Rumour: Nokia to release a Bluetooth File Transfer app for Lumia handsets

[George P Global Moderator]

Here?s a rather tasty rumour, courtesy of NokiaPowerUsers (no affiliation, but we?re flattered).

Apparently one of their readers, Amit, attended a Nokia event yesterday, where the Tango update for the Nokia Lumia handsets were shown off, which also features WIFI internet sharing. More interesting however was the news of future updates, which apparently will include an app which allows Bluetooth File Transfer.

Nokia is no stranger to adding Bluetooth profiles to Windows Phone 7, with their proprietary Contact Transfer app, which adds Bluetooth Address Book access, and Stephen Elop has said the company was working on bringing in-demand Symbian features to Windows Phone.

Adding Bluetooth FTP support via an app would be a good compromise, allowing the app to still be a gate keeper for the operating system, making sure files are added properly to the on-device libraries, while reducing the chance of introducing bugs to the system. Hopefully the app will support music, ring tone and picture transfers, the most common uses in emerging markets.

NPU further suggests Nokia will be rebranding Marketplace to Nokia Marketplace, with their own logo, and that the Tango update will bring improved battery performance.

http://wmpoweruser.com/rumour-nokia-to-release-a-bluetooth-file-transfer-app-for-lumia-handsets/

Personally I think bluetooth file transfer should be an OS level option, maybe it will be in WP8. There's really no reason for me to have to use MMS or email to share a picture to another phone.

[Detection]

Wonder how they will do that then, there is no file manager in WP7.5 (Lumia 710) so you can't really choose files without having to open a different app like Nokia music to see your collection, and also if you move music to the phone by changing the registry on the PC so it opens the phone as a mass storage device, it appears as "Unknown" in the music app

[Miuku.]

What, Windows Phone still doesn't have a file manager nor a BT File Transfer app? Are you joking me?

[George P Global Moderator]

What, Windows Phone still doesn't have a file manager nor a BT File Transfer app? Are you joking me?

It doesn't need a file manager, it uses libraries and as long as your files have the right metadata they'll show up in the right place.

[Duffydemon]

Bluetooth is the only thing which forced me to go for nokia 603. I really wanted the WP7, but even my old cheap "dumb" nokia phone can send files through Bluetooth.

[Detection]

What, Windows Phone still doesn't have a file manager nor a BT File Transfer app? Are you joking me?

Nope, selecting "Share" on say a photo asks what you want to use to share it, Messaging, Email, Skydrive, Twitter and other social network apps, No bluetooth

And nope, no file manager on the phone, although you can mount the phone as mass storage on the PC and see your media there, but no system files or anything else

[George P Global Moderator]

Wonder how they will do that then, there is no file manager in WP7.5 (Lumia 710) so you can't really choose files without having to open a different app like Nokia music to see your collection, and also if you move music to the phone by changing the registry on the PC so it opens the phone as a mass storage device, it appears as "Unknown" in the music app

It'd work like the DLNA apps do, have you used one of those? The one my LG has has access to the libraries so it will show me all my pictures, music, vids on the device and then I can send them to my media player etc. This being Nokia they'll have native access for this type of app compared to 3rd party devs so when you are sent a file as long as it's extension is valid, .jpg, .avi and so on it should place it in the right library. The thing you'd have to do is change the name and any other info for it, like if it's music for example to if needed.

[Miuku.]

In other words I'll stick to using my old Symbian for the foreseeable future. Even the N9/Meego can do it, in fact it seems to be able to do a lot more than WP.

[Detection]

It'd work like the DLNA apps do, have you used one of those? The one my LG has has access to the libraries so it will show me all my pictures, music, vids on the device and then I can send them to my media player etc. This being Nokia they'll have native access for this type of app compared to 3rd party devs so when you are sent a file as long as it's extension is valid, .jpg, .avi and so on it should place it in the right library. The thing you'd have to do is change the name and any other info for it, like if it's music for example to if needed.

Never used DLNA apps no, I only got this phone a week or two ago so just migrating my gadget knowledge from droid to WP7

Any recommendations ?

[George P Global Moderator]

Never used DLNA apps no, I only got this phone a week or two ago so just migrating my gadget knowledge from droid to WP7

Any recommendations ?

Since my LG came with it's own app from LG I haven't searched for another one but I'm sure the other OEMs should have their own out from what I remember. You have a Lumia right? Just look for the Nokia Play To app, probably in their own section of the marketplace. Then all you need is a DLNA device, I have a WD TV Live connected to my TV and I can stream stuff from my phone right to it if I want.

