04 July 2009

WomWorld and N97 Testers
Discuss Communication Functionality

I've been testing the N97, and as part of that trial, I participate in periodic online discussions focusing on various insights into the device, as well as where we see devices and our methodologies headed in the next generation of devices and services. Today, we talked about communication functionality.

One of the ideas that were mentioned was a universal communications tool that provided threaded communications in one location, with all communications seen as complementary. This would mean email, MMS/SMS, social networking contacts (Facebook and MySpace communications and updates), and Tweets are all grouped by USER instead of walled in individual lists.

This would allow conversations to be more congruently followed, and you could reply to someone leaving a web connected area via SMS/MMS, or reply to an email via someone's MySpace page, and the multiformat conversation would be all threaded and archived to be view at a glance.

This concept has been a baby of mine for quite some time, so I was more than happy to bring it to the Symbian Freak community to have your views on communication functionality in Symbian devices. Not all the testers agreed, with some saying they used email and SMS differently, and preferred to have them contained in separate ecosystems, not in one app. What do you prefer? How do you wish or foresee communications working on your ideal device? What problems or limitations do you see in the current way our devices perform?

I'd mentioned how Nokia Messaging was not available for Americans using their devices without a SIM, which isn't very common, but a possibility nonetheless. How would you rate the email experience out of the box as well as for an experienced user?

Jen, a web and graphic designer, software developer, avid photographer, as well as a fellow tester, mentioned Google Wave, a next generation beta app designed to run inside a web browser that epitomizes the universal communications app, albeit without supporting old IM and email, but providing a new paradigm altogether. I like the concept, but don't want such important functionality based in the cloud, and I'd prefer a dedicated app built into the phone. Where do you stand on this issue pertaining to this sort of app being local or in the cloud?

Please give your input. Also, bring up any other points you think Nokia should know that pertain to communication functionality in present and future devices. Let the community know by commenting in our open forum, where all opinions are appreciated.

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