What to do once you buy a Nokia N96? Step-by-step N96 guide!
October 8, 2008 by Meraj Chhaya
Filed under Uncategorized
Forum member kraftman has posted an article on how to set-up your new Nokia N96 to its full potential.
Our member emphasizes that you must update your N96 to the latest version, enable geotagging, change messaging memory to memory card, enable transitions and auto-rotation, and also turn both loudness and stereo widening for music. Here is the article:
1 Get the latest firmware release:
a. Install the nokia apps from the CD, DO NOT UPDATE THEM FROM THE INTERNET – some people have
reported that NSS only works with the older usb drivers, this was true in my case but may not be for others. If you have any problems the older usb drivers are pretty easy to find with a quick google.b. Download Nokia Service Suite (NSS) from Here, run the installer (click next to all the defaults, unless you want it installed in a different place.)
c. Find a product code for an unlocked phone from the net (there is a thread full of them Here.
d. Plug your phone into the usb, select PC Suite mode.
e. Open up NSS, select ‘Scan for new device > Phone Info > Read’ This will give you your current
product codef. Insert your new-found product code into the produst code box, and tick enable, then write. It should
only take a few seconds, and then if you click read again it will show your new product code.g. You can now update any of the nokia software from the internet if you want to, open up Nokia Software Updater, make sure your phone has enough battery, and run through the updating process.
2 Go to menu > tools > settings > general > personalistaion > display > turn auto rotate on
- this basically enables the token iphone feature that everyone seems to love.
3 Go to menu > tools > settings > general > personalistaion > themes > general > options > theme effects and change it to on
-makes the auto rotate transitions much nicer, and the menu a bit snazzier
4. In the music player go to options > audio settings and turn on both loudness and stereo widening.
5. Messages>options>settings> other. most people will want to change the number of saved messages, and possibly the memory used.
6. Camera > options > settings > record location ‘on’ – this is down to preference really but most dont
realise its off by default.
If you have any problems or questions, visit the N96 Known issues thread, and if your problem isn’t there, post it on the N96 forums and we will help you to solve it.
Tom on Thu, 16th Oct 2008 2:45 pm
Am I the only one that has tried this N96 and thinks it’s crap?
I thought that it was wrong in some way, so I got it changed and yesterday I tried the new one. And it’s the same!
Video player doesn’t work properly, if you pause a video it’s impossible to play it again from that spot, you have to restart it.
Battery only last a few hours, even not using the media very much.
Video camera jumps when you are recording, specially if you use the zoom.
When the screen changes to fit the format the image fails and sound too.
I had like 6 general system errors just trying to play music or video…
And all the applications installed in my PC (brand new VAIO) fail as well every now and again, specially the video manager.
Is that normal?
Is this the best Nokia can do?
I’ll return it to the shop and never try again with a top nokia phone. I think Nokia is good with simple phones but they have not idea about how to deal with complicated functions.
Very anoying and disapointing.
Tom.
Peyman on Mon, 20th Oct 2008 11:36 am
The only problem I share with you is the battery life!
Regarding Nokia’s inability to make decent heavyweights, I could not agree less! However this particular phone has disappointed me in certain areas.
Eugene on Tue, 21st Oct 2008 1:38 am
Nice article. Thanks.
Eugene
nick on Tue, 21st Oct 2008 10:55 pm
nice info.
all worked fine.
cheers
nick
Soreen on Fri, 24th Oct 2008 9:02 pm
I followed step by step the instructions – it’s working …
Thank you for the tip!
The phone it’s a bit more stable now – however still can’t install unsigned applications – hopefully a hack will be available soon …
Respect,
Soreen
Andy on Mon, 27th Oct 2008 12:21 pm
I have to say I am really disappointed with mine too, the screen has started to scratch 3 weeks on, the software crashes, the battery life is terrible and goes from 20% to zero in minutes.
I would also add that it appears to drop out of service much more readily than my last Nokia on the same network.
I find that the software and the hardware seem to be incompatible, the screen rotate works when it chooses, it is slow moving between applications, you have to keep going in to close applications to save battery power. The european maps are not pre-loaded doh!(maps are essential for a navigator?), the music thing shows all ring tones, alarms etc mixed in with your music, great if you want to shuffle your music…NOT. The music player often crashes and sounds like it is playing two tracks at once.
The phone has crashed three times and required a battery pull to get going again.
