Last week we reported to you the fact that you were now able to pre-order a Nokia N8 direct from Nokia themselves in many countries around the world.  Even, in the US.  The US!  Nokia and the US have always had a troubled relationship.

So why no pre-order availability in the UK from an official Nokia source?

Of course, any official response to this question would involve the words ‘out’, ‘roll’, ‘worldwide’, and ‘phased’.  Although not necessarily in that order.

Whilst this may well be the case, I’m praying that something more sinister isn’t going on.

You see Nokia like putting different product codes on their devices dependant on the territory they will be sold in.  This has a huge effect on when and how often, a particular device, in a particular country, gets it’s firmware update.

A few years ago, any SIM free unlocked Nokia device sold in the UK would usually come with a ‘Euro’ product code.  This was good.  The Euro product codes would normally be somewhere near the top of the list for firmware updates.  However, in the past couple of years the devices sent to the UK had something known as a UK CV (country variant) product code on them.  I know this because I bought an N82 from a Nokia Shop with the horrible little disease already infecting it.

The problem was evident right from the start.  The rest of the world seemed to be on v20 firmware, with my N82 languishing with V12.  The V20 firmware wasn’t just a couple of weeks behind like some would make you believe.  The Euro N82′s got upgraded to V30 before my N82 got to V20.

This is where I hope Nokia is not going.  Is the delay with the UK because they are up to their same old tricks and developing a country variant product code firmware solely for the UK?

I sincerely hope not.

If there is any official response from Nokia available, please try to word your answer ommiting those examples I used earlier. KTHX.

What do you think the delay is?  Am I just paranoid that Nokia will drop the ball?

Let us know in the comments or via Twitter @thenokianetwork

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Looks like there was a slight problem releasing the N97 v2.1 update which should have happened yesterday.  No bother, as it’s now been confirmed that it will infact be upon us from Monday 1st February instead.

The update will ONLY be available initially be using the Nokia Software Updater application on your computer.  Nokia say they need more time to test the OTA (Over the Air) functionality, so that will be delayed slightly (again).

RM-505 will be updated to v21.0.045 and RM-507 versions will be getting v21.2.045.  RM-506 models will not have the update available in the short term.

Generic product codes, as always, will be updated first with country variants, and then operator variants coming along at maybe some point in the future.

Specified changes include:

Improved call reliability, smoother scrolling, browser and music player improvements and upgrades to photo and video stability.

Let us know when you find the update available, and whether you find it an improvement.

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Via – [Here]

NEWS JUST IN! – Latest update on this new firmware is AVAILABLE HERE.

According to this post on the Nokia Support Forum from a Nokia employee, the next firmware for the Nokia N97, (probably version 2.1) will be available for download via the Nokia Software Updater application from the 28th January 2010.

This news is highly anticipated since Nokia seemed to leave the ‘flagship’ N97 out of it’s Ovi Maps with free navigation announcement yesterday.

Whether the new firmware will add any other functionality besides the Ovi Maps update still remains to be seen, and as usual, it will almost certainly be a staged roll out, so not all product codes will be available immediately.

Only 6 days to wait folks!

Let us know what you think in the comments, or shoot me an email steve@thenokianetwork.com

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Us Symbian users seem to have to wait months on end for firmware updates, and then when one does come “Oh no, you can’t have that for another week Sir because you are in the UK”.

For Maemo device owners, and more specifically Nokia N900 owners, Nokia thinks you are a much more worthy proposition as a customer.

For Nokia to prove they love you so much, not only did they release a ‘global’ firmware update yesterday for the N900, they also properly brown-nosed you by releasing a further firmware update today!

Whilst this is brilliant news for the loyal fan base that the N900 has built up already,  it’s a little galling for millions of Symbian fans to sit back and watch whilst the new boy in town gets all the girls.

So the first update delivers the functionality to enable the Ovi Store to run on the N900, which previously had not been available.  It is only a small update and is available via Nokia Software Updater.

The second update is a much larger affair, and is clocking in at just over 90MB, and should be available both ‘Over the Air’ and via Nokia Software Updater.  However, OTA may not quite be working properly just yet.

UPDATE: Change log and loads more info available HERE. Thanks to @gerrymoth

So, have you installed both updates to your N900 yet?  Have you noticed any big changes?  What’s the Ovi Store like?  Leave us a comment below, or send me an email steve@thenokianetwork.com

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Nokia Beta Labs today released a new version of the Nokia Software Updater, which adds in Windows 7 support, and also improves the connectivity on the USB interface.

Another nice added gesture, is a “What’s New” feature, so when you have new firmware available to download to your device, it will tell you what changes you should notice once you have updated.

