MNB Reader Stories: Symbian Improvements #2

This is FireDragon/Munir’s second post on what he reckons would be improvements to his Symbian experience. The first is linked below:

http://mynokiablog.com/2012/02/14/mnb-reader-stories-symbian-improvement-series-1/

A reminder, the Symbian Improvement Series is not about Concept-based functions that need super development, but about basic functions that Symbian already offers or can offer with fewer amounts of changes. My purpose is to show how small changes can improve overall Interaction much more easy and quick between Symbian and its User, hence some good business back to Nokia. Support from Nokia or Symbian community would be much appreciated.

These functions are also about having Practical uses and not necessary important for everyone. But since it is a smartphone it should offer some sort of method to perform all type of users.

Symbian Improvement – Notes

For me, Notes is the most important work tool out-of-the-box, which is why it should be good for me. And good for all type of users too because after a little talking and some poking + peeking here and there, I learn that I am not the only one thinking it.

So Notes is second to improve in Belle based on some much desired features by users and myself included that could be enhanced without too much of development process.

Symbian Improvement #5 – Notes Basics

+ In commands bar: Back, Save, Share/Send, Options

+ On Back, if Note is altered and not saved, give user a notification for Save or Exit without Saving.

+ On Save, save the note and continue to edit.

+ On Share/Send pop up the Send menu.

Why the need of it.

I will talk about Practical uses and not just a feature to put in a showcase for reviewers and demos.

I am sure adding ‘Undo’ will be more fruitful feature throughout the Edit Text based functions but it also required some heavy coding (just a thought)

As alternate, if user made a major mistake in Notes, he or she at least have a quick way out without saving the accidental changes aka reverting the Note.

Right now if a major accidental change happened, user have no way what so ever but frustration of loosing important entries.

Symbian Improvement #6 – Notes Options

+ Remove Send, Create Note and Next note from Options menu. Notice that Send is now outside on the command bar.

+ Add ‘Select All’ function to copy or cut in Options menu.

+ Make copy-paste function fast and little comfortable by bringing it out from submenu

+ And making it smarter so now IF something is copied, display ‘Paste’ in the Options menu at top.

+ IF no selection is made, Copy or Cut will work like ‘Copy All’ (select all & copy) or ‘Cut All’ (select all & cut).

+ IF selection has been made, display ‘Copy’ and ‘Cut’ (instead of Copy All & Cut All)

Why? (seriously you need to ask!)

How Symbian guys think I have no clue. Select All is a basic function and it should be there from the start throughout the OS, why someone cannot think of it?

90% of time when I (and some other users I talked to) copy text either from Notes or from Sms. They copy all of the text, especially from sms or email. Symbian’s text selection gives them the hell ride to this simple task. It can be reduced by one simple addition ‘Select All’.

Tap Options, Tap Copy All! Done. This is Easy, Quick, Smart and Comfortable operation, with not much extra development to achieve it.

Symbian Improvement #7 – Note to a Text File

Send to Text File in Send/Share function

Simple save the Note to a text file.

Why?

Why I prefer Notes over QuickOffice (pro)? Notes is Fast, get in, type in, get out. I type my emails on it and later on copy to inbox. I type my articles and reviews in it before taking it to Word. And to take my Note to Word I copy and paste it to QuickOffice, save it to text and transfer that file to my pc. Saving to text file save me extra time.

Why would a normal user send the Note to a text file?

At some point every user need to do the typing, for examples students need to do more often. Not all Symbian handsets offer document editing but all Symbian offer Notes so if they have the ability to type their points or assignments and export to text I am sure they will love Nokia for offering such life saving facility out of the box.

Category: Symbian