The internet browser is not particularly user friendly it is a bit like web browsing through a letterbox evem if you use + and – you still need to be familiar with the website to know what you are looking at.
Basic functions like alarms and silent profiles for meetings etc are well hidden deep in the menus.
The battery cover has a nasty cheap flimsy feel to it, and the screen should have been touch sensitive, I hate Apple products but I feel I should have bought the Iphone.
All a bit of a moan, but to me this phone feels like a high school bodged upgrade of the N95. I require reliable communications and operation and I am not getting it from this phone. I have always had a high regard for Nokia phones previously.
Sorry – I have not found more positive things to say.
Cheers and good luck.
Andy
PS the other thing I have not found, but might be there (maybe) is a flight safe mode. So you you probably should not use it to watch movies or listen to music whilst on a plane.. a slight oversight perhaps on a phone aimed at people who travel and require the Navigator functionality advertised?
Nokia_N96 on Wed, 29th Oct 2008 8:43 am
Very nice article. I will know what to do when I get my Nokia N96 =)
eddy on Thu, 30th Oct 2008 6:06 pm
Big Dissapointment had Nokia for 5 years and finally realised they cant keep up with the rest . N96 battery is awful had for one week , cant delete files from it states “general in use ” slow to use and operate Nokia should of stopped at the 6230i last good phone they made . sending the N96 back , cant decide re Sony c905 , Samsung Pixon , LG KC as to which ones best ? Nokia cant even keep up with theses as all 8 meg camera released at same time as N96 heard the N85 released today blows the N96 away .
STU on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 10:36 pm
flight safe mode: go choose “offline”
JAG on Thu, 11th Dec 2008 12:27 pm
Have to agree with a lot of the comments here, nokia have dropped the ball on the n96, battery life is atrocious, i cant even fast forward videos, picture freezes but sound is fast forward, what the hell!!!, Very slow phone, takes forever to open a text message, last time I buy nokia
Meraj Chhaya on Thu, 11th Dec 2008 12:50 pm
Maybe you can solve the problems with help from the forum members: http://nokian96.net/forum
faraz on Sun, 14th Dec 2008 2:55 pm
my phne hanged in middle of installation of new firmware n nw it wont switch on…somebody plzzzzzzzzz help
Meraj Chhaya on Sun, 14th Dec 2008 3:28 pm
you will get more help if you go onto the forum…link is in the above comment
Erkan on Fri, 26th Dec 2008 1:40 am
For some reason i have a little msg icon flashing at the top right corner of my screen:S
Does anyone know how to get rid of that?
Erkan on Fri, 26th Dec 2008 1:41 am
Its like a little envelope
Jason on Tue, 27th Jan 2009 6:43 pm
I was so dissapointed after reading the first hand experiences of the people who bought this phone. I guess I will never have a Nseries flagship phone. Why Nokia! Why! Samsung i8510 INNOV8, my hard earned money is yours!
WalterQ on Thu, 29th Jan 2009 3:29 pm
I have problem with cable CA-101, this phone is inconsistent with extencions.
I prefer cable similar to N95, is standard and not have problem of conecton to Nokia Suite.
Not have Infrared.
Meraj Chhaya on Thu, 29th Jan 2009 4:05 pm
For me the best is Bluetooth
Mahendra on Sun, 29th Mar 2009 5:14 am
Every thing seems good. Execpt
1) Rotation between screens in very very slow.
2) I can’t forward vedio and I can only jump to next vedio track.
3) No free games (atleast one small game would be better, we get games with cheap phones, why not with Nokia N96)
4) Touch screen would be better for next release
5) Speaker should be improved in next versions.
Wafa on Mon, 6th Apr 2009 6:12 am
I only had it for a week so am not sure if I am doing something wrong but:
Very disappointed of the N96, very slow, no forward of videos, NO VIDEO EDITOR (very important – when you have a 5 MegaP camera you do not need to carry a digital camera too).
I also do not understand why does the video get saved in the photo folder directly?? Sounds strange specially when basic models do. I was also not able to delete a photos from the photo file.
Keyboard lights are faint
had one hanging so far, and I had to completely put it off and on again.
s for the phone itself it is fine except that the camira does not have a cover to protect and the stand soes not fit completely into its space.
well enoygh for now.
pikey mikey on Tue, 21st Jul 2009 2:05 pm
i took a hammer to mine last night i feel so much better now im getting a sony c902
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