Symbian Review

How many times you needed your phone to be silent for a certain period of time, but it called and disturbed you in the most important minute of a meeting. Situations of that kind inspire mobile software programmers to create applications that enable mobile phones to change profiles automatically according to the time schedules and calendar.
In the article below you will find a detailed analysis of already existing applications for Series 60.3 of that kind.
We have waited for profile schedulers for Series 60.3 for a long time, and now there are four of them on the market. So we decided to compare them for you from the users’ point of view.

Read, choose and enjoy!!!

The following applications were analyzed:

App name	Vendor	Price	Size, Kb
Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition	Smartphoneware	Buy $14.95	145
SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones	Ultimate Portable Ltd.	Buy $9.99	223
AutoProfiles	SymbianGuru	Buy $9.95	218
Handy Profiles	Epocware	Buy $14.95	248

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Testing procedure

For our tests we have used Nokia 3250. We have installed the applications using Bluetooth or data cable. We have evaluated all applications how they look and feel, whether they can be used without reading the manual and if the help is there at all.
After that we have changed the applications settings and checked the procedure of switching of various profiles.

When analyzing, we compared different aspects and application details, giving them the corresponding scores from 10 (the best) to 1 (the poorest). We analyzed:
• Installation
• Trial period
• Interface
• Settings
• Help and Support
• Application in action
• Special features

• Testing results
• Conclusion

More about our scoring procedure you can read here

Installation

The starting point of application usage is its installation. All four applications are easily installed and receive the highest score for this.

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Trial period

Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition– this application has a 15 days trial version.

Score given: 9

SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones – the free evaluation period expires in 14 days.

Score given: 8

AutoProfiles – the trial version of the software is limited for 10 days.

Score given: 7

Handy Profiles – the trial version lasts 14 days.

Score given: 8

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Interface

Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition - the main view of the application contains the list of system profiles. The current active profile is marked.

The interface of Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition is more compact then it is in SmartProfiles for 3rd Edition Phones, so we scored it higher.

Score given: 7

SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones – main screen shows list of profiles. They are:
• General
• Silent
• Meeting
• Outdoor
• Pager
• Offline

Score given: 5

AutoProfiles – the application is fully customizable according to the users needs. The main screen contains the following options which can be adjusted:
• Active (here you can activate or deactivate the application)
• Schedule (here you can set up, view and edit profiles schedule according to your wishes)
• Calendar (this item is convenient for setting profiles schedule that will be dependent on one’s mobile phone calendar meetings)
The interface is very intuitive, this application has only the features that the user needs . not more and not less. We scored it the highest, as it is simply to use and has all that one needs.

Score given: 9

Handy Profiles – this application allows to automatically switch profiles according to the schedule or location. The main interface contains the list of profiles:

Left soft key Options of this screen contains the following buttons:
• Activate
• Timed activation
• Personalize
• Edit rules
• New
• Set as default
• Help
• About
• Exit

The application main screen is exactly the same as it is in Best Profiles already existing on the market, that is why we have scored it not too high.

Score given: 6

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Settings

Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition – in this application you can configure the following settings, which are identical for all profiles:

• Wallpaper - you can choose any picture to be shown in your Phone application (Standby screen)
• Sound on activate – allows setting a sound to play when the profile is activated
• Sound volume – choose the sound volume you wish

• Bluetooth - sets Bluetooth operating mode for the current profile
• Backlight - offers the choice among the following values: “Normal” (usual behavior), “On if charging” and “Always on”
• Run Application – you can assign any application installed on your phone to be launched when the current profile is activated

Score given: 8

SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones – this application allows configuring the following settings:

• Default profile – here you can set the profile when no locations or schedules can be applied
• Profile order – specify which profile to use when both a location based profile and a schedule based profile are applicable
• Auto start – specify whether the application should start up automatically upon power on

Score given: 6

AutoProfiles – here you can modify the following list of settings:

• On boot start with (choosing the initial view of the application after mobile restart, among which are Main, Today, All)
• Workdays (to define work days for workday alarms by ticking the needed days of the week; the default work days in the check-box are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, which you can change up to your wishes)

Score given: 6

Handy Profiles – this application doesn’t offer Settings options as such. But during the profile personalization user can adjust the following options:

• Ringing tone (to choose the ringing tone for voice calls)
• Video call tone (to choose the ringing tone for video calls)
• Say caller’s name (set saying name of a calling contact together with playing a ringing tone)

• Ringing type (to choose a type of ringing tone)
• Ringing volume (a volume of ringing tone)
• Message alert tone (a tone for received text messages)

• E-mail alert tone (a tone for received e-mail messages)
• Vibrating alert (set vibration when receiving a call)
• Keypad tones (set volume level for keypad tones)

• Warning tones (set warning tones; On/Off)
• Alert for (set ringing only for calls from contacts in selected contact group; other calls have a silent alert)

Score given: 5

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Help and Support

Any application should contain the help file for user’s convenience, not to mention the user manual, which should include detailed information about the application and its settings.

