This tips and tricks section will be split into two halves; 1. Improving battery life, as anyone who owns a N95 will know the battery drains pretty quickly. 2. Other tips and tricks that might be useful.

Maximising the Nokia N95 Battery Life.

Now when you first get a Nokia N95 out the box, charge it up, then begin to play with it you notice that after about an hour of play the battery indicator begins to disappear fairly quickly. This seemed strange to me as my previous phone was a Nokia N73 and the battery lasted for absolutely ages, granted there are some features on the N95 that aren’t present on the N73 such as the Wi-Fi and GPS functionality but not enough to warrant such a big battery drain. After much playing around with the phones settings etc I have managed to get my N95’s battery life close to or if not on par with my old N73, nevertheless much improved over the battery life when using the N95 straight out of the box.

Cycle the Battery

The first thing to do to improve the battery life, and the one which I found gave the best battery gain, is to give the battery one complete charge/discharge cycle. When first taking the phone out of the box allow the battery to charge completely before unplugging it from the power adapter. Then do everything you can to drain the battery, turn on the Bluetooth, turn on the Wi-Fi, play music, whatever it takes to drain the battery. Your goal is to drain the battery to the point where it shuts itself off, even when it shuts itself off try and turn it on again and keep draining the battery. Keep doing this till the phone will no longer boot. When this happens take the battery out and wait a few seconds. Replace the battery and attempt to turn it on again, if it turns on then use it till the phone shuts off again. Now place the N95 back on charge and leave until the charging cycle is complete. When using the Nokia N95 now it will seem to last a lot longer on battery before you get warning messages of low battery. I have a theory about how this process seems to increase battery life which may be entirely inaccurate, if so and you know why this has this effect then please share your views via the forum. I believe that this process does not change the battery in any way, rather it serves as a method in which to calibrate the N95 as to how long it can operate with the voltage that remains. Without putting the phone through a complete charge/discharge cycle the N95 has no choice but to refer to its default threshold which may have been set slightly higher when manufactured.

Turn off your Bluetooth.

The next thing to do to increase battery life is to switch the Bluetooth function to off when not in use. This may sound silly but a lot of people forget that their Bluetooth is on throughout the day, this wastes battery power and could also leave you open to an attack on your phone via Bluetooth if left switched on.

Switch off Wi-Fi Scanning.

Wi-Fi much like Bluetooth wastes battery power when in idle use. Make sure you turn this function off when not using it. This then also protects your phone from an attack via Wi-Fi.

Turn off 3G scanning if you don’t use 3G.

Your Nokia N95 by default is set to periodically search for a 3G signal which also contributes to the depletion of the battery, if you don’t use 3G then you can turn 3G scanning off by going to; menu, tools, settings, phone, network – change the network mode setting to ‘GSM’.

The three factors above will greatly increase your battery life, if you wanted to increase the battery life still further than you can perform these tasks as follows;

Adjust the Screen Brightness.

The fact that the screen on your N95 lights up means that it’s wasting energy, You can minimise the waste by turning down the brightness. Go to; menu, tools, settings, general, personalisation, display – change the light sensor from the default position to ‘minimum’.

Adjust the Light Time-Out.

The less time that your screen is lit up for, the more energy you’re going to save.

You can adjust the light time-out by going to; menu, tools, settings, general, personalisation, display – change the light time-out accordingly.

Power Saver Time-Out.

You can also adjust the length of time that the phone waits before going into power save mode. Obviously the sooner the Nokia N95 goes into power save mode, the more battery power you’re going to save.

Go to; menu, tools, settings, general, personalisation, display – reduce the power saver time-out option from 60 seconds to say 30 seconds.

Other Tips and Tricks

Switching Between Silent and General.

Did you know that there was a quick way to switch between the ‘General’ profile and the ‘Silent’ profile on the Nokia N95? With the keypad open just press and hold the ‘#’ key.

Reducing the Time Between Image Captures.

Does it frustrate you that when you want to take photos in fairly quick succession you have to wait for the N95 to display the previously captured image before it will let you progress? Did you know that you can turn this feature off. When in the camera mode press options, settings – change the show captured image option to ‘off’. The time between image captures is greatly reduced.

Go straight to Your Music.

If you press and then keep hold of the multimedia key it will cause you to go straight to your music player.

