making all cover just something temporary and encouraging more fluid multiplayer matches. It's true that it often feels unfair to see your cover taken out, especially after the many hours of FPS combat where this did not happen, but after a short adjustment period, it becomes natural and fluid and real in a way faster paced shooters do not.
EDITOR'S RATINGS:
Story:8/10
Gameplay:10/10
Concept:10/10
Graphics:9/10
Audio:8/10
Multiplayer:9/10
Overall:9/10

Nokia N86 8MP Review The N-series still lives

The first Nokia mobile phone to reach the 8-megapixel camera mark, Nokia N86 8MP revives the N-series, which was almost overrun by the competition. Following the same line imposed by its N85 predecessor, Nokia N86 8MP is stuffed with the latest camera technologies that the Finnish company seemed to be capable of sharing with its users.

Carrying a Carl Zeiss lens, autofocus, dual LED flash and many other advanced features, the Nokia N86 camera overcomes the 8-megapixel threshold, even though it's a little bit late. Combining the excellent traits of a pocket camera with the qualities of a very good music phone, don't expect that this smartphone will come too cheap. Even though it doesn't impresses through its shape and design, the device has all the ingredients of a high-end smartphone, which is the main reason it has been tagged as an N-series phone.

Announced in February 2009, Nokia N86 8MP was launched on the market in June 2009 and can be bought for about USD450, depending on your location. There are two colors available for you to choose from: Indigo Black and White.


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Design

As I already stated above, Nokia N86 8MP doesn't stand out from the crowd, as it bears the same standard Nokia slider look. While this is not necessarily boring, the smartphone simply lacks any "wow" factor that might make it more appealing. Nokia N86 8MP features a dual-slider form factor, as it can be slided in both ways, just like the older N95. The smartphone looks and feels pretty bulky, as it measures 103.4 x 51.4 x 16.5 mm and weighs 149g (including battery). It includes a medium-sized, 2.6-inch display, as well as a secondary video-call camera and an ambient light sensor, which have been placed just above the screen.


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The standard Symbian smartphone set of keys can be noticed below the display: two contextual keys, the Accept (green) and Reject (red) call keys arranged symmetrically to the left and right, the C (Delete key), the Meniu key and the usual D-pad cursor. The left side of the smartphone features a lock/unlock sliding key, which is very useful for slider devices. The right side of the phone features a dual volume key, as well as a dedicated camera button. On top of the phone, you will notice the standard power on/off button, a 3.5mm jack port and the standard microUSB port.


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The back of the phone will reveal the "piece de resistance," which is the 8-megapixel camera featuring dual LED flash, autofocus, the Carl Zeiss lens and camera-lens cover for protection. Around the camera, there's also a plastic grip that can be pulled out and used as a support for the phone in landscape mode, if you want to keep it on the table when watching a movie. The keypad layout is pretty relaxed with long keys with enough space in between. The only minor drawback could be the fact that they're a little bit too rigid and you will need to press them harder.


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The phone has two parts, which are totally different. While the front part is made from a metallic compound, the back cover is purely made from a cheap, thin plastic, which will give you the creeps when you’ll try to pull it out. As the device is a dual slider, you will also be able to slide it up, which will reveal four keys with multiple uses: gallery, music and games. The sliding mechanism is flawless and works smoothly. Overall, the phone looks compact and solid, with the exception of the back cover that looks flimsy. Nothing that will really amaze possible buyers regarding its design, just a simple, standard slider smartphone.


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Display and Camera

Nokia N86 8MP includes a 2.6-inch AMOLED display that supports 16 Million colors and a 240 x 320-pixel resolution. The screen features a scratch-resistant surface, which protects it when the device is kept in a pocket together with other metallic objects. The phone also includes an accelerometer sensor for auto-rotate, which is very sensible. Still, I found the feature pretty annoying, as there were times when the image would simply not turn back easily to portrait mode, after you kept it in landscape mode. I also noticed the sunlight eligibility to be poor, which means you will have troubles distinguishing anything on the screen when it's exposed to strong light. Otherwise, I was content with the size of the screen, even though today's smartphones tend to include at least 3.0-inch displays.


