It may be that they will include the N96 at a later date, but even if they don’t, it is likely to shake up the other Sat Nav software providers, like Tom Tom and Garmin who now have to compete with a free product. OK, so Google maps has been available for free for a while, but did not include the turn by turn navigation.

Will this mean less choice for Nokia users, or do you see this as an incentive to buy certain models? Here is a link to the full list of Nokia phones that can download free ovi maps.

I found this little video showing the N96 hooked upto a wireless Bluetooth keyboard, which may be of interest to those who find the keypad a little small and do lots of text entry.

Nokia Codes : #3370#
Deactivate Enhanced Full Rate Codec (EFR)

Nokia Codes : *#4720#
Activate Half Rate Codec - Your phone uses a lower quality sound but you should gain approx 30% more Talk Time

Nokia Codes : *#4720#
With this Nokia code you can deactivate the Half Rate Codec

Nokia Codes : *#0000#
Displays your phones software version, 1st Line : Software Version, 2nd Line : Software Release Date, 3rd Line : Compression Type

Nokia Codes : *#9999#
Phones software version if *#0000# does not work

Nokia Codes : *#06#
For checking the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI Number)

Nokia Codes : #pw+1234567890+1#
Provider Lock Status. (use the “*” button to obtain the “p,w” and “+” symbols)

Nokia Codes : #pw+1234567890+2#
Network Lock Status. (use the “*” button to obtain the “p,w” and “+” symbols)

Nokia Codes : #pw+1234567890+3#
Country Lock Status. (use the “*” button to obtain the “p,w” and “+” symbols)

Nokia Codes : #pw+1234567890+4#
SIM Card Lock Status. (use the “*” button to obtain the “p,w” and “+” symbols)

Nokia Codes : *#147#
This lets you know who called you last (Only vodofone)

Nokia Codes : *#1471#
Last call (Only vodofone)

Nokia Codes : *#21#
This phone code allows you to check the number that “All Calls” are diverted to

Nokia Codes : *#2640#
Displays phone security code in use

Nokia Codes : *#30#
Lets you see the private number

Nokia Codes : *#43#
Allows you to check the “Call Waiting” status of your cell phone.

Nokia Codes : *#61#
Allows you to check the number that “On No Reply” calls are diverted to

Nokia Codes : *#62#
Allows you to check the number that “Divert If Unreachable (no service)” calls are diverted to

Nokia Codes : *#67#
Allows you to check the number that “On Busy Calls” are diverted to

Nokia Codes : *#67705646#
Phone code that removes operator logo on 3310 & 3330

Nokia Codes : *#73#
Reset phone timers and game scores

Nokia Codes : *#746025625#
Displays the SIM Clock status, if your phone supports this power saving feature “SIM Clock Stop Allowed”, it means you will get the best standby time possible

Nokia Codes : *#7760#
Manufactures code

Nokia Codes : *#7780#
Restore factory settings

Nokia Codes : *#8110#
Software version for the nokia 8110

Nokia Codes : *#92702689#
Displays - 1.Serial Number, 2.Date Made, 3.Purchase Date, 4.Date of last repair (0000 for no repairs), 5.Transfer User Data. To exit this mode you need to switch your phone off then on again

Nokia Codes : *#94870345123456789#
Deactivate the PWM-Mem

Nokia Codes : **21*number#
Turn on “All Calls” diverting to the phone number entered

Nokia Codes : **61*number#
Turn on “No Reply” diverting to the phone number entered

Nokia Codes : **67*number#
Turn on “On Busy” diverting to the phone number entered
NOTE : 12345 This is the default security code, press and hold # Lets you switch between lines

Note that not all work with the N96 so its trial and error really.

If you find they dont work, post int he comments section.

Track comments and changes on this on the Planet N96 forum

N96 Firmware 30.033

Thanks to forum poster, Lejohn for the heads up, but the long awaited firmware update is here.

Jump over to the forum for the discussion on N96 firmware 20.050!

Here is the full scoop on what is included…

Changes/improvements made from MCU SW version 12.043 to version 20.050:

New features:

Email:
- Nokia Email client and Mail for Exchange (MfE) preloaded (User will install and configure email clients with the help of Settings Wizard)
- Settings Wizard 5.0: offers improvements for Nokia Email and MfE setup
- Active Standby Email Plug-in: showing new email messages on Active Standby screen

Look & Feel:
- Support for Audio Themes: configurable sounds for various events e.g. opening/closing slide, battery low etc
- Setting to allow a slideshow to be used as wallpaper
- Slide handling: Setting to allow user to configure effect opening/closing the slide has on a call and keylock

Others:
- WiFi Protected Setup is now supported, allowing simplified setup of WLAN security with a supported WLAN access point
- Support of IAD (Independent Application Delivery): Allows certain applications to be updated independently over the air.

