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Nokia
9500 Communicator
|
The Nokia
9500 is powered by Symbian OS v7 (Series 80), and is a combined
mobile phone and PDA - one of the latest in Nokia's Series 80
'Communicator' series. The 9500 is a major upgrade on the Nokia
9210/9210i and has the following features:
- QWERTY keyboard
- Tri-band
for use in Europe& the US
- Wi-fi, Bluetooth, USB and Infrared connectivity
- Camera (640x480 resolution)
- SMS, MMS and Email messaging
- 80Meg
of onboard RAM, plus slot for MMC cards
- Hands-free speakerphone
- Word
processor, spreadsheet viewer and editor, presentation viewer
and editor
- Weight: 222 g
- Dimensions: 148 x 57 x 24 mm
- Screen: 640 x 200 pixels. 65,536 colours (not touchscreen)
- Battery: 200-300 hours standby, 4-6 hours talktime
For full
details, take a look at Nokia's
9500 page
Availability: Available from November 2004 - No longer available.
Update: Replaced in 2007 by Nokia E90 |
More details:
The
Nokia 9500 Communicator became available in late 2004 and is a replacement
to the 9210i Communicator. It have a landscape
screen and keyboard, which makes it ideal for the business user, as well
as an up-to-date PDA familiar to anyone that's owned a Psion handheld
PDA.
It's a powerful device with the usual PDA features such as Contacts, Calendar,
cut-down office applications, email access and a built-in web browser.
One of its strongest selling points is the keyboard, ideally suited to
business users who can't get the hang of PDAs with touchscreen and handwriting
recognition.
The Nokia 9500 weighs in just
over at 220 grams and measuring 148 x 57 x 24 mm, making it more compact
and around 10% lighter than the earlier 9210
communicator. If you're looking for something slightly less chunky,
you could consider the Nokia 9300 - a slightly
less feature-packed, but smaller, member of Nokia's Communicator family.
Connectivity is certainly one
of this phone's strong points - as well as being a tri-band phone (for
use in Europe and the US), it supports dialup, GPRS
and EDGE data transfer, and comes with 802.11b wi-fi
access as well as Bluetooth, making
it extremely good at communicating with other devices, PCs and even
networks. It also has USB and infrared (IR) connectivity as standard.

The 9500 runs the powerful Symbian
Series 80 operating system, and Nokia have worked with leading industry
partners to help design applications for the new Communicator and ease
integration into business environments. In addition, the Nokia 9500
integrates with industry standard messaging platforms.

Email access is supported, and
web browsing is courtesy of the popular Opera web browser. To add to
the power of this device, there's some extra software on the accompanying
CD, the device supports MP3 playback, has the RealPlayer (audio and
video), has a camera, and can be customised with special clip-on covers.
Memory-wise, it comes with 80Meg (the 9210 only had 20Meg), and supports
MMC memory cards for additional memory.

All in all, there's a lot packed
into this device - well worth looking at for anyone that wants a pocketable
keyboarded PDA with top-of-the range features and connectivity.
Links
Nokia 9500 software?Please visit Handango
FAQ
| Email
from your communicator |
If you're
looking to use your communicator phone for sending and receiving
e-mail, consider taking out an account with free provider, BT Yahoo.
For details of connectivity, click
here. |
| Where
can I find Series 80 software? |
If you're looking to enhance your Symbian phone by adding new software, take a look at Handango for a great collection of add-on software, utilities, applications and games for this phone.
For ringtones, wallpapers and Java games, try Jamster |
| How
do I install software? |
Software
for Symbian OS phones is normally supplied using a Symbian installation
file (with a .sis extension). This is a single file that contains
the components needed to get a piece of software installed and
ready to run. A SIS file can be run on a Symbian phone (e.g. from
the Inbox or via a file
manager. It can also be run via the PC connectivity solution
that was supplied on the CD with the handset.
Sometimes
SIS files are distributed inside a ZIP file (for compression).
See the ZIP section of this FAQ
for details of how to extract a SIS file from a ZIP file
Assuming
you have a SIS file on your PC/Mac (either downloaded from the
Internet or on a CD), the ways to install a SIS file onto your
handset are as follows:
- Beaming
- Beam the file to your handset from your PC using Bluetooth
or IR. If
you don't currently have the ability to beam files to the handset
via Bluetooth or infrared
(either from another handheld device or from a PC), then you
may wish to purchase an IRDA adapter for your PC (this means
you'll be able to install software, backup and synchronise data
between phone and PC).
