The Nokia 6230 came along into my hands about 4-5 months ago...
The idea was to build applications that utilised it’s main feature - the support for real-time audio/video streaming...So, I guess, I’ve given the secret sauce away. Yes, support for the above mentioned functionality is about all that the 6230 boasts of.
The rest are mere details - tawdry old series 40 user interface & associated application being the prime example. So, in case u r not planning on watching live TV being offered by AirTel or Hutch, then you’re probably better off spending a lil’ more money on a 65k color screen, series 60 or 90 phone such as the 6600 or 7610.
Gettin’ things to work for this phone - first of its kinds - was an interesting nightmare...A couple of examples follow:
>>> Old firmware version 3.14 verified as tested & supporting streaming gave problems to begin with. So did the one populating the market sometime back - v3.15. Extraneous dependencies on the network side requiring insane amounts of tweaking around at the operator side is something I will skip at this point...
>>> Just like your seperate set of settings for accessing Internet on the phone, streaming also requires you to feed in settings such as APN, Gateway IP, etc...Howover, unlike the series 60 handsets such as 6600 where settings may be defined in one place and selected via the application interface itself e.g. MMS settings via Messages, internet settings via Services, the 6230 required you to input streaming settings via the Media Player only...All in all, b ready to nag the hell out of your operators customer support guy and make sure u got it all right in the right place.
Streaming aside, I have heard frm a friend currently using the phone that the instrument hangs while using the conference call feature...Nokia personnel haven’t been helpful either...Releasing phones into the market without consulting big operators such as AirTel or Hutch is making way for accidents, customer care line clogging and unhappy users...Did I mention that problems persist even in the newest firmware release v3.2x also?
Bottom Line: If u wanna watch TV, this is the only phone in the market which supports it! Sony Ericsson and Moto were both slated to launch handsets but theres no news so far...
As for the actual service, AirTel’s offering are so far the strongest with a couple of news channels live and rumors of music channels in the pipeline...Hutch’s TV campaign, from what I have heard so far, is exagerated...its not really live and nor is it continuous streaming...
For those wondering what it’d b like to watch a live cricket match on the lil’ 27.3 mm x 27.3 mm display: Tests in controlled environment during the Asia Cup, I think it as, confirmed it’s worth it. As operators optimise their EDGE networks over the next few months, things should fall into place and make way for mobile couch patotoes!
As for Nokia, I sure hope that they pull up their socks.
P.S.> It does support Java games...there is also one in-built Java Golf game...Caution though: You will b motivated to play it only when all 54 cable channels are showing a test series between bangladesh and usa...actually, even that mite prove to be kinda interesing.