Software Update for Nokia 5310 Version 5.81

Today I updated my Nokia 5310 phone to the new 5.81 version. As I have read that there may be some problems with it I thought I'd report about my experience on my blog.

To find out what version is installed on your phone, type in *#0000# using your keypad. I had the 3.6 version installed. So I downloaded the latest version of the Nokia Software Updater. After a reboot it detected my phone connected via the USB cable.
I took the hint to backup the phone settings seriously. You can do that via the phone menu. Go to the Setting->Sync and backup->Create Backup submenu.

Then I started the update which ran automatically without problems. 10 minutes later the phone rebooted and requested the PIN code. Unfortunately all my personal data were deleted. So I had to restore the data I backed up before. That worked quite fine and I didn't loose any contact info or calendar settings.

What's new?
So far I found the following new options and functionalities:

• I can now add Java programs to my favorite's list.


• There is now a quick dial function. Just press one of the keys from 2 to 9 for 2 seconds.

Update: The newest version is V 09.42 which can be installed just as easy. I haven't found any major improvements yet (except for a new status bar when loading things).

Sample Picture taken with Nokia 5310 XpressMusic

As some people have asked me to show them some pictures taken with my Nokia 5310, I'll post some here.
For the beginning, here is one I took in a park in Graz:

Nokia 5310 XpressMusic Phone Review

I have been using my new Nokia 5310 XpressMusic for a week now. Enough to tell you what I have found out:

Audio
The sound quality is really good. I dare say better than my old iPod Mini. You can listen to music with your headphones or through the internal speakers. There is a larger speaker on the back of the phone, so it is loud enough.
Battery
The battery lifetime is really good. It lasts half a week with moderate calls and GPRS/EDGE usage. The screen goes black after a few minutes of inactivity - thus saving a lot of energy.
Camera
The camera is quite good in terms of dynamics and sharpness. You can take a look at a sample shot. Unfortunately the camera shows a lot of pixel errors in all colors. I've heard from other people that they have the same problem with the camera.
Dimensions
It is a very slim phone and fits perfectly in any pocket.
Headphone
The phone comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack. This port is used for the headset or for any other headphone.
Internet
The phone comes with an integrated browser and Opera Mini. I didn't have any problems surfing the net so far.
Java
The phone comes with many Java applications and most files you download work instantly.
Keys
The keys are quite small but easy to press. Writing texts works quite fast.
Organizer
You'll find the standard set of calendar, notes and tasks. I successfully synchronized with my Google calender by using GCalSync 2.
Radio
The integrated radio has everything you need. RDS, automatic and manual seeking. The best thing about it is that you don't need a special headphone for it. Any headphone will do the trick as long as it is plugged into to 3.5mm jack. You can also make the radio use the internal speaker, but still need to attach a headphone which is used as the antenna.
Screen
A 320x240 screen has enough resolution for my needs.
Volume
A very practical feature is the volume control on the right side. You can also use it while making calls or while listening to your music.
Weight
You almost don't notice the phone when you hold it in your hands. It's really light weight.

My new Nokia 5310 Phone

After 4 years of use, my old Siemens M55 has died. Well, it does work, but the keys work crappy and the charger needs a little "fine tuning" when plugging it in. So the decision to buy a new phone was rather easy.

This week I got myself the new Nokia 5310. It has everything from Internet, MP3 player, camera, large screen and so on. With only 9.9 mm thickness, it fits perfectly in every pocket. I'm a little concerned about breaking it, that's why I handle it with extra care.

It comes with a 2GB micro-SD card, so there is enough place to store MP3s and pictures. The camera isn't really that good. I only tested it in low-light scenes so far. But without flash no camera will give good results.

One of the features I really like is the 3.5mm standard audio jack. You can attach any audio cable to the phone. So it can really replace an MP3 player. The headset is also quite nice, it has a button that allows to accept calls or switch through the playlist or select frequencies in radio mode.

So far I have encountered only one major failure: I couldn't load Java files. It simply didn't work. Not even for the files already on the phone. The service team told me to visit the store again, to let them check the software. They replaced it instantly the next week.

Apart from this initial problem, I'm quite happy with my new phone. Let's see what other advantages or disadvantages it has. I'll keep you updated.