People need to remember that there is no need for a file manager, the OS keeps a library/database of all the files on the device and shows them in the right hub. All pictures will show up in the pictures hub, all music and vids in the music and video hub etc. Honestly what do you want a file manager for anyways? The only thing I can think of is if I want to go in and mess with system files for some reason, which could brick my phone anyways.

[Detection]

Since my LG came with it's own app from LG I haven't searched for another one but I'm sure the other OEMs should have their own out from what I remember. You have a Lumia right? Just look for the Nokia Play To app, probably in their own section of the marketplace. Then all you need is a DLNA device, I have a WD TV Live connected to my TV and I can stream stuff from my phone right to it if I want.

People need to remember that there is no need for a file manager, the OS keeps a library/database of all the files on the device and shows them in the right hub. All pictures will show up in the pictures hub, all music and vids in the music and video hub etc. Honestly what do you want a file manager for anyways? The only thing I can think of is if I want to go in and mess with system files for some reason, which could brick my phone anyways.

Yea Nokia Lumia 710

Can't see anything in the Nokia Collection part of the marketplace and nothing music/media wise on the phone that allows "Play To" anything that I can see

I`ll have a play around and see if I can see anything, it seems to want to do everything either on the phone or through Zune only really

Guess I just prefer to have access to files as files, all in one place, rather than going through different apps to reach different file types. I don't mind the way WP7 works, its neat, smooth, works well and apart from the apps taking up a huge amount of room more than I was used to with Android, I haven't really found something I wish it could do that it can't (yet) but once the honeymoon period is over I`ll probably find a few things it falls short of

[funkydude]

In other words I'll stick to using my old Symbian for the foreseeable future. Even the N9/Meego can do it, in fact it seems to be able to do a lot more than WP.

WP is definitely behind. It won't be until WP8 that we see the extent of Nokia's influence on MS on the software side of things

[.Neo]

WP is definitely behind. It won't be until WP8 that we see the extent of Nokia's influence on MS on the software side of things

Not sure if it's a matter of being behind or not. Like Apple Microsoft could have made the decision to purposely not add Bluetooth transfers. Doesn't make it any less annoying though.

[George P Global Moderator]

Yea Nokia Lumia 710

Can't see anything in the Nokia Collection part of the marketplace and nothing music/media wise on the phone that allows "Play To" anything that I can see

I`ll have a play around and see if I can see anything, it seems to want to do everything either on the phone or through Zune only really

Guess I just prefer to have access to files as files, all in one place, rather than going through different apps to reach different file types. I don't mind the way WP7 works, its neat, smooth, works well and apart from the apps taking up a huge amount of room more than I was used to with Android, I haven't really found something I wish it could do that it can't (yet) but once the honeymoon period is over I`ll probably find a few things it falls short of

http://betalabs.nokia.com/apps/nokia-play-to-for-windows-phone

It's still in beta so it's not perfect but that should change in time.

As far as files go, to each his own, but really even on the PC after I find a file i'll end up opening an app to do something with it anyways (unless i'm just moving them around from one hard drive to another, something you're not really doing on a phone anyways). So I see no real difference to either going through a file manager, finding the file and then opening it in a app or opening the app first and then finding the file through it. The end result is more or less the same to me.

[George P Global Moderator]

Not sure if it's a matter of being behind or not. Like Apple Microsoft could have made the decision to purposely not add Bluetooth transfers. Doesn't make it any less annoying though.

It could be as simple as them not wanting to allow people an easy way to share things they've downloaded from the zune marketplace. In most cases people who do bt transfers on their phone do so to send pictures and then music/ring tones. If it was easy to just "pirate" mp3s you downloaded off of the marketplace then that'd have the labels up in arms and cutting deals.

Sure you can copy protect the files but we're talking mp3s which aren't copy protected. It could just be a piracy measure. Apple not having it could be the same reason.

[Detection]

http://betalabs.noki...r-windows-phone

It's still in beta so it's not perfect but that should change in time.

As far as files go, to each his own, but really even on the PC after I find a file i'll end up opening an app to do something with it anyways (unless i'm just moving them around from one hard drive to another, something you're not really doing on a phone anyways). So I see no real difference to either going through a file manager, finding the file and then opening it in a app or opening the app first and then finding the file through it. The end result is more or less the same to me.

Ah nice thanks, I`ll give it a try :)

EDIT - Works great cheers :)