Community Projects to improve Symbian 3rd-5th edition usability

[Nokiamies]

There has been some projects in recent years that improve usability of Symbian 3rd-5th edition for everyday purposes. I got one E90 which I use as PDA while on road if I need check email or other and do not wish carry or dig up my IBM Thinkpad. You can have TLS 1.2 support with nnproject TLS 1.2 patch. Patch also bundles Nokia official SHA2 certificate support meant for Symbian Belle, so under S60 3rd you no longer have to manually copy files over for it. TLS 1.2 is god for accessing websites requiring SSL and also for connecting email server using IMAP or POP. Email is one of few things where I think encryption is important as you are transferring credentials.

There is also updated Putty with up to date ciphers from nnproject. It permits connecting into SSH hosts. I like use it for port forwarding. It is bit unstable and may quit randomly but it is better than nothing.

[TSNH]

Which email client do you use? The builtin one?

[Nokiamies]

Which email client do you use? The builtin one?

yes that one works just fine. You can view HTML messages by clicking attached html file via built in browser.

[TSNH]

Ok, nice but I was actually hoping you got a third-party one working as the builtin one on Symbian Belle only presents me an option to create a Microsoft Exchange inbox.

[Nokiamies]

Ok, nice but I was actually hoping you got a third-party one working as the builtin one on Symbian Belle only presents me an option to create a Microsoft Exchange inbox.

You can use mailbox creator for that. Also you what Belle device? C7? I got C7 and I installed Delight Custom Firmware (http://symwld.com/delight/) to it. I mostly use it as car player since it internal FM transmitter and my radio tape deck failed. That also includes mail creator with it. It can run on Nokia 807, 603, 701, 700, Oro, X7, E7, C6-01, C7 and N7. Only downside it only got english localization. You should also refrain from using language packs from older builds. I asked about that from developer via email and here was his answer:

I regret to inform that Delight 6.7 does not support other UI languages apart from English and Russian.
Even though older releases (up to 6.4) had multilingual interface support, I could not retain that in further versions due to timing issues and amount of work that needs to be done with each ROFS_2...

Nevertheless, you can easily add Finnish as the writing (keyboard) language to your phone: just download the old Finnish ROFS_3 file from Delight 6.4 and overwrite the current ROFS_3 before flashing.
This way you will be able to use the Finnish language for communications on your C7, even though the main interface will be English.

[TSNH]

You can use mailbox creator for that. Also you what Belle device? C7? I got C7 and I installed Delight Custom Firmware (http://symwld.com/delight/) to it. I mostly use it as car player since it internal FM transmitter and my radio tape deck failed. That also includes mail creator with it. It can run on Nokia 807, 603, 701, 700, Oro, X7, E7, C6-01, C7 and N7. Only downside it only got english localization. You should also refrain from using language packs from older builds. I asked about that from developer via email and here was his answer:

I'll definetly check out Mailbox Creator

I daily drive a Nokia 701, along with an Iphone. 701 also has an FM transmitter, but I've never really found much use of it. I use wired headphones for listening to music and bluetooth for the car audio and bt speakers.

But with bluetooth I noticed there is a weird click sound sometimes, on avarage once for 2-minute song, when I use a Symbian Belle Nokia with all bluetooth audio devices, this is not the case with Symbian Anna and older. I have quite a bunch of Nokia phones which I treat as collectables. 808, 701, 603, N8 updated to Belle all have this issue and N8(before an update) and 500 on Anna does not.
Do you also get that weird bluetooth audio click on your C7?


I've actually made a custom Polish localization for the latest Delight for 701.
Never published it cause I couldn't get some parts like theme choosing ui in settings, camera app, equalizer, and homescreen properly translated
Based my work on this custom Polish delight for 808, it would be harder if one doesn't exist for Finnish (at least for a different phone model) http://nokiahacking.pl/delight-1-8-pl-vt34716.htm
Don't remember if 1.8 for 808 is the latest or not.
I extracted the firmware with Nokia Cooker looked up differences with Winmerge betweem the Polish 808 Delight firmware and Delight english 808 firmware,
next copied over the language files that were different between Polish 808 Delight firmware and Delight english 808 from the original Polish 701 firmware to 701 Delight firmware.
And I got those that didn't work from 808 custom Polish delight instead of original Polish 701 firmware I saved a list of those (may also include files that I had to revert to english):

