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Nokia Software Updater Improved, Still Sucks

By The Guru on November 11, 2007

nsu
I got excited recently when I saw that AllAboutSymbian had found a firmware update for the Nokia N81. I had mine all boxed up to send back, but I just can’t resist a new firmware update. I just installed the Nseries PC Suite yesterday, and remembered seeing an icon for the Nokia Software Update application. Sweet.

Wrong. This is easily one of the most painful processes EVER, imo, and something Nokia needs to work on…….

First off, regardless of the fact that the NSU appears to be
integrated into this PC Suite, I was told it needed to be updated.
Fine, but when it downloads and installs the update, it puts YET
ANOTHER icon on my desktop. Don’t do that. Keep the freakin icon in my
PC Suite where I like it. At least ask permission before you junk up my
desktop and force me to drag it to the Trash.

Next, I connect my N81 in PC Suite mode with the USB cable. Oh,
wait, I have to have the SIM card in there. Why? I don’t know. I can’t
think of a single reason that I could use the phone via WiFi fully with
no SIM for data browsing, but to update the firmware (which requires
ZERO connections) I have to have a SIM in there. And it has to be in
the General profile. Why? Who knows. This is simply an annoyance.

So I finally get my SIM card in there (mind you, this has to be an
active SIM card, for some reason. Good thing I have my T-Mobile UK
prepaid SIM still), and it’s in General profile. I’m good to go, right?
NOPE, wrong again. Regardless of the fact that I have a full charge,
I’m told that I need to have the phone plugged into the charger for the
update to complete. Again, why? No clue. ANNOYING.

So enough complaining. How *should* this go? Easy. I should be
notified of a new firmware when I connect my phone to PC Suite (I think
it’s supposed to do this). Any update to the NSU should be downloaded
and installed in the same place it’s already at. I should be able to
update the phone regardless of the SIM or profile status. And the power
cord should only be required if I’m at less than half. Or just
implement USB charging already.

On a brighter note, they have made improvements in the update in
that my applications were left intact, and did not need to re-install
themselves. Big fan of that. Other setttings and data such as Contacts
and whatnot are intact as well. So finally we’re not hard resetting our
handsets with every firmware update. Kudos, Nokia. You’ve improved the
implementation, now let’s improve the execution, shall we?

Oh, and while I’m at it, why is it called the “Nokia Software Updater” when everything else refers to it as firmware? Let’s get some consistency.

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The Guru

The Guru, aka Ricky Cadden, started Symbian-Guru.com in November 2006, out of his excitement for the S60 3rd Edition version of Symella. The Guru has used Symbian devices since the Nokia 6620, and is known for his perspective as a power user. You can follow The Guru on Twitter at @Rcadden

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  • Ben

    You should be so lucky to get a much needed firmware update…us N75 owners are screwed. NO SOUP FOR US!

  • Ben

    You should be so lucky to get a much needed firmware update…us N75 owners are screwed. NO SOUP FOR US!

  • Sandy

    I can’t understand the need to keep the phone in General profile while updating. I think the phone and the battery must be there, and I want it to do it offline. They say, disconnecting the phone while update goes on, can harm the phone, but while the update download goes on, it is really annoying to have a call and having the fear of damaging the phone due to disconnection. And really does it not eat away all the data that were stored in the phone? WOW! That’s cool.

  • Sandy

    I can’t understand the need to keep the phone in General profile while updating. I think the phone and the battery must be there, and I want it to do it offline. They say, disconnecting the phone while update goes on, can harm the phone, but while the update download goes on, it is really annoying to have a call and having the fear of damaging the phone due to disconnection. And really does it not eat away all the data that were stored in the phone? WOW! That’s cool.

  • http://profile.typekey.com/PhoneBoy/ PhoneBoy

    The main reason for having the phone plugged in is to make certain you don’t lose power during the firmware upgrade. That requires a flashing station to recover from.

    Actually, the SIM in the phone can be a “dead” SIM. I tend to keep all my old SIMs for those rare occasions where I need a SIM in a phone I normally don’t use with a SIM, or for those “older” phones that don’t work unless a SIM is present.

    They may have improved the updates for the N81 so they don’t kill apps or data, but on the N95, it’s still a factory reset experience. I suspect they’ll get better at that over time.

  • http://www.s60tv.com/ Jake

    We are never totally happy, are we? :)
    But I must say, I agree on every point you made.
    And I’m really glad that the N81 doesn’t remove the apps, contacts etc…

    I really hated that when I updated my firmware on my E61. Luckily I had a backup, but some of my friends didn’t.

    Keep up the great work, I really hope Nokia is using all of this (free) constructive criticism

  • http://www.s60tv.com Jake

    We are never totally happy, are we? :)
    But I must say, I agree on every point you made.
    And I’m really glad that the N81 doesn’t remove the apps, contacts etc…

    I really hated that when I updated my firmware on my E61. Luckily I had a backup, but some of my friends didn’t.

