One of the best features of my Nokia N95-3 is the standard 3.5mm audio port. I love that it’s just that – standard. I can use the same port with either the included stereo headphones and inline remote, I can plug my Bose earphones in, or I can even use the 3.5mm lead in my truck, all to listen to music from my phone. It’s really brilliant.
However, what’s *not* brilliant is how my phone handles this port. Whenever I use my phone in my truck, with my computer speakers, or with any other non-Nokia audio outlet, I’m presented with the screen below.
What’s stupid about this is that I get the same result with all of them. No matter what I plug in, and what option I choose, I’m told to use the phone’s built-in microphone, and then music plays through the speakers/headphones that I plugged in. Why, if I’m getting the same result, am I asked to choose between several different options? How is that user-friendly?
What’s worse, with S60v3 Feature Pack 2 devices such as the Nokia N96, there are even *more* options, including Line-Out! Why?
The other thing that *really* bothers me about this great 3.5mm audio port is that if my headphones/speakers should come unplugged for whatever reason (on purpose or accidentally), the music doesn’t stop playing – it just starts blaring through the built-in speakers. This is rather silly, specifically if I was using headphones. Clearly with headphones the intention is to enjoy your music, while keeping it to yourself, so that others cannot hear. So then, how rude to simply assume that, regardless of the fact that I *was* using headphones, since they’ve come unplugged, obviously I’ve decided to share my music with those around me. Complete silliness. We should have a prompt that asks what I’d like to do (pause the music or resume through the speakers), while having already paused the music in the background.
What do you think? Are these prompts complete silliness?
