Nokia recently released firmware version 7.40.1.2 for the E90 Communicator. According to Nokia, the new software is intended especially to optimize navigation. The most significant upgrade is the addition of A‑GPS functionality.
I have updated my E90, and as there is some discussion on this topic online, I will share my experiences. (I offer no warranties though — please use your judgment!)
As someone who has owned mobile phones since the mid-1980s, I had considered firmware updates a last-ditch solution, since they have required leaving the device at a repair shop. After all, who wants to go without their phone for days or weeks? However, now those days are, thankfully, over — just connect the phone to your PC using a USB cable, install Nokia PC Suite (if you had not already done that), and you will be ready to rock and roll.
Setting the scene
There are a couple of important things to remember at this stage. First, use the Nokia Content Copier to create a complete backup of your E90. This is vital, since the firmware update will leave your phone in almost “out of box” condition. This is not Microsoft Update where you can just install, reboot and continue working.
While you run the update, there must be no interruptions. Make sure you have enough battery power both on the E90 and on your PC. Count on having to send your phone away for repairs, should you do anything to disturb the update process!
After the update
First, restore the backup you created earlier. This should take care of most settings for you. I did not even have to set the time, but I did need to do a few other things.
To begin with, the security settings and security codes were back at their default settings. This is a potential problem — I would almost call it a vulnerability, since someone might count on the keyboard lock for security. Attend to this immediately after the restore. The default PIN is 12345.
My Bluetooth pairs were also gone, so I had to recreate them. The WAN and WLAN settings were as I had left them though. My contacts and calendar were also intact, and they synchronized without prompts, duplicates or other hiccups — quite amazing!
I later noticed that PC Suite support also was gone from my E90. Reinstalling it from my PC took only a moment though.
What is new?
The update includes a new version of the Maps application. In order to avoid an unpleasant surprise next time you are off to somewhere, go through the settings and functions beforehand. I had to do quite a bit of clicking before I had Maps back working the way I want it to. On the other hand, the navigation server apparently recognized my device’s IMEI code, so at least I did not have to contact customer service in order to reactivate my three-year navigation license.
I mentioned A‑GPS earlier. This functionality is intended to enhance GPS performance in poor signal conditions, such as in city streets overshadowed by buildings. As an example, the time to first fix should be shorter. I remain somewhat underwhelmed though, for even after the upgrade, my E90 picks up its location only after several minutes of driving. In other words, I still need to memorize the first few stretches, and then glance at the phone from time to time so that I can hit Start navigation as soon as it has oriented itself.
A nice new detail is that navigation automatically stops when you reach your destination. No more “make a U turn” recommendations as you walk away from your car.
In conclusion
I am happy I updated, and I am happy I did it carefully. All in all, the entire process of backup, update, restore, test and readjust took between one and two hours. Over a couple of years, the new navigation features may well save me that amount of time, assuming of course that they work as promised. In addition, being on the cutting edge of software is usually nice, and always edifying.
If a fairy godmother at Nokia would grant me one wish regarding my E90, it would be for a fabulously good business card scanner. Third-party software has brought me no substantial luck; as an example, an application I found on the Nokia site did not succeed in scanning a single card. It is such a waste to own a camera-equipped phone, but still having to enter business card information by hand.
How is the new firmware working for you? Please post your comments!
10 Comments
Have been searching long and hard, lots of links that don’t work at all…Your post was the most comprehensive..Thank you…
18-11-2007
I got my long-awaited Nokia on Sunday 8 July. The software in my E90 was upgraded for the second time in as many months last week. A new display panel as well as a new outer frame was fitted to prevent the keypad from rubbing on the inner screen and I am very thankful for this improvement.
The GPS aquisition time seems to be faster but is is still intermittent and unreliable especially when it gets hot. Overall the GPS is an embarrasment. My 8-year old US$129 Garmin e-Trex outperforms it a thousand times. Every other GPS phone that I have seen outperforms it.
In this latest software V 07.40.1.2 Nokia has gone one step backwards as it is now not possible to enter or edit landmarks manually as it was in the second version of sofware.
I have been using Nokia products exclusively since 1994 (model 1011).
I have owned communicators 9110i and 9210; the E90 is the most disappointing of them all.
