It *does* work with that patch.

SmartConnect worked fine while the phone was running firmware V022.007. As soon as I updated to V031.023, the version of SmartConnect included in the firmware no longer worked. It will indeed use the WLAN connection if it is already established by another application (internet VoIP telephone, for example) but will not establish the connection itself.

As such, SmartConnect has become totally useless, unfortunately.

I can download a copy of the software from its web site and ruin it. However, it is too bad that if I have an access point connected, which is in the list of created “Smart Group”, it is too smart to use the access point instead of per the priority of the list. Therefore, I have to create a copy the access point in another name put it in the list to function for wifi access point firstly.

Let me start by saying that Nokia didn’t do anything the easy way by paying Birdstep for a quick fix. If you did your research, or read up, you’d know that the “Destinations” feature of all FP2 handsets, is actually derived directly from SmartConnect in the very first place – Nokia actually worked with and paid Birdstep to develop it for core OS inclusion in FP2.

So “Destinations” is actually a direct ‘descendant’ of SmartConnect right from the start.

The problem here is that Application Developers are SUPPOSED to code their FP2 compatible applications to support the protocols of Symbian FP2, namely “Destinations”.

Alas, too many don’t, and Nokia can’t really criticise, as a key culprit themselves, with Nokia Messaging.

So to HELP us (which is why it really really riles me, to hear you berating what they are TRYING to do here), they took the ever so SENSIBLE step, of also including SmartConnect, so that the gap is now closed.

You talk about opinions, and being entitled to them, which is all well and good.

But I never offered an OPINION…

I made a FACTUAL observation of where your post was wrong, pointing out what SmartConnect is for, and why it is also included, and why above all this is a GOOD thing.

Apologies and all that, that you are having difficulties with it, for sure mate.

But pretty much the rest of the world is using it FINE, and it’s now providing a handy solution for THOUSANDS of people, where before there was a gap.

So to berate the product is indeed your ‘opinion’ and right.

But is factually wrong when you are ignoring what I am saying completely, about WHAT the product exists for.

That’s not an opinion when you do that – that’s being ignorant to what people are trying to do with their valuable time, and help explain to you why a certain product exists, and why it is there to HELP us.

So again, I didn’t offer an opinion. I made a full factual correction as to what SmartConnect is actually for.

You’ve just chose to ignore what I was saying, and I’m sorry I took the valuable time to try and help.

For the rest of the world, it is a very useful and valuable addition, that gives us extra functionality we never used to have, and all Kudos to Nokia for including it.

I appreciate what you say about not having a manual included for it, but nor does at least half the value added free apps on my phone such as Advanced Call Manager, etc etc, and yet I don’t berate them for this – I just appreciate I am getting something for FREE that others have to pay for.

And I am no specialist/expert Symbian user, but I was able to work out how to use SmartConnect in no time at all, and haven’t even read a manual about it to this day mate.

The problem here is a perception one. Because you are starting off in the wrong direction right from the start, in terms of what you seem to think SmartConnect should be or is for, then it means you are NEVER going to hit your intended destination, having took the wrong path right at the beginning.

So my post was to TRY and explain to you your wholly wrong perceptions about what SmartConnect is for.

I hope I have now eventually done so, but if not, I certainly won’t be wasting any more of my valuable time trying to HELP again just now.

I appreciate and respect you for not deleting my comments though.

Good luck, and good wishes,

Shadamehr.

And one final thing – if my post appears frosty or rude, my apologies in advance, but I’ve just returned from drinks after work, and the local time here, to put into perspective, is 03:26am

As for the technical issues, I didn’t write a manual how to use the application. From my point of view, if something that suppose to make my life easier is complicate to use/ configure it doesn’t do the trick.
If you’ll read both birdstep’s manual and help file it describes the ease of use. but after testing it for a few days I came to the conclusion that having the need to manage both network destinations and SmartConnect groups is too confusing and not really useful. Besides it caused my application to disconnect all the time.
Nokia could do the same as SC and add the network destinations as normal connection so all applications can use it. instead they decided to do it the easy way and pay some money for third party application…

More users are more the welcome to comment on this post….

The SOLE (but important) reason for the ‘backwards step’ inclusion of SmartConnect, is to provide psuedo-destination like support, for any and all applications that don’t actually support the “Destinations” implementation.

Let me explain by way of a really simple example…

Nokia Messaging (for the E72 anyway, as other versions now have “Destinations” support)….

Nokia Messaging does not support “Destinations”. So as a result, you cannot have Nokia Messaging use your home wi-fi, or a family member’s wi-fi connection, when in range of it, but automatically default to Cellular, when out and about.

This is because Nokia Messaging, like many other applications, wants you to choose an old fashioned, specific Access Point individually, rather than being able to choose a Destinations Group.

So you have to choose a SPECIFIC Wi-Fi connection, OR a specific Cellular Connection, for Nokia Messaging to use.

BUT…

By adding SmartConnect – you can get around this. Because SamrtConnect works differently…

Whilst it lets you create a group, and add to it all the Wi-fi and Cellular Connections you wish, in whatever order, when you are finished however, it works different to Destinations, by adding this group you just created, as an actual INDIVIDUAL Access Point in the phone – so that ALL applications can then access it.

So if you create a Group using SmartConnect, to mirror what you have already done using Destinations, and then in the group you put all your wi-fi connections first, and then your carrier connections last, then when you are done and save it, this ‘Group’ now appears in the NORMAL Access Points list in the phone, for you to choose as if it was a normal Access Point in ANY application you like.

So you could then go into Nokia Messaging, and tell it to use this new ‘Access Point” for it’s connection method. And then doing so, it would use wi-fi where available, and cellular if not.

So posting this entire blog/article, without even knowing what SmartConnect is about/for, makes the article null and void in my opinion.

SmartConnect may SEEM to do the same as Destinations. But that is not true.

With SmartConnect, once you have created and saved a Group, this Group then actually appears as a TRADITIONAL individual Access Point, so that ANY application can select it, even those that don’t let you use “Destinations”

And thus THIS is why they have quite sensibly, chosen to add SmartConnect to the new E72 Firmware.

As it covers a GAP that currently exists, for those applications that only let you choose standard Access Points, rather than Support “Destinations”.

So your whole article, and the follow up comments, are null and void mate.

I hope this helps clarify things for you therefore though.