I hope these tips and tricks help you get the most out of your Nokia N95. If you have any additional tips then please add them to forum

For more tips, tricks, reviews, how-to’s, visit John’s Reviews

John’s Reviews – http://www.johnsreviews.com

The aftermarket bluetooth car kit has been around for some time, but its over recent years that we have seen the largest improvements and developments in technology. The first kits invented were very much a one trick pony, in that the functionality and design of them was limited and some what basic. Obviously as technology has improved so have bluetooth kits, and now many bluetooth kits offer more than just bluetooth connectivity, for instance the parrot mki range offer iPod connectivity, bluetooth streaming and excellent voice recognition software surpassing previous voice to speech and recognition technology.

There’s a lot hype around at the minute regarding bluetooth kits, especially after recent government laws prohibiting the use of hand held mobile phones  while driving, but not too many people are sure what they do or how bluetooth car kits operate?

Parrot are given a lot of credit for introducing bluetooth car kits to the main stream, Parrot kits are seen as the leaders in the field and for good reason. However all bluetooth car kits offer one function that is common through out, That is the transfer of the incoming or outgoing calls made on mobile phone via Bluetooth streaming to an independent speaker system. This allows the user to communicate handsfree away from the mobile handset and still have the ability to drive and talk simultaneously. Vitrually all mobile phones have Bluetooth built into the handset, bluetooth car kits use this protocol to transfer the incoming / outgoing call to either the speaker unit (in universal bluetooth handsfree kits) or to the processing unit in the fully integrated kits. The audio stream is then conveyed through the speaker and microphone rather than the phone its self. 

So Why they are useful? Well this system simplifies the whole system, meaning it’s much easier and safer to answer, talk and hang up the conversation while driving. Previously the driver had to route around to find the phone, pick it up, physically answer the phone and keep one hand off the steering wheel while in conversation, obviously this is made even more difficult when driving a manual gear shift vehicle. Bluetooth car kits allow you to do all of the above without taking your hands from the wheel.

The Bluetooth Kits allow you to concentrate on driving while you talk, you also have full use of your arms and hands while you drive so you can react as and when you need to. New research shows that you are 4 times more likely your be involved in an accident in an accident while using your mobile phone and  have 50% slower reaction times. This is a major reason why more and more people are involved road accidents when using there mobile.

There are two main types of bluetooth kit, Fully integrated kits and Universal kits. Integrated kits are connected into the vehicle stereo system and speakers, this provides excellent incoming sound quality and echo reduction on all modern microphones ensures you receive no feedback. Universal bluetooth kits are usually a speaker and microphone built into one unit. This is usually connected to the sun visor or around the driver area. Although these don’t have the same features they do provide a purpose and can be changed from vehicle to vehicle as and when you need.

All Bluetooth kits improve driver safety rather than using a hand held phone, its important to avoid accidents while driving you must concentrate on the road whether in conversation or not, but you must use a bluetooth car kit if you choose to talk and drive.

Although the average consumer has only recently begun to discover the joys of Bluetooth technology, it has been around for quite a while now. The fact that it has been around means that there are quite a few products that are now able to support and utilize this technology and those numbers are growing each year. Currently you can find many Bluetooth supported laptops, cell phones, and PDAs.

The recently discovered technology that Bluetooth offers uses short range radio signals in order to replace wires and cables that were once required to transfer information from one device to another. The most hallowed capabilities of this technology is its use friendly lack of complexity, its ability to hold a true connection without constant interruptions, its lower power consumption, and its affordability. Bluetooth was made to operate in areas where ‘noisy’ frequencies often prevent other wireless connections to flourish. Bluetooth uses a fast acknowledgement and ‘frequency hopping’ application in order to maintain a smooth connection.

Bluetooth radio frequencies move at 2.4 GHz, which requires no licensing in order to use. Using this particular frequency allows the avoidance of interruptions from other frequencies and signals. Bluetooth radio also moves much more quickly than other similar systems because it utilizes shorter packets.

History of Bluetooth

Bluetooth can be traced to the King of Denmark from 949 to 981. Harold Bluetooth was famous for his ability to help people communicate with one another more effectively. The characters on the Bluetooth logo come from characters in the runic alphabet. The reference to this particular king is somehow appropriate as Bluetooth technology also accomplishes the often-difficult task of keeping people connected and communicating effectively.

Bluetooth.org defines Bluetooth as a worldwide specification low cost radio solution. This small factor enables the communication of mobile devices with one another.

Bluetooth operates by using 2.4 GHz radio signals that are very similar to those used in many cordless home phones and wireless networking systems. Bluetooth has found a manner in which to limit interference while improving the quality of the transmission because of its heavy reliance on this frequency range. Bluetooth version 1.1 has made leaps and bounds in progress and as a result is not backwards compatible with previous versions.