    Keep up the great work, I really hope Nokia is using all of this (free) constructive criticism

  • malaeum

    Oh Ricky, since when has Nokia ever kept their own nomenclature consistent? How many of their first party apps have changed names from phone to phone?

    I agree with pretty much everything you said. The only thing I could disagree with is the need to be plugged in. Charging over USB would however solve that. They are just trying to cover themselves. I could be wrong here but I don’t think my N73 has to be plugged into the charger.

  • malaeum

    Oh Ricky, since when has Nokia ever kept their own nomenclature consistent? How many of their first party apps have changed names from phone to phone?

    I agree with pretty much everything you said. The only thing I could disagree with is the need to be plugged in. Charging over USB would however solve that. They are just trying to cover themselves. I could be wrong here but I don’t think my N73 has to be plugged into the charger.

  • Richrd

    I think that the sim card needs to be inserted because something to do with possibly simlocked phones..

  • Richrd

    I think that the sim card needs to be inserted because something to do with possibly simlocked phones..

  • http://www.simplysymbian.com/ Dario Soltani

    Okay, I’ll give you credit for the desktop icon and the SIM, but the rest is just plain necessary when doing firmware updates to minimize the risk of people bricking their phones.

    Honestly I believe people value a working phone more than a simple update process. I would never do a firmware update over WiFi – I just don’t want to risk loosing the connection. Whatever… I’m to tired to write the rest.

  • http://www.simplysymbian.com Dario Soltani

    Okay, I’ll give you credit for the desktop icon and the SIM, but the rest is just plain necessary when doing firmware updates to minimize the risk of people bricking their phones.

    Honestly I believe people value a working phone more than a simple update process. I would never do a firmware update over WiFi – I just don’t want to risk loosing the connection. Whatever… I’m to tired to write the rest.

  • Viipottaja

    And so what if it asks for a SIM? Boohaahaa.. just put one in and stop complaining. ;) Even if we cannot think of a reason, there MAY be a reason, right? Perhaps Nokia does know a thing or two we don’t. Sure, they should explain better, but I doubt they would ask for things just to piss us off. :D

  • Viipottaja

    And so what if it asks for a SIM? Boohaahaa.. just put one in and stop complaining. ;) Even if we cannot think of a reason, there MAY be a reason, right? Perhaps Nokia does know a thing or two we don’t. Sure, they should explain better, but I doubt they would ask for things just to piss us off. :D

  • http://www.reda-ek.com/blog/ Reda

    I agree, I also don’t understand why we have to download and wait for this software, it’s simply not userfriendly! I just want to switch off and on my mobile and there you go, already running the new firmware. Just joking ;-)
    Jokes aside, I agree with some of your points and things can definively be improved but remember that you are upgrading the firmware not just changing the theme on your mobile. If things go wrong, you will write a post 10 times longer than the size of this one ;-)

  • http://www.reda-ek.com/blog/ Reda

    I agree, I also don’t understand why we have to download and wait for this software, it’s simply not userfriendly! I just want to switch off and on my mobile and there you go, already running the new firmware. Just joking ;-)
    Jokes aside, I agree with some of your points and things can definively be improved but remember that you are upgrading the firmware not just changing the theme on your mobile. If things go wrong, you will write a post 10 times longer than the size of this one ;-)

  • http://www.symbian-guru.com/welcome/2008/03/nseries-pc-suite-graduates-i-agree-its-ready.html Nseries PC Suite Graduates, I Agree It’s Ready

    [...] the Nokia Beta Labs, this time it’s the Nseries PC Suite. This poor piece of desktop software has had ups and downs since it was first introduced. Optimized for the Nseries (obviously), the Nseries PC [...]

  • http://profile.typekey.com/PhoneBoy/ PhoneBoy

    The main reason for having the phone plugged in is to make certain you don't lose power during the firmware upgrade. That requires a flashing station to recover from.Actually, the SIM in the phone can be a “dead” SIM. I tend to keep all my old SIMs for those rare occasions where I need a SIM in a phone I normally don't use with a SIM, or for those “older” phones that don't work unless a SIM is present.They may have improved the updates for the N81 so they don't kill apps or data, but on the N95, it's still a factory reset experience. I suspect they'll get better at that over time.

  • http://profile.typekey.com/PhoneBoy/ PhoneBoy

    The main reason for having the phone plugged in is to make certain you don't lose power during the firmware upgrade. That requires a flashing station to recover from.

    Actually, the SIM in the phone can be a “dead” SIM. I tend to keep all my old SIMs for those rare occasions where I need a SIM in a phone I normally don't use with a SIM, or for those “older” phones that don't work unless a SIM is present.

    They may have improved the updates for the N81 so they don't kill apps or data, but on the N95, it's still a factory reset experience. I suspect they'll get better at that over time.

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