Nokia’s Listening, Proves It On E51
Ed over at E-series.org has received his Nokia E51, imported from Europe, and decided to do a little testing with the shortcut keys surrounding the d-pad. The S60 menu key has been redesigned as a more obvious “Home” key, and performs the same functions. However, the other three keys have also gained the dual-functionality (short press/long press), and even better - YOU can change them. That’s right, the USER can pick what functions a short press or a long press on any of the other shortcut keys does.
This has been requested for a while, and it’s nice to see Nokia listening to their users once again. A feature like this would make the Nokia E65 an even HOTTER device, in my mind, and hopefully will come to other handsets, as well.
These customizations make a good device even better. But what Nokia does not get is, customers that have paid a good amount of money for a S60 device not long ago now watch these news with envy.
Why not give older devices the required firmware updates? No one would (or should) spend another XXX$ just to be able to customize his phone’s buttons, right?
For example, I have an E61. I love it and I don’t want to leave my QWERTY keyboard, even for the E51 (I had left my E50 for that keyboard before). And I now, an accelerometer is something a firmware update cannot provide. But I’d be happy if I was provided some small updates for my phone, something software-ish. (Like _these_ customizations or new applications that exists with the newer-end phones)
Just IMHO.
Nevertheless, these are still great news… (maybe only for new customers but It’s hope that thrives us all, right?)