One more important factor is the efficiency of the support department. To check this, we sent an e-mail with just one question about the application on the mail stated as a support mail.

Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition – the application has no Help file, which is rather uncomfortable; but it has an e-mail (support@smartphoneware.com) to contact a developer in case of any questions or suggestions.

It is very pleasant when the answer to the question is quick and comprehensible for understanding. 3 hours and the answer has been delivered. Excellent!!!

Score given: 7

SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones – the application contains Help file, but this Help is completely inconvenient. The information is not attached to the appropriate item, user has to look for it by himself. The application also has an e-mail (support@ultimateportable.com) for customers’ support.

We’ve been waiting one day, till the answer has been delivered. Not so quick as the rest two support departments, but still… Thanks J

Score given: 5

AutoProfiles – the application has the Help file, which is comfortable, besides the Help file is available for separate app’s items, what is now widely spread in most of applications; it has an e-mail (support@symbianguru.com) for customers’ support.

The support department of this application works efficiently. The answer has been delivered in course of one hour.

Score given: 10

Handy Profiles – the Help file in this application is really convenient and thorough because of being available for separate items of the software; it has an e-mail (support@epocware.com) for customers’ support.

Unfortunately the support department did not reply. That is a big minus for a good application.

Score given: 3

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Application in action

Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition – the profiles will be switched according to the schedule.

You can set profile activation time on any day(s) of the week when the profile has to be switched on, deactivation time and the profile to be turned on after the deactivation of this entry. You can temporarily turn off any entry by choosing Disable. This entry will be omitted, i.e. Best Profiles will not switch to the profile indicated in this entry.

The following operations can be executed on entries:

• Edit
• New
• Delete
• Disable
Every rule has the following parameters:
• Activate time - the time when it has to be activated;
• Condition - the day(s) of week when it has to be activated;
• Profile - one of five system profiles;
• Allow deactivate - when choosing “Yes”, you can set profile deactivation time and the profile you want to activate after this one;
• Deactivate time & Restore profile - here you can define the profile that will be activated after the Deactivate time. You can select one of five system profiles or “Previous”. If you select “Previous” the profile used before the Deactivate time will become active again.
In the Calendar dialog you can set Calendar rules.

If you have a meeting recorded in the Calendar, you don’t have to add a line to your Best Profiles schedule. The program will automatically select the predefined profile when it finds a keyword assigned for this profile.

The following operations can be executed on entries:

• Edit
• New
• Delete
• Disable
Every rule has the following parameters:
• Keyword - this is the word you will be using in your Calendar. This word must be unique because Best Profiles scan all the notes in the Calendar looking for this word
• Profile - one of system profiles associated with the keyword
• Allow deactivate - if “Yes” is selected and you have created a timed meeting in the Calendar, then the profile selected in the “Restore profile” option is activated
• Restore profile - one of five system profiles or “Previous” profile can be selected to activate when this rule effect is over
In the Charger dialog you can configure the profile, to which your smartphone will switch when connecting and disconnecting the charger.

Score given: 9

SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones – to create a new schedule entry you have to click the Add button and fill in the following fields:

• Start time (here you can indicate the time when the profile should be activated)
• Duration (here you can indicate the duration of the profile action)

• Set on (choose the days of the profile activation)

The list of already existing entries has the following view:

The following operations can be executed on entries:

• Add (creating of a new schedule entry)
• Edit (modifying of already existing entries)
• Delete (removing of a current entry)
• Set type (here you can choose between the One-time schedule or Repeated schedule)
• Copy (copying the already entered data to the other day)
• Mark/Unmark

• Delete all (removing of all entries)
• Import calendar (here you can choose to import the calendar data into the application)
You do not have options for recurring schedules, so it is very uncomfortable.

Score given: 5

AutoProfiles – for your convenience there exist two tabs – Today and All, with the help of which there will be a possibility for you by choosing tab Today to look through all “Today’s” records, but only those, which are not yet processed; tab All shows the whole list of schedules.

