Did you know about this? (Nokia Data Suite)

Member Name: thespurs

Product:	Nokia Data Suite
Date:	20/05/05 (2109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Transfer of data and files between phone and computer, Can update contacts and calendar using the PC, Allows you to get the most from your handset, in an easy fashion

Disadvantages: It can take while to get used to, but you soon pick things up

-Introduction-

I have recently acquired a new mobile phone, one which I have of course already reviewed. It was the Nokia 6630 Smartphone, making it very high-tech and up to date. It has a number of different functions on it that make it difficult to manage and maximise the handsets full capabilities. The phone comes with Nokia PC Suite software, included in the package. This piece of software allows you to manage the phone via your computer. This has a number of benefits, mainly that it speeds the whole process up and you can see the things more clearly.


-Purpose of Nokia PC Suite-

The main underlying purpose of a piece of software like Nokia PC Suite is to allow owners of Nokia handsets to remotely manage their phone. It makes it much easier to add and remove files and also to move them to different parts of the phone. It also allows for interaction between the handset and the PC, in order to backup files, update contacts and calendar details and store other data. It has been around for a while and I can't help feeling that it is massively under used and people aren't really getting the most from their mobile handsets.


-Installing Software Package-

The installation of the software is relatively simple and similar to any other software that you may have put on to your computer in the past. The CD-Rom needs to be place in the computer and it should automatically start the installation process. The menu will open on your computer and you will be given a number of options. To initiate the installation of the software, simply click 'Install Nokia PC Suite'. There will then be a number of simple menus that take you through the process step by step. You will need to connect your phone to the computer when prompted, via the USB port on the computer. There should be a USB wire included in the package and simply connect it between the handset and computer. Your PC will then pick up the new USB device and the software will install the correct drivers. That is pretty much it and you are ready to use the program.

It is possible to download a version of the PC Suite via the Nokia website at: http://www.nokia.com/nokia/0,,72014,00.html. It is pretty much the same as the one provided with the phone package. There was a problem with the CD-Rom supplied with the phone, which is why I had to use the website. It is important to remember, that you should wait until the software prompts you to connect the phone to the computer, before doing so. It will prevent the computer from not recognising the device and then refusing to accept it. It is a simple enough piece of software to set up and I am very satisfied with how easy and simple it was to do. I'm sure that anybody would be able to do it, no matter how little you claim to know about computers.


-Connectivity-

The phone can be connected to the computer via on of the following. The provided USB cable can be used, via a wireless Bluetooth connection or even using infra-red.
It is advisable to install the software via USB cable, but after that you can connect via Bluetooth. You will of course have to have a Bluetooth reader in order to do this and that will of course come at an extra cost, should you not already have one. I don't have any problems connecting via USB cable; it doesn't take anything away from the level of interaction between phone and computer. You can connect and disconnect the phone from the cable whilst the computer is one and it will still pick the device up without having to restart the PC.


-Functions-

There are a huge number of different functions that the PC Suite is able to perform. They are all useful in their own way and some people will find some of the features to be more relevant than others. They are all relatively simple to use and their purpose is pretty clear. I would certainly recommend that you do have a play around with all of the different settings and tasks that you can perform. It is pretty much impossible to cause any problems or faults to occur with the phone, so do have a try and a play with a few things. I will pick out a few of the key features and try and explain what they each do and how beneficial I feel they are.


-Backup-

The very first option present to you is 'Backup'. It is identified by the filing cabinet picture and from that you can pretty much guess what it does. It simply copies all of the data from your phone and stores it on the PC. It will copy content such as contacts, pictures and videos, messages and even your profiles and individual settings. This means that should you lose your phone or you have an unexpected fault occur or you damage the handset, you will still have much of your data. The content can then be restored to the existing or a new handset. It is advisable to backup your phone every week or so, if there are important details that you really can't afford to lose. It will also save time, as you can quickly upload any data to your phone at the click of a mouse.

I haven't found this to be of need as yet, because I haven't lost my phone and it is still working efficiently. I am careful to back up the data on my phone every few days and I am certain that I won't lose any data should something happen to the handset. It is a very good function and I am glad that it is at my disposal. It is easy to use and you can benefit hugely from it. The process of backing up files involves two simple steps and the wizard takes you through them.


-Synchronise-

This feature is again pretty self explanatory from the heading at the two arrows that symbolise it. This is another form of backing up your phone content, including calendar entries, contacts and all your messages. If you add a new contact via the handset whilst you are out and about, when you synchronise it is sent to the contact list on your PC automatically. This is something that I like, because you can view the contact name and their number side by side and it makes it easier to pass the number on to someone else. These contacts or messages can then be sent to another phone via the USB connection. It is the simplest function to use; you simply need to select 'Synchronise Now'.


-File Manager-

This has to be the best feature of the lot in my opinion and really makes things so much easier. It basically allows you to view the entire content of the handset and enables you to move things around and add or remove files. It is in many ways like a cheat, making some of the other functions of the software redundant. When you want to add a music file from your PC, you simply have to go to the containing folder, copy the file and paste it into the appropriate place on the memory card. It also allows you to add and remove any images, in a very simple way. You can select images already on the phone and view them. Then you can remove them to free up memory for future pictures that you may wish to take. I do like this feature because you can add and remove files very quickly and it is very clear and easy to do. It does take a little time to get used to, but you will soon get the hang of it.


-Add a Contact-

This is a much quicker way of adding new people and their telephone numbers to your phone. You can simply type in the name, all of their contact numbers and their home and email addresses. It is much faster and much more efficient. When you have done this and saved the new contact, you can simply synchronise with the handset and the contact will automatically be added to the handset. It made swapping my numbers from the old phone so much quicker and I had done all them in about five minutes. I am really impressed with this and can't thank Nokia enough for it. You can even add a picture, so that when they call it appears on your screen. It does also act as an address book on your computer, so you can easily find people's home addresses with relative ease.


-Other Features-

There are various other functions that you can perform and also use to change how your handset works. You can write text messages on screen and then send them via your handset. It makes the whole process much quicker and less erroneous. It is also possible to create your own ringtones using audio files from your PC and any composing software that you have available. The same can be done with images, to create your own specialised wallpapers. The handset can also be used a modem, to allow the computer to connect to the internet. This isn't something that I have a need for, but if you have a laptop and are on the move then it can be very useful indeed.


-Conclusion-

I have found this invaluable to getting the most out of my new handset. It has made it possible to get what I want out of my phone and also to make things much faster and more efficient. I have really benefited from it and I am sure I will do so long into the future. I am always changing the music files that I have stored on the phone and it is so easy to with the Nokia PC Suite. It is definitely something that I would recommend to anybody who owns an up to date Nokia handset. I am sure that many people have the software still in the box and have never actually considered using it. As I have said before, don't be afraid to try a few things out and you may get some quite positive results.



For details on this and other products visit: www.nokia.co.uk

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