It always seemed like a bit of a joke to us Windows 7 users that Nokia was taking so long to add Windows 7 support to the Nokia Software Updater application, but I’m glad that it is now filtering through.

Remember though, that this is only a BETA release, so don’t use it unless you are happy with the possible consequences of an inappropriate bug here or there.

Nokia do say on their Beta Labs Blog though, that they don’t expect to see this software stay in BETA form for much more than a couple of weeks, so you may be just as well to wait for the official release.

I’m just downloading and installing it now, so will report back if I notice any glaring problems.  The installation has started though, so I’m happy that it is happy that I’ve got Windows 7.

Have you found any problems?  Let us know in the comments, or shoot me an email steve@thenokianetwork.com

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News has just come through that the venerable Nokia N86 has just received it’s latest firmware update, this time to V21.006.

As usual, this will be a staged rollout of the new firmware, and is only available to certain product codes and regions.  Whilst the exact details of which regions are available, it would seem that the UK country variant devices are, as always, not in the first round of availability.

My white UK CV N86 running product code 0587709 does not have the update available, however, it is understood to be available for 0580406 and 0580669.

Operator branded handsets will not have the update ready just yet, as they usually have to get cleared for release by the supplying operator.

Initial feedback would seem to suggest this is only a minor update, stability bug fixes and speed improvements being the most likely outcome.

The N86 does have UDP (User Data Preservation) onboard, so updating should keep all your data intact, however, a backup beforehand is always recommended.

Clinton over at zomgitscj.com has got the update downloaded to his device, so head on over there to check out the improvements he finds first hand.

Is the update available for you?  Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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This may well come as a shock to the system, but word is on the street that both the N95 (8Gb & Classic) AND the N82 have both got a firmware update to V35.

These two battle axes have seen better days, but are still very popular, and some would argue are not overly outdated when compared to some of Nokia’s most recent efforts.

There is no official changelog available just now, and not a huge amount of data surmounting to whom this update is available for right now.

Suffice to say, that if you have an operator branded handset, odd are on that you will have to wait a while for the update to become available.

Rumour would have it, that the update integrates some of the more recent Ovi efforts, to bring them into line with the recent line of updates.

Have you got an N95 or N82 that you have updated to V35?  Let us know what you think in the comments.

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[Via: NokiaUsers]

File this post very carefully in the “Possible BS Box”.  I really mean it.

There will always be rumours about when firmware is likely to be released, and Nokia is renowned for delaying just about everything they ever do.

However, xbungle over at the Nokia Support Forums is apparently an official Nokia person, and has the little ‘Employee’ tab next to his name, to mean he may or may not be an up-standing member of society.

Xbungle states in this post HERE, that the next version of firmware for the dreaded Nokia N97 is due out in mid-december.

Now I know for some of you, it was only a couple of days ago that you were finally allowed to download V20 for your £600 machines, and news of the next update will only fill you with anger that you will have to wait for another apparent Ice Age to melt before you will be allowed the next one.

However, if this rumour (and I would urge again that this is by no way confirmed) is true, then at least Nokia are still trying to do something for all the poor N97 owners out there that though V20 was going to be their saving grace.  We all know it wasn’t.  It made the N97 a smidgen better, but not enough.

Sit tight, you may be in for another long wait.

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The business-person’s favourite QWERTY Nokia device, the E71, has a new firmware update released today.  This time updating to V400.21.013.

Details are fairly short on the ground so far, but it would seem that some of the reported bugs, such as the screensaver, and call answering delay ones are still apparent after the update.  There has been some chatter on doing a hard rest may or may not sort this after the update, but nothing has been confirmed yet.  Just remember to do a backup beforehand, whatever you decide.

No official change log seems to be available just now, but an unofficial one is over at AAS.

Have you got an E71?  How is the new firmware for you?  Is it even available for your product code?  Or has Nokia done it’s usual trick of releasing the update to everyone, apart from you?

Let us know in the comments.

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[Thanks to BarneyC for the tip]

If you have recently updated your Nokia N86 firmware to Version 20, no doubt you will have noticed the very irritating, and unnecessarily large Ovi Chat toolbar/icon thing on your standby screen such as in the image above.

Now initially it wasn’t overly obvious how to remove the pesky little blighter, but luckily it is quite simple.  Read on to find out how…..

Just do as follows from the homescreen:

• Press Menu key
• Tools
• Settings
• General
• Personalisation
• Standby Mode
• Standby Theme
• Select ‘Horizontal icon bar’

Now, if you head back to your homescreen, you should see it has disappeared.

Bravo!

See, I told you it was simple.  So long as you know how!

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