Code: Select all

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
d----          2025-02-10    18:05                apps
d----          2025-02-10    18:07                qt
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          48846 avkon.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           3130 connuiutilsnotif.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           3511 Converter.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            701 filelist.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2757 gspeninputpluginrsc.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          13540 ias.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             65 iractiveidle.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2289 mediafilelist.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           4882 mpxmetadataeditordialog.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            188 PhoneServer.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            458 photoeditorplugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            597 profileeng.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            262 profilerpublisherres.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2273 psln.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            526 satinfo.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            873 ScreenSaverAnimPlugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2694 setwizemailview.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            247 SlideshowPlugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            439 stagegspluginrsc.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5164 videoeditor.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            325 videoeditorplugin_internal.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            400 wlansettingsui.r27

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808\apps

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5234 Blid.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1294 Drawing.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5036 fmradio.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            127 homescreen.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           7241 internetradio.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           7482 internetradio_tc.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          11070 issearch.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            397 LmkMsgViewer.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           8011 logs.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           3312 MIFEditor.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5674 mpxcollectionviewhg.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           4882 mpxmetadataeditordialog.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1159 mpxscreensaverplugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             94 noteswidgetre1.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            200 notifierharvesterstrings.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1064 notifierlistapplication.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            390 notifierwidgetsettings.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            262 profilerpublisherres.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             70 qmlmirror.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1116 slidewizard.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2411 vcxhgmyvideos.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5164 videoeditor.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            228 videoservices.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             81 webviewselector.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            786 widgetmanagerview.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1940 winRAR.r27

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808\qt

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
d----          2025-02-10    18:07                translations

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808\qt\translations

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          12252 gallery_pl.qm
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5004 shareui_pl.qm

And I had to leave some which I mentioned earlier

C7 is closer to N8, so I would look for Finnish custom delight for N8 rather than 808

r files are like mui for Windows. r27 are Polish files Finland will have some other r number

If you want to experiment with Nokia Cooker (be wary it's possible to brick a phone with bad firmware, so it's best to experiment on an already half-broken one), send me a PM and I'll send you my 701 Polish firmware so you can compare it with English 701 delight and see what exactly was changed as I already don't remember some things I did .

[Nokiamies]

I daily drive a Nokia 701, along with an Iphone. 701 also has an FM transmitter, but I've never really found much use of it. I use wired headphones for listening to music and bluetooth for the car audio and bt speakers.

nykoping.jpg (104.92 KiB) Viewed 238 times

Too fancy radio. I still got original Nyköping II Radio on my 1990 Saab 900. It only got cassette player which I plan rebuild. Before it I played music trough my Pocket-PC using tape adapter. Good thing though that I am not only one still using wired headphones. They are bit harder to find on some stores, but I was able find few good ones eventually. Avoid Philips ones are they include some sort of resistor or very poor wiring that makes it all quiet as whisper.

But with bluetooth I noticed there is a weird click sound sometimes, on avarage once for 2-minute song, when I use a Symbian Belle Nokia with all bluetooth audio devices, this is not the case with Symbian Anna and older. I have quite a bunch of Nokia phones which I treat as collectables. 808, 701, 603, N8 updated to Belle all have this issue and N8(before an update) and 500 on Anna does not.
Do you also get that weird bluetooth audio click on your C7?

I currently do not use bluetooth to play back music. I think my living room Panasonic hifi system had that option, but I disabled it since I only digital audio to HTPC and analog audio hooked up to CRT TV. I will do some testing and report back.