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The main attraction of the phone – the 8-megapixel camera – has lots of extra-features, such as: autofocus, dual LED flash, a wide, 28mm Carl Zeiss lens, variable aperture, geo-tagging, ISO 800 and can also record clips in VGA mode at 30fps. Nokia N86 8MP seems to be the first mobile phone to feature a 28mm-wide lens, which translates into a larger angle of view. You will be able to get more of the subject you wish to picture, without needing to zoom out or go further back. Still, this has some disadvantages, as the lens has troubles when you want to shoot subjects that are very close, which will show rather altered compared with the original ones. Another strong point of the camera module is the variable aperture, which should mean sharper and more in-depth pictures, depending on the light that the lens receives. Unfortunately, you won't have the chance to manually set the aperture value, as everything is done automatically. The last, but not least, innovation that has been included by Nokia in its module camera aggregate is the mechanical shutter.


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The user interface of the camera looks much like that of its N85 predecessor, being easy to navigate and with plenty of complex settings. Starting with the ISO setting that can go up to 800, users will be able to take advantage of features such as: White Balance, Colors, Effects, Exposure compensation, Scene, and Geo-tagging. The whole toolbar of the interface can be customized as they see fit. The maximum resolution that you can use to take pictures is of 3264x2448 pixels. The quality of the pictures is above average, but far from what other 8-megapixel camera phones have to offer. I guess it's the processing software that is not doing a good job.


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The pictures taken are lacking details and, even if it seems that the software tries to eradicate the noise, this is done at the expense of oversharpening the picture. In terms of recording, Nokia N86 8MP is doing a much better job, even though the VGA resolution at 30fps is a little bit overrated. While Nokia N86 8MP is clearly the best camera phone manufactured by the Finnish company, it seems that Nokia needs to shape up the camera software because Sony Ericsson and Samsung seem to have the upper hand here. Let's hope and pray for a future update that should tune up the picture's quality.


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Menu and Software

Nokia N86 8MP runs the Symbian 9.3 operating system, with an S60 3rd Edition and Feature Pack 2 interface. Feature Pack 2 brings both visual and performance improvements, which otherwise wouldn't be available for devices that only run Feature Pack 1, unless they're updated. This does not mean that you can get all the features of the FP2 on FP1 devices, as there are still exclusive ones that you can only take advantage of on an FP2 handset. Besides the Gallery with the geotagging feature, you'll get a new kind of Active standby layout. The latter enables users to bring up on the Home screen a lot more shortcuts than usual, such as games, applications and link shortcuts. The new Task manager is also a specific FP2 improvement, and gives quick access to any applications running in the background. The Task manager now appears on top of every menu option that the user opens. Moreover, some cosmetic changes have been included, such as better menu transition effects and stylish icons.


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The main menu can be accessed by pressing the left Symbian key, right under the Accept calls key. In addition to the usual options and applications that we find in almost all Symbian-powered handsets, Nokia N86 8MP features Search and Maps utilities. Maps is used together with the GPS receiver and enables owners to employ Nokia maps (Ovi maps), localization and directions when they're on the go. Lots of maps can be downloaded from Nokia's website and then used to pick the shortest route from one point to another. Under the Office category, we find QuickOffice applications, used for reading Word, Excel and PowerPoint files. Users won't be able to edit any files without upgrading the application, which, of course, costs money. There's also a PDF reader, a notepad, a Zip archivator, and a currency converter.


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You can now find the Calculator under the Office submenu, while the voice recorder has been moved to the Applications submenu. The phone features a wide range of 3D games (trial versions) when the N-Gage menu is accessed.

The most thrilling feature of the device is the Motion sensor that grants it the Automatic rotation ability. This means that, every time you want to use your phone's screen in landscape mode, you'll only need to move its upper-left side downwards, and the interface will automatically reshape in landscape mode. I had some troubles with the motion sensor, as it sometimes 'forgot' to turn back to portrait.


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The phone includes everything a user may need on the road or in the office, pre-installed on the handset: email, web, calendar, organizer, IM, office tools, messaging, applications manager, connectivity wizard, synchronization tools, GPS navigator, themes, profiles, and even more.


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Communication

Nokia N86 8MP is a quad band GSM (850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900) handset, HSDPA (3.6 Mbps) compatible, which features GPRS class 32 (107 kbps), EDGE 32 class (296 kbps), High-Speed Circuit-Switched Data (57.6 kbps) and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g. Tested on the EDGE and 3G networks, the phone has performed pretty good, as you can see from the screenshots.


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The WLAN wizard helps you search and define your WLAN network connection settings. Should you want to connect to the Internet, you must first define an Access point (EDGE, WLAN or 3G). You can do that by going to the Main menu / Tools / Settings / Connection / Access points, and define which access point to be used whenever a network connection is required (Main menu / Home network / Settings). The integrated browser includes Flash Lite 3.1 and Java support.