Beamed files can be found in the Messaging application, in the
Inbox folder
- Install
via PC - Assuming you've installed the PC connectivity suite
that was supplied with your phone, look for the "Install
software" option. You'll need to have the handset connected
to the PC via serial, Bluetooth or infrared for this to work.
- By
email - The alternative, is to email the file that you're
trying to install, typically a SIS (Symbian installation file)
to your own email account, and then use your phone to logon
to your email (details) and download
the SIS file as an attachment into your phone's Messaging Inbox.
- Via
memory card - You can transfer the SIS file to the handset
via the card slot and a PC MMC Memory
card reader. Copy files onto an MMC from your PC, and then
insert the MMC card into your handset. You'll can then use the
file manager to access the file.
|
| Compressed
ZIP files |
If you've downloaded an
application and find you can't install it - make sure the file you're
trying to install is a SIS (Symbian Installation) file. Many files
are distributed in a compressed form (using the ZIP file format).
If the file has a .ZIP extension, you'll need to unzip it first.
You can do this with a PC application such as WinZip, or on the phone itself using the ZipMan
application. |
| Accessories? |
There's
a wide range of accessories, including spare batteries, cases, chargers,
in-car kits, hands-free units, data cables and fascias, available at Carphone
Warehouse and MobileShop.
For original spares and accessories, try the Nokia Shop UK |
| Operating
system |
Series
80 phones use the Symbian Operating System.
To check the version number, from the front panel, type *#0000#.
The handset
can be upgraded to the latest version of the operating system at
approved Nokia
Service Centres - If the phone is still under warranty, this
will be done free-of-charge. The process takes up to an hour, but
service centre policies vary depending on how busy they are, and
whether they have the reprogramming equipment onsite. Note that
all data is lost when you upgrade, so it's vital to do your own
backup first. Online upgrades are not available. |
| Back up your contacts |
Scared by the thought of losing your mobile and all of your important phone numbers? the answer is at hand with Mobyko. This is a free service that lets you keep a copy of your contacts information securely online. It's a free service, and works well on Nokia Series 80 phones.
For details of how it works and how to get your data backed up, go to www.mobyko.com.
|
| How
do I connect my Series 80 phone to my PC? |
The Communicator
is supplied with Nokia's connectivity suite on CD - it's also
available from the support area at www.nokia.com.
Bluetooth
connection. From the phone, select 'Desk > Tools >
Control panel > Connections > Bluetooth'. Set 'Bluetooth
active' to "Yes", then move to the 'Paired devices'
tab. You should now be able to search for all Bluetooth devices
in range.When you've found your PC, pair with it, and then you
should be able to use the Nokia Connectivity package to select
the file you want to send to the phone.
If your PC doesn't support Bluetooth, then you can add it cheaply and easily using a USB
Bluetooth adapter. We recommend the Belkin
USB Bluetooth adapter available for around
£15 from amazon.co.uk.
For details
of Bluetooth, see our Bluetooth
page.
-
IR connection. From
the keyboard, hold down the 'Chr' key and press the right arrow
to turn the phone's IR on.
Line up the phone with the PC infrared port, and Windows should
detect the phone. Then, use the Nokia Connectivity package to
select the file you want to send to the phone. For
more on IR, see our PC
connectivity page
There are several IR adapters available, including the pictured
'USB-IRDA Adaptor' from Maplin
Electronics (Cat no: RV88V).
-
Memory card reader.
If you don't want to beam files from your PC to the phone, another
option is to make use of the MMC card slot in the phone. Get
hold of a Memory card reader
for around £20 and copy files onto an MMC card plugged into
your PC. Find out more on our Memory
card page.
|
| Alternative connectivity software |
Rather than the software that came as standard with the phone, there's a rather useful third-party application called Oxygen II - This application supports Contacts, Calendar, Messaging and file management.
For details of how this works, take a look at our Oxygen page |
| Extra
memory |
The communicators
support MMC cards for memory expansion. Nokia can sell you their
own MMC cards, but their prices for Nokia-branded cards are higher
than for standard cards. We've not heard of any incompatibility
with non-Nokia cards, so it's worth shopping around to get a third-party
card. Here are a few online options:
- Amazon
- Always a good choice for reliable delivery at good prices
- Jessops
- Stockists of low-priced memory cards and accessories. Worth a
look as their own brand of cards, for photographic use, can
be cheaper than those on PDA sites TIP
- eBay.co.uk
- bid for
new cards at low prices!