The maximum rate at which Bluetooth can transfer data is 723 kbps and a range of anywhere from 60 to 120 feet. Bluetooth can be used for a wide variety of applications. Some of the more common current applications include laptops, PDAs, headphones, and printer adapters. Many laptops have Bluetooth adapters built in so that the laptop can easily communicate with other Bluetooth enabled devices. You can also use many USB adaptors in order to communicate with devices that are not graced with a Bluetooth adaptor.

Another great benefit of Bluetooth is the fact that it allows PDAs to easily sync wirelessly as well as to transfer data. Bluetooth is useful in headphones for cell phones in particular to allow hands free, wireless cell phone communication while driving, working, or performing any number of tasks that require the use of your hands.

Many new gadgets are wireless through the technologies that Bluetooth has introduced. A Bluetooth mouse and/or keyboard can be used at a distance of up to 30 feet for those who need to be farther ways from the computer. Bluetooth printer adaptors are particularly useful as they allow multiple users in a network to share printer access without a snake pit of wires to really confuse things.

While Bluetooth is inexpensive to use, the main reason it isn’t more widely used is the initial costs required to implement this technology. The initial costs of installing a Bluetooth system are somewhat prohibitive and most companies aren’t prepared to make this sort of investment in emerging technology.

A Bluetooth is a single digital wireless protocol that utilizes the short-ranged communications technology. It facilitates both voice and data transmissions over a short distance, usually from a mobile device. In turn, it creates a personal area network (Pans). Bluetooth headsets are quickly becoming a fashion accessory and offers interesting features. Thus, it is capable of connecting multiple devices in the wireless age.

A Bluetooth is a single digital wireless protocol that utilizes the short-ranged communications technology. It facilitates both voice and data transmissions over a short distance, usually from a mobile device. In turn, it creates a personal area network (Pans). The intent behind the Bluetooth development is to provide a way in order to connect and exchange information between many devices. Examples would include mobile phones, telephones, computers and laptops, along with printers, digital cameras, videogame consoles and GPS receivers. This also comes with a secure and globally unlicensed Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) of 2.4 GHz of short ranged radio frequency bandwidth.

Hence, a 10th century Danish king, Harald Blatand, is where the “Bluetooth” got its name. Blatand I unified Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The king had an affinity for teeth-staining blueberries, according to legend.

This device was first developed by Ericsson and was actually formalized in 1999, Bluetooth has then provided its own way of differentiating a device that is capable of communicating with other similar devices. This is through the sending data via a low cost and secure radio frequency. Its specifications were later developed and licensed by the so-called Bluetooth Special Interest Group (areas of telecommunication, computing, networking, and consumer electronics).

Moreover, the Bluetooth SIG, is currently releasing newer versions, along with several upgrades and backward compatibility. Bluetooth 1.2 is the most recent release. It includes the addition of an anonymity mode, which then masks the hardware address of the device in order to protect it from identity snooping and tracking. It also cuts the interference by avoiding crowded frequencies of adaptive frequency hopping.

Bluetooth headsets offer a convenient and user-friendly wireless connection. This is with the use of a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone. With its 30 feet range (10 meters) capacity, cell phones can talk with other headsets using this technology. Aside from this, PCs can talk to keyboards or printers as well. Thus, talking with each other, without the need for wires can make up about seven connections at a single time. This is even with a speed of 1 Mbps.

Furthermore, Bluetooth headsets have an array of different styles to choose from. A model with a boom or without boom might be the best type that can fit your needs. A boom is a traditional headset equipped with a microphone. It arches towards your mouth. Headsets with boom are as follows:

• Bluetake BT400 GII Bluetooth Headset

Bluetake is lightweight and have a comfortable fit. The volume is loud enough but the audio isn’t the best. It is somewhat static because of its tiny buttons. It somehow resembles the ones in the sci-fi movies of the late 1960s. With its changeable faceplates and foldaway boom, it definitely adds a plus factor to its design. Bluetake makes up about 4 hours of actual talk time and about 4.2 days of standby time.

• GN Netcom GN6110

GN Netcom can connect simultaneously with two phones, a landline and a cell phone. You only need to press the release button in order to get the headset out of the recharging cradle. Although it is lightweight, its audio quality is also good but it is a tight fit with an unattractive style. GN Netcom includes an adapter and it is compatible with Bluetooth 1.1. Thus, it provides a talk time of about four hours and about seven days of standby time.

