Book Review: Nokia Smartphone Hacks
Nokia Smartphone Hacks is something of a misnomer as a title -- a better one would be "the manual Nokia should have included with your phone". The tools and tips included in Michael Yuan's book may not be hacks in the most traditional sense of the word, but they will help you wring every last bit of usefulness out of your phone.
The stuff that is covered in the Nokia manuals is made clearer and easier, but the bulk of the book are tips not found anywhere near an actual Series 60 handset manual, for whatever reason. Things like how to unlock a GSM handset, how to avoid malicious software and how to maximize a phone's RAM. Michael even steps into the breach and clearly explains how to set up data access settings, as well as even how to establish a Bluetooth connection with a computer -- two key topics where handset vendors and mobile operators haven't done an adequate job of educating consumers. There's even a section solely about dealing with the Nokia PC Suite software. For that alone, Michael deserves some sort of medal.
The book's written in a very easy-to-read style, and is illustrated with plenty of helpful diagrams and screenshots. You probably won't sit down and read it cover to cover, but it's sensibly organized and has a comprehensive table of contents listing the 75 included hacks.
If you've got a Series 60 device, you should get this book -- at some point, it will come in handy. In the meantime, there's plenty of other stuff to keep you busy and make your phone more personalized and more useful. In a word, better.
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