For more
details, see our Memory Card
page |
| What
about Wi-fi? |
The Nokia 9500 supports
802.11 Wi-fi wireless networking. For more details on Wi-fi, see
our dedicated Wi-fi page
 |
| Hotmail
and AOL access? |
Hotmail and AOL use proprietary email systems,
as opposed to the more common POP email systems - this makes it tricky to access mail on a mobile device. For email on the move,
consider using a standard POP3 provider such as BT Yahoo (see setup details) that offers free email accounts that can be configured on mobile phone email programs.
If you
want to access your Hotmail or AOL email, there are a number of options:
- General: Try using a web browser on your phone (such as the Opera browser) to access Hotmail / AOL's service via their webmail
interface.
- Hotmail: Use
the built-in WAP browser and from 'Services', enter the URL http://mobile.msn.com , and you'll be able to access
your Hotmail mail via WAP. There are some complications with
this option, which we've detailed on our WAP
page
- AOL:
We've also been directed to
an AOL
Mail FAQ that suggests that a suitable email program can be configured to get email access via
IMAP (as opposed to POP3). Many smartphones and PDAs support IMAP (check in the email section). For devices that don't support IMAP, you can download one from Handango
- AOL: A posting
in our forum suggests another option: Open AOL. Go to AOL
Keyword. Type 'AOL Mobile' . Open AOL on your Mobile. Under
Get Started, Open 'Sign up now'.
For
more help, see our Connected? page |
| Receive & send
faxes on your mobile |
If you
need to receive faxes, but don't have access to a fax machine, take
a look at efax.com. They'll give you a fax number, and forward faxes direct to your email account as an attachment. You can then use the messaging application to retrieve
your faxes on the move. You can also use this service to send faxes.
For details, go to www.efax.com. |
| FM
radio? |
Some mobiles
come with a built-in FM radio. We're often asked whether software
is available to add a radio to a phone that doesn't have a built-in
FM radio. Unfortunately, it's not that simple, as it's not just
a software issue. Phones that have built-in radios contain dedicated
hardware in the phone to do this (an FM RF tuner)... and if your
phone doesn't have this software, then you're out of luck. If you're
really desperate to listen to radio from your handset, note that
it is possible to listen to streaming audio over the Internet via
GPRS, although don't expect the results to be up to much!
There are some Nokia headsets available with an FM radio in the
lead, but failing that, consider a small separate FM radio, such as the Mikomi portable radio from Argos , which is small enough to carry around, and capable
of good FM reception on the move. |
| Can
I use it as a modem? |
Yes, using
Infrared or Bluetooth.
Infrared
- The handset has a 'Modem' option under 'Connectivity'. Selecting
this option allows another device (such as a Pocket PC or Laptop)
to connect to the Internet using infrared. If the equipment
you wish to connect to doesn't have infrared, consider a 'USB-IRDA
Adaptor' from Maplin
Electronics (Cat no: RV88V).
- Bluetooth -
You can also use the communicator as a modem from a Bluetooth
PDA, or a PC with Bluetooth connectivity (such as a
Belkin USB Bluetooth adapter). For more, see our Bluetooth
page.
|
|
What's
my phone's serial number? |
From
the front cover, enter '*#06#' as if it were a phone number, to
get your handset's serial number (known as the IMEI) - useful to keep
a note of in case your phone is stolen. You may also need this number
when registering certain types of software. |
| Where's
WAP? |
On the Nokia 9210, a separate
WAP browser was available on the Nokia CD. With the new communicators,
the wap browsing is done using the supplied Opera Web Browser. For
help on accessing WAP, see our Series
80 WAP page |
| SMS to PC? |
If you're looking to copy your SMS text messages to a PC, you'll find that the Nokia PC Suite software doesn't support this. The best option is to try Oxygen II - This is an alternative PC Suite and supports copying of SMS, MMS and other message types, as well as a few other things that Nokia suite can't do. Take a look at our Oxygen page |
| Data
conversion |
For help with information
on converting your Contacts, Calendar and documents for viewing
on your phone, see our Conversion page
for some general guidance. |
| Where
can I find out more? |
Check
out the links on this page for some excellent Series 80 sites, or
consider subscribing to Palmtop
User. This full-colour magazine carries articles and information
about the Symbian Operating System, and
features reviews of various bits of Series 80 software, as well
as hardware reviews, articles and a host of information relevant
to all users of handheld computing.
Issue 9 of Palmtop User contains a review of the Nokia
9500. |
Need
help? Please ask in our Series
80 forum
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