• Jabra FreeSpeak BT250

This headset is a winner. Like a cyborg, Jabra FreeSpeak BT250 is comfortable, along with its high volume and clarity capability. It will make you think that you’re not even using it. With its innovative design, it is more like a science fiction movie prop. You can also get this quality headset for the price of $99.95. Thus, the headset weighs only 0.8 ounce and it is compatible with Bluetooth 1.1. Jabra also gives a total of 8 hours talk time and up to 10 days of actual standby time. Lastly, it includes a travel charger. This is two pieces, making it a bit bulky.

• Jabra GN-6210 Office Wireless Headset

The headset itself is identical to the crescent shaped of Jabra BT250. It employs a wraparound design and a short boom mike which holds the battery and control buttons. The GN 6210 can be used simultaneously with a Bluetooth mobile or a landline phone. This is by simply plugging it into the charging cradle. The price for this baby would range from $115.62 up to $203. It has along battery life, but it has problems with call quality. Thus, the GN 6210 has a talk-time battery life of about 8 hours and a standby time of about 7 days.

• Logitech Mobile Bluetooth headset

Logitech can make quality and practical headsets but not completely stylish ones that are also compatible with Bluetooth 1.1. This headset has an easy-press button and a great foldable boom microphone. It was also tested on the Nokia 6820, Motorola V600 and the Sony Ericsson T616. During the testing, clear conversations were encountered on both ends. Logitech can give up to 7 hours of talk time and up to 30 days of standby time.

• Logitech Mobile Freedom Bluetooth Headset

Mobile Freedom got its big points in its comfort ability and solid sound quality. Black in color, Logitech design is actually a little smaller and a bit stylish. Sound quality is excellent and conversations are clearer in this headset. Thus, the headset has user-friendly controls and it is light as well. It promises a talk time of up to 7 hours and a standby time of up to 10 days.

• Motorola HS8910 Bluetooth Wireless Headset

Motorola HS8910 is easy to use and stylishly equipped with an attractive, blue LED component. It uses the same charger as other Motorola phones, but a bit patchy with regards to its audio static. The folding microphone acts as the on/off switch. You can also get this oval shape headset for only $59.00. Motorola guarantees up to 5 hours of talk time and up to 4.2 days of standby time.

• Solteras Halo BTH headset

Solteras Halo provides great performance. This is since it has a battery that keeps going and going. It is huge and it features an inflexible ear loop and unappealing design. Audio is deemed clear. Plus, it can give out a 15 hour talk time and up to 15 days of standby time.

• VXI BlueParrott B100 wireless headset

BlueParrott can work with a landline phone and a Bluetooth-enabled mobile. It comes with a stylish charging base, but the over-head design may not be appealing. The controls are simple and sound quality was good. At $199, it is somewhat pricey, but with its versatile and reliability features, it will give a great functionality transition from a home to an office mobile. It has a rated talk-time of six hours and up to 4.16 days of standby time.

Headsets without booms are the ones that its microphone is located on the earpiece. Some models are as follows:

• Bluespoon Digital Bluetooth headset

Bluespoon takes a few tries to fit. Aside from this, the earpiece digs comfortably against your ear canal. It also has an eye-catching and small design that stands out because of its style. Thus, it provides good volume and clarity.

• Epox BT-HS01 Bluetooth headset

The Epox is smaller than most headsets. It comfortably fits, especially with its sleek design. Thus, it has a good overall audio quality.

• Motorola® H605 Bluetooth Headset

Motorola H605 is a perfect fit for those who are always on-the-go. With its lightweight and comfortable design, it gives up to 10 hours of talk time and up to 200 hours of standby time. It price is currently set at $39.95.

• Parrot DRIVER Bluetooth® Headset

Parrot driver is specially designed for all drivers. This is due to its combined cradle that can plug into a 12v cigar lighter. The 90 mA battery should also constantly charged so as to promote a long life. The price is set at $89.95.

• Plantronics® BT Headset Discovery 645

Discovery 645 lets you stay connected and it enables devices that support the Bluetooth 1.2. With up to 3 hours talk time and up to 120 hours of standby time; this device also comes in a sleek in-ear design and an innovative pocket charger. Thus, it comes with four adapters with a price that starts at $49.95.

• Nokia BH-200 Bluetooth Headset

Great design combined with simplicity and a great performance is what this headset is all about. It has convenient control buttons and an ear hook that’s easy to use. Its price is set at $39.95.