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Other connectivity tools include Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support, and microUSB for PC synchronization (charging included). When connecting the USB cable, you'll be able to choose from four modes: PC Suite, Mass storage, Image transfer and Media transfer. All of them are intuitive and easy to use, so there's nothing more to add here. The built-in GPS receiver works perfectly and features A-GPS support, as well as digital compass.


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In terms of messaging, the phone accepts all available message types, but, given the not-so-friendly keypad, it will be hard to enjoy texting. Anyway, the handset includes no less than four message editors, one for each type: SMS, MMS, audio message and e-mail. The message client works with POP3, SMTP, and IMAP4 protocols, and supports more than one email account. Also, it can download headers and allows for attachments.<> Processor and Memory

Nokia N86 8MP is powered by a single ARM11 family processor running at speeds of up to 434 Mhz. It's the same CPU used onto the N97 smartphone, which should say something about it. I have noticed some lags and hiccups during the playing of games. While N86 8MP is not a snappy device, you'll get used to it, as it's something pretty much standard for most Symbian devices.


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The handset embeds a 78MB user-free internal memory, 8GB of storage space and 128MB of SDRAM memory. The storage space can be expanded up to another 16GB through the hot-swappable microSD card slot.


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Multimedia

Nokia N86 8MP is a multimedia device, thus the 3.5mm jack port doesn't come as a surprise. The jack port enables users to attach any compatible headphone, which will improve their experience. The integrated music player is the same, old one that we also found in N97 and N85, and supports almost any type of music file you can think of: MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA, M4A, as well as playlists. Files are automatically sorted by artist, genre, and albums, or by using the PC Suite.


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The music player can be easily controlled with the D-pad, but you can also take advantage of the four music keys, which are revealed when the phone is slid down. The included HS-83 Stereo earphones are making for a good addition to the sales package. There's also the option to use the Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support, which will enable you to listen to music wirelessly.


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The music player features all kinds of options and settings: Equalizer, Visualisation, Balance, Loudness, Stereo Widening, or Shuffle. Some of these are also available for the included FM Radio, which can memorize up to 50 base stations and features RDS and Visual radio capabilities. Nokia N86 8MP also boasts an FM transmitter feature that can be used to go live on the air.


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The reception is excellent, and the quality of the sound likewise. Nokia N86 8MP delivers one of the best music quality sounds, being on par with the N97, I would say. Furthermore, videos can be played with the help of the integrated Real Player application. The video player is fully compatible with both orientations, namely landscape and portrait, and can run movies in full screen.


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Battery

The 1,200 mAh Li-Ion (BL-5K) battery has an officially stated life expectancy of 312 hours in standby mode (264 hours for 3G) and of about six hours and 18 minutes in talk-time mode (three hours and 54 minutes for 3G). What we got was four days of use: approx. three hours of calls and 5MB of overall data transfer. I would say that the battery is pretty decent and that 25 hours of music playback is also a nice addition.


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Impressions

Even though I haven't been too impressed by its design, Nokia N86 8MP represents an excellent choice over most of Nokia's N-series smartphones. The slider performs above average in all areas and, for the right price, you could experience an all-round device that can meet almost all expectations.

The Good

The strong point of the smartphone is definitely the 8-megapixel camera, which should receive a software update to perform better. I would also highlight here the HSDPA (3.6 Mbps) connectivity, the accelerometer for auto-rotate, the good battery, the very good music sound, the web browser with Flash and Java integrated, the GPS with A-GPS support, the digital compass, the 8GB storage space, the Wi-Fi technology, as well as the FM Radio and FM transmitter.

The Bad

Perhaps a fresher design that would meet nowadays demands would've made the phone more appealing. Also, the lack of a document editor or DivX and XviD support drags the phone a little backwards. The AMOLED display is also a negative point, as its performance under sunlight is poor. Replacing the existing dual LED flash with a Xenon flash would've been more appreciated.

Sales Package

Nokia N86 8MP handset;
Nokia Battery (BL-5K) 1200 mAh;
Nokia Travel Charger (AC-10);
Nokia Video Connectivity Cable (CA-75U);
Nokia Connectivity Cable (CA-101);
Nokia Wired Headset (AD-54+HS-83);
User Guide;
Ovi Suite DVD 1.1.


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