Improvements:
- Correction for occasional CMLA (Content Management License Administrator) certificate corruption. (These certificates are needed for e.g. Mobile TV and N-Gage license purchases)

Energy management:
- Shorter lights/screen timeout when lockswitch activated. Backlight dims as soon as keylock is enabled
- Media Keys surrounding the rocker key lit only if a media application is open
- Right Softkey changed from “Hide” to “Exit” for Music Player for EM savings

Photos/Camera/Imaging:
- A number of improvements made to the Camera image quality
- The device SW version information is now stored in the image MetaData
- Default recording quality for video is changed from ‘TV normal’ to TV high’.
- Noise reduction of recorded videos

Media/DRM:
- New version of Music player: Performance and “Comes With Music”-related improvements.
- FlashLite update for improved YouTube compatibility – improvements in rendering of Flash Video
- General Media player &streaming related usability & performance improvements
- OMA DRM v2 content can use device clock if no secure clock (i.e. NITZ) is available

Browser:
- Empty bookmark folders removed from Browser bookmarks (i.e. the “Download…” folders)
- Link to Ovi.mobi is included in Browser bookmarks

Others:
- Vibra enabled when charging
- When gaming in landscape mode, stereo audio will be played through correct speakers
- Updated Themes
- Slide triggered keyguard activation: When closing the slide, pressing any key within 2 seconds will result in keylock not being activated
- Several error corrections based on Care and operator feedback
- Several application baseline updates

Known issues:

*#7370# is not working properly with this SW release
Resetting the device and formatting C-drive with *#7370# is not working properly with this SW release and can result to unstable operation of the device. It is not recommended to use *#7370# at any situation. In case reset and C-drive format is really wanted, it can be done by holding down green dial key, star (*) key and number three (3) key, when switching the device on from power key. Hold down all three keys until Nokia welcome animation is showed.

NSU update can cause device to reset randomly when updating to this SW release
NSU update can cause the device to randomly reset after the update. Switching the device off manually from power button will recover the device from the problem. The problem is caused by DRAM corruption in final boot during the update. This doesn’t affect the SW update itself and after manual reboot device works fine.[/i][/i]

We want to thank you for your support as a registered user of  MOSH and let you know that upon launch of OVI store you will automatically be redirected there for access to mobile content for your Nokia device.

This means that your MOSH account will no longer be accessible. Ovi Store opens at the end of the month, so please take these next few weeks to save any content you may wish to access in the future.

What is Ovi Store?
Ovi Store consolidates the best experiences from Nokia’s current content services, including Download!, MOSH, and WidSets™ to a single channel. Ovi Store content will range from applications, games, and videos, to widgets, podcasts, location-based applications, and personalization content for Nokia Series 40 and S60 devices.

You can also get content tailored to your needs based on location and social preferences. You will be able to activate social discovery with Ovi Store, which will automatically allow content from your social networks to be prioritized and made available for download and repeat consumption. Content will also be prioritized based on your location, so you’ll always have the most relevant experience wherever you are.

For those who want to try out a new N-Gage game (and haven’t hacked their N96) thene there is a free trial of Need For Speed Underground on the N-Gage website.

The link to the trial game is here.

There is also a mini site dedicated to the game, which you can explore here.

By all accounts this is a good game, if driving games are your thing.

For all of those partial to a free app or two, now is the time to head over to mosh.nokia.com and grab those apps before it is too late. Although there is no official date to close the site, it could be to tie in with the launch of OVI, in May.

This may be some comfort to N96 owners, who have been through the anguish of waiting for Nokia to get the firmwear on their phones to a reasonable level, but does ask the question why Nokia can not devote sufficient testing to a device before it is released to the public.

But a small ammount to you multiplied by hunderds or thousands of infected phones could be a large sum for the hackers who released the virus.

If you don’t have mobile antivirus protection installed on your N96, perhaps you should consider it. The Kaspersky offering costs $29.95 but has some handy anti theft tools including the ability to remotely block aceesss to a smartphone, to remotely clean the device’s memory,or to get the phone to send the new telephone number to you, all by sending your stolen N96 a text message. Whilst possibly not getting your phone back it would enable you to protect any sensitive data stored on your phone and make it unusable for the thief.

An alternaive is F-Secure Mobile Antivirus , which comes with 12 months worth of automatic updates (and also uses the Kaspersky virus data) for £24.95. There is also a free 1 month trial for their pc based antivirus, if you need a solution for your pc.