Nokia unleashed its latest Nseries phone, the Nokia N79 Active, featuring a running companion - the Polar Bluetooth WearLink heart rate belt. Polar is one of the more popular brands out there when it comes to active gear - I have used their heart rate monitors when running and they are quite useful. The N79 Active comes with A-GPS tracking, as well as the Nokia Sports Tracker app to record and publish your running/biking routes as well as fitness data onto the web. The Nokia N79 Active features a 5-megapixel camera, as usual with Carl Zeiss optics.

I particularly like the Sports Tracker app - I am all for sharing routes with fellow runners. Also the smallest Nokia Nseries device yet, the N79 Active comes with sporty headphones and an armband. The phone comes with a 4GB microSD memory card for your songs and photos - and integrates nicely with the Nokia Music Store (not yet available in the US). To top it all, there’s a good old FM receiver.

Priced at €375 (before taxes and subsidies) - or US $492, the Nokia N79 Active will be available in select markets.

Tags: Accessories, active, bluetooth, Cell Phones, Nokia, Portable Devices, running

Well things aren’t just peachy with the whole 3G iPhone retail release. We have lines, we have stocks that might finish, and we have server failure.
At least that’s what happened earlier on with the iTunes servers. That means no activation for 3G iPhone late afternoon buyers.

Remember how AT&T insisted on in-store activation of the new handsets? Well lots of buyers were sent home from both Apple and AT&T stores and they were told to try and activate them later on from the iTunes sites. So much for in-store activation. And apparently Apple didn’t consider anything in their iPhone campaign. They managed to market the handset very well, with lots of publicity around. They managed to deliver the iPhones in time for the retail release, but they didn’t manage to control their own servers.

It was thought that those buyers unable to activate the phone will be stuck with two unusable handsets since upgrading to the 3G iPhone means disabling your previous SIM. Well apparently the second SIM worked on the first iPhone so at least you still have a cell phone to use until you’re going to activate your second generation iPhone.

Apple has been working on those servers and although the iTunes went down, they have been restored after a couple of hours and 3G iPhone customers are said to be able to activate their new phones or update OS to version 2.0. (Oh yeah, updates to 2.0 were not available too as servers were down)

Tags: 3g iphone, active, Apple, Apple, iPhone firmware, Mobile News, Mobile Software

Wayfinder announced that its Wayfinder Active appliction is now available for free in the US and Canada. Wayfinder Active is a GPS application for mobile phones that combines maps, GPS recording and statistics and is targeted at folks with an active lifestyle (think hiking, skiing, running, or biking). The application is a simple, social way to stay connected with other people with similar interests. Once installed on a mobile phone, you can access a world-wide map and record/share routes with a keystroke. It lets you follow your friends on their activities and training routes by easily importing their tracks.

The complementary online community, ActiveOutdoor, lets you upload GPX records onto the Internet. Other statistical data include maximum, current and average speeds during each activity, calories burned and that sort.

A built-in Reverse Route feature lets you find a route to anywhere. The free application can be downloaded from ActiveOutdoor. Compatible with over 100 phone models, including popular ones from Nokia and Sony Ericsson.

Wayfinder is also exhibiting at CTIA Wireless 2008, so if you’re in Las Vegas between April 1-3 2008, check them out.

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Tags: active, adventures, Cell Phones, GPS, GPS, outdoors, social networks, wayfinder