I've actually made a custom Polish localization for the latest Delight for 701.
Never published it cause I couldn't get some parts like theme choosing ui in settings, camera app, equalizer, and homescreen properly translated
Based my work on this custom Polish delight for 808, it would be harder if one doesn't exist for Finnish (at least for a different phone model) http://nokiahacking.pl/delight-1-8-pl-vt34716.htm
Don't remember if 1.8 for 808 is the latest or not.
I extracted the firmware with Nokia Cooker looked up differences with Winmerge betweem the Polish 808 Delight firmware and Delight english 808 firmware,
next copied over the language files that were different between Polish 808 Delight firmware and Delight english 808 from the original Polish 701 firmware to 701 Delight firmware.
And I got those that didn't work from 808 custom Polish delight instead of original Polish 701 firmware I saved a list of those (may also include files that I had to revert to english):

Code: Select all

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
d----          2025-02-10    18:05                apps
d----          2025-02-10    18:07                qt
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          48846 avkon.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           3130 connuiutilsnotif.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           3511 Converter.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            701 filelist.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2757 gspeninputpluginrsc.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          13540 ias.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             65 iractiveidle.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2289 mediafilelist.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           4882 mpxmetadataeditordialog.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            188 PhoneServer.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            458 photoeditorplugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            597 profileeng.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            262 profilerpublisherres.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2273 psln.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            526 satinfo.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            873 ScreenSaverAnimPlugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2694 setwizemailview.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            247 SlideshowPlugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            439 stagegspluginrsc.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5164 videoeditor.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            325 videoeditorplugin_internal.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            400 wlansettingsui.r27

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808\apps

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5234 Blid.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1294 Drawing.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5036 fmradio.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            127 homescreen.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           7241 internetradio.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           7482 internetradio_tc.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          11070 issearch.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            397 LmkMsgViewer.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           8011 logs.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           3312 MIFEditor.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5674 mpxcollectionviewhg.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           4882 mpxmetadataeditordialog.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1159 mpxscreensaverplugin.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             94 noteswidgetre1.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            200 notifierharvesterstrings.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1064 notifierlistapplication.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            390 notifierwidgetsettings.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            262 profilerpublisherres.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             70 qmlmirror.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1116 slidewizard.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           2411 vcxhgmyvideos.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5164 videoeditor.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            228 videoservices.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17             81 webviewselector.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17            786 widgetmanagerview.r27
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           1940 winRAR.r27

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808\qt

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
d----          2025-02-10    18:07                translations

    Directory: C:\Users\user\Desktop\jezykowe z 808\qt\translations

[32;1mMode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name[0m
[32;1m----                 -------------         ------ ----[0m
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17          12252 gallery_pl.qm
-a---          2025-02-10    12:17           5004 shareui_pl.qm

And I had to leave some which I mentioned earlier

C7 is closer to N8, so I would look for Finnish custom delight for N8 rather than 808

r files are like mui for Windows. r27 are Polish files Finland will have some other r number

If you want to experiment with Nokia Cooker (be wary it's possible to brick a phone with bad firmware, so it's best to experiment on an already half-broken one), send me a PM and I'll send you my 701 Polish firmware so you can compare it with English 701 delight and see what exactly was changed as I already don't remember some things I did .

That is interesting. There was Finnish firmware on older versions. I might go around and try build one. I would not worry about bricking as 99% of them you can recover it using Phoenix dead flash mode. Only hard bricked Nokia I seen was N96 that someone tried to downgrade without backing up keys. It was beyond repair and trying deadflash it to latest just made it fail on early boot.

[TSNH]

Too fancy radio. I still got original Nyköping II Radio on my 1990 Saab 900. It only got cassette player which I plan rebuild. Before it I played music trough my Pocket-PC using tape adapter.

Well not that fancy radio, not new and not old enough to give retro vibes like yours, just a builtin Ford/Sony one, has bluetooth connectivity and being from 2013, it pairs fairly well with a 2011/2012 phone. Phones get "retro" status much sooner than cars.

A good upgrade would be a MirrorLink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOCOqRSCilA
And there are actually modern car radio-like sets which claim to support MirrorLink, but idk if they would work with Symbian's Car mode

Good thing though that I am not only one still using wired headphones. They are bit harder to find on some stores, but I was able find few good ones eventually.

And speaking about Nokia hardware

I actually really like the sound of Nokia WH-902
https://www.productindetail.com/ps/nokia-wh-902

The best non-sealed in-ear headphones I've heard so far, the sound is a bit harsh (sometimes an advantage), but the clarity and details are pretty good, and they somehow manage to have a balanced amount of base despite having no seal.