• Nokia® Bluetooth Headset BH-302

BH-302 works with all Bluetooth enabled devices, and it is compatible with Bluetooth 2.0, along with its handsfree profile. Its price is sets at $56.95. It has easy to use buttons with built in LED. This enables this device to show its headset status and acts as a power on/off trigger.

• Nokia Clip-On HS-3W

This Nokia headset has a bizarre design and it uses a wire in order to connect to a normal ear bud, along with a radio pod. It is easy to use because of its good outgoing sound. Aside from this, it also uses the same charger as the Nokia cell phones.

• Motorola® H700 Bluetooth Headset

With this Motorola headset, the fifth generation technology just got better. Motorola H700 enhances the folding microphone design, along with its superior audio quality and echo cancellation technology. Its price is set at $69.95.

• Nextlink Bluespoon AX Bluetooth headset

Nextlink is easy to repair and use. With its soft-tip earpiece, it isn’t as stable as other designs. Pairing the headset is also a breeze. It also has a good and clear call quality that is very much appreciated.

• Samsung™ Bluetooth WEP180 Black

This Samsung headset features a full control with call/end, call hold/wait buttons. It supports the Bluetooth 1.2 specification and provides up to 8 hours of talk time and up to 20 hours of standby time. With a price set at $42.95, you can get this handsfree headset.

• Step 1150 Bluetooth Wireless headset

Step 1150 is easy to use because of its rotating speaker. It resembles a silver shrimp which is designed to fit behind the ears. It is compatible with the Bluetooth 1.1 and 1.2. Thus, this headset’s performance is below par and likewise cut out for only a few feet away from the phone. This is along with its fuzzy reception.

• Sony Ericsson Bluetooth headset HBH-65

This rectangular Sony Ericsson comes with a blue and silver coloration. It is actually light and the ear loop snaps off easily. Callers can hear the person on the other line easily but the signal gets cuts out few times. The sound quality has mixed variations. Thus, it uses the same charger as other Ericsson phones.

With the oddball name of “Bluetooth”, IDC now estimates that there will be more than 100 million Bluetooth devices by the end of 2008.

Although Bluetooth has some security problems, such as bluebugging, where in a hacker can secretly accesses a phone’s commands and bluesnarfing, where in a hacker can access a phone’s data such as its contacts, Bluetooth devices can be locked with the input of a code. You can also turn it off when it is not in use. These are indicated as a few security measures for your device.

Hence, you can now find Bluetooth devices in a different array of products, even in cars. By the end of the year, there is a projected new set of Bluetooth version 2.0’s which will be released. These versions will have the enhancements of the narrowband channels. These versions will also enable messages, even without the pairing process, to be broadcasted to a high number of devices that have a high connection speed of up to 12 Mbps. Thus, with the constant evolution of technology, surely, more improved and enhanced versions of the Bluetooth will be produced.

When most of use a computer and have the desire to print something, we are tied down. Literally. A printer of old is nothing but a huge box tied to our computer with a mass of wires. However, thanks to modern technology, we know have the ability to break free from the wires. A Bluetooth wireless printer can make the joy of working with a computer so much more fun than what one would normally think. For once, the joy of printing will now be upon us all. Why Enjoy Printing Printing with a Bluetooth wireless printer is simple yet very convenient. But did you know that not only can you print from your computer with a Bluetooth wireless printer but you can also print from other devices as well? That is right. With a genuine Bluetooth wireless printer you have the capability to print from a variety of medias. For example, you can sync your camera up to your printer and never need a docking station or a cable to produce unbelievable pictures right from your digital camera. Then of course you can print from your laptop anywhere in your home, and you can even use your mobile phone to print items from quick snapshots to important messages that you do not want to miss. But how does this all occur, you are wondering? Well, with a Bluetooth wireless printer you have unlimited capability. Since Bluetooth devices can be synced up with almost anything from Bluetooth wireless speakers to a digital camera, and then the possibilities are limitless. The key to all of this going off without a hitch is to use the right equipment. This requires you to search for items that have the Bluetooth logo on them or show a special Bluetooth icon such as the icon for a Bluetooth wireless printer. These icons will help consumers find the best items for their needs. A Bluetooth wireless printer can change the way that you use your gadgets. No matter if you want to use your cell phone as a message device or if you want to use your Bluetooth wireless printer as a way to catch quick snapshot from your hand held cell phone. Technology has made many breakthroughs over the past few years, but the most revolutionary is the Bluetooth technology that many are just now learning the magnificent benefits. In order to jump on the Bluetooth bandwagon, you should definitely experience the joys of a Bluetooth wireless printer and all that they have to offer.