Nokia has lost their touch as is clear from the frequent software upgrades which still contains bugs.
In summary, I have the say that this phone is a US$1000 disappointment. The Kaiser is naked!
Dear friends,
I used to be seriously consider buying the E90 many months ago until I heard that there was a defection problem with the zzzzz voice on the receiver end and Nokia didn’t know how to solve it then. now that the firmware has been realesed, could anyone please kindly tell me if that problem already fixed and shall I reconsider buying it again….
With best regards and thank you very very much
Golf.
Dear Golf,
Thank you for your comment.
If you buy a new E90 now, its microphone should be OK. Anyway, if for any reason you end up with a faulty mic, Nokia will, as far as I know, replace it free of charge.
My first E90 suffered from the microphone problem. Since the issue was not well known at the time, the dealer swapped the phone for a new one, which of course had the same defect. I subsequently had the microphone fixed at a Nokia service shop.
I wasn’t charged for the repair job itself, but I had to pay 25 € in order to get the phone back the same day (instead of leaving it to lie around at the repair shop until the next week). I am going to charge the original dealer for those 25 € though.
The E90 is the best phone I have ever had, so if you need one, I warmly recommend buying one. Mine was despite the mic problem so useful to me that I put off the repair until a couple of days ago.
With best regards,
Thor
Hi there,
I too have an E90 which I have upgraded to firmware version 7.40.1.2. Personally speaking the upgrade went smoothly and I find that the GPS is much improved with regard to lock o time. I have found that it locks on very fast if you are stationary when activating the GPS, my unit takes about 20 seconds to get a fix under these conditions. If you activate the GPS whilst in motion then my unit will take longer to get a lock, maybe a minute to a minute and a half. I know we are all busy people these days but if you stay put whilst activating the GPS then you will admitedly lose around half a minute of your life but not such a huge sacrafice. Enjouy reading your blog, regards.
Matthew, Finland
Hi all,
It is refrershing to see people actually providing good feedback on their tools ! Great to find all this. Have been using Psions/Ipaq’s/WMob 5 for ages. I received my E90 this weekend, my first Communicator, and am starting to collect the important business soft tools (agenda’s; databases; …) to make my Symbian into a decent workhorse. However the GPS is failing, as mentioned already by others on this blog. I have the latest firmware from the start (Oct 2007 – 7.40.1.2), and although (with AGPS) it find location after 10-30 secs, it looses its position too frequently. Driving in countryside without any buildings at all it still manages to loose GPS signal (while built in car GPS happily goes on). Driving on the M40 fro oxford to London it must have lost contact 20 – 30 times, and put me 200- 400 meter away from where i really was – all this keeping E90 almost glued to car window – GPS signal is lost when i hold it away from windows. My wife’s Nokia 6110 Naviagator works brillianty and doesnt have any of the issues explained. Except the GPS rest works well. Camera’s autofocus is great – manages to take photo’s of invoices/receipts dead scharp ! no need to scan them anymore. Regards, Johan , Oxford.
I updated (or tired to) my E90 couple of hours ago. Compared to an HTC TyTn the E90 is a melon.
Phone was connected to charger and USB cable. Bluetooth off. Updater said not to switch off or disconnect. I didn’t. At 9 minutes remaining the phone just switched off. When I switch it on I got the Nokia logo for 2 seconds and it died. every time.
So I removed the battery, replace battery, tried again, even tried Nokia’s three finger salute, nothing. It’s dead. So even when following Nokia’s recc’s the update didn’t work. I’m getting rid of it and going back to HTC. Touch screen and remote desktop (Server maintenance) beats the Nokia any day of the week and twice on Sundays. A truly disappointing phone for the money I paid.
try using google maps on your Nokia E90 as it locks on to the GPS signal much better than the Nokia maps before or after firmwire upgrade.
See http://www.google.com/mobile/default/maps/index.html
I remember when my nephew showed this phone to me after he bought it long time ago. Yes, it’s a good phone at the time. But now, the new modern phone is like come and go, right? Very amazing when we were in the present time then go back into the past, things have changed drastically, not only phone but everything has changed too, almost everything….
Thanks Tara for the tip. I have E90 but never tried.
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