To create a new schedule record you have to click left soft key menu and fill in the following fields:

• Profile (choose here profile you are making schedule for)
• Condition (once, daily, weekly, on weekends, on workdays, monthly, yearly)
• Date (select when the schedule should be activated)

• Activation time (choose the time of profile schedule activation)
• Set deactivation (choose whether to deactivate the current profile schedule or not)
• Deactivation time (choose the time of profile schedule deactivation)
• Bluetooth (choose the Bluetooth status on the profile change)
     o Don’t change (the current Bluetooth status is not changed on profile switching)
     o On, hidden (visible only to the devices previously paired with)
     o On, visible to all (visible to all devices who search for Bluetooth)
     o Off (when the profile changes, Bluetooth is turned off) 

The list of already existing records has the following view:

Choosing the left soft key of the Schedule screen you can perform following actions:
• View details
• Activate/Deactivate
• New
• Edit
• Delete
• Options
• Help
• About
To set a calendar rule you can fill in such fields as:

• Active on meeting (when you press Yes, it means that the condition of the profile change will be a Meeting entry in a mobile phone calendar)
• Profile (choose one profile from the list of profiles given; this profile will be activated when Active on Meeting is “Yes”, and there is a meeting in the calendar)

The application is very simple in use and has a good variety of recurring conditions.

Score given: 9

Handy Profiles – starting the application user can see a list of profiles.

To manually activate a profile user has to scroll to the desired profile and select left soft key Options → Activate.

To temporary activate a profile user has to scroll to the desired profile and select left soft key Options → Timed activation. Then enter the activation period of time.

To customize a profile user chooses the profile and selects left soft key Options → Personalize.

User can set up multiple rules for each profile for its automatic switching.

At first the Rules screen is empty.

Left soft key of such screen contains the following buttons:

• New (to create a new rule)
• Help
• About
• Exit

Handy Profiles application supports 3 rule types:

1. Time interval rule – a profile is activated and deactivated at specified times, e.g. during the night.

• Start time – time when the profile is activated
• End time – time when the profile is deactivated
• Week days – days when this rule works

2. Calendar entry rule – a profile is activated during the meeting that recorded in the Calendar.

• Keyword – a word that is searched in all Calendar entries
• Where – a place, where a keyword is searched for. It can be entry subject, location, and description

3. Location rule – a profile is activated while user is at specified location. The current GSM cell is used to determinate the location.

Score given: 10

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Special features

Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition - this application has its specific features, what makes it different from the others, they are:
• Wallpaper – you can choose any picture to be shown in your Phone application (Standby screen)
• Bluetooth – sets Bluetooth operating mode for the current profile
• Keyword – this is the word you will be using in your Calendar. This word must be unique because Best Profiles scan all the notes in the Calendar looking for this word

Score given: 9

SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones – the application is not rich in special features:

• Attach location – you can adjust phone profiles according to your locations

Score given: 6

AutoProfiles – this application offers such special feature as:

• On boot start with – choosing the initial view of the application after mobile restart, among which are Main, Today, All
• Bluetooth (choose the Bluetooth status on the profile change)
     o Don’t change (the current Bluetooth status is not changed on profile switching)
     o On, hidden (visible only to the devices previously paired with)
     o On, visible to all (visible to all devices who search for Bluetooth)
     o Off (when the profile changes, Bluetooth is turned off) 

Score given: 8

Handy Profiles – includes the following special features:

• Say caller’s name (set saying name of a calling contact together with playing a ringing tone)
• Warning tones (set warning tones; On/Off)
• Alert for (set ringing only for calls from contacts in selected contact group; other calls have a silent alert)

Score given: 8

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Summary of the test results

Having analyzed all components and settings and given them the scores from 1 to 10, we have multiplied the scores by a corresponding importance factor in order to get the total score value of the application.

We have used the following Importance factor (IF) values:
• Installation: IF 1
• Trial period: IF 3
• Interface: IF 5
• Settings: IF 4
• Help and Support: IF 3
• Application in action: IF 10
• Special features: IF 4
The total possible score for an application would be 300 points.

Multiplying the score by Importance factors we have got the following table:

	AutoProfiles	Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition	Handy Profiles	SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones
Installation	10	10	10	10
Trial period	21	27	24	24
Interface	45	35	30	25
Settings	24	32	20	24
Application in action	90	90	100	50
Help/Support	30	21	9	15
Special Features	32	36	32	24
Total	252	251	225	172

Having been updated AutoProfiles application became the test winner according to the overall application test.

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Conclusion

Judging from the scores, we can see that though Handy Profiles is a newly released application, but it is not as good as the Best Profiles for S60 3rd edition or AutoProfiles application.

After being updated AutoProfiles application has left Best Profiles behind, though with just one point difference. The interface of this application is really simple, well designed and user friendly. Even without reading user manual, a user will be able to understand the principle of its work. Also, the application has very attractive price, which may be a decisive factor for many.
 

Best Profiles is the application that enhances the profiles experience of the phone the most, including many special features as bluetooth and backlight.

Handy Profiles has a very nice (though sometimes a bit awkward) feature of profile changing according to location. But there are no other special settings or features that would enhance the phone. Also the support of the company wishes to be improved.

And finally SmartProfile for 3rd Edition Phones application. This program is not as bright, as three previous applications. The interface is dull and not interesting, not intuitive at all. We recommend the authors of this application to improve it.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 4th, 2007 at 10:00 and is filed under Software Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.