Your Nokia N78 is packed with some of the latest mobile phone features and software, from Wi-Fi connectivity and HSDPA high-speed 3G to A-GPS satellite navigation capability and Symbian S60 smartphone capability.

But it doesn't stop when you get the phone out of the box. Nokia regularly introduces software updates that users can download online and install on their handsets, which can add new features, improve existing functions, fix bugs, improve battery life and so on.

The latest updates can be found on the support and software sections of Nokia's website. You can select your handset model and check if there are any updates available to the current version of software installed on your phone (you can type *#0000# in standby mode to get the software version onscreen). Updates can be downloaded quickly and easily using Nokia Software Updater software on a PC and your phone's supplied USB cable.

But on the Nokia N78, you can also update software over the air directly to the phone. It's easy to do, and you could end up with a significant improvement in your phone's performance.

We describe how to do it below. You can check for updates and download using a mobile network data connection, or you could do it via a Wi-Fi by selecting a WLAN connection point on your N85. Be aware that if you're using a mobile network connection, unless you have an inclusive data deal you could end up with additional data charges for download software updates.

Also, it's important that before installing a software upgrade you make sure that all the data on your phone, contents and contacts have been backed up to a PC or on to a memory card. You can use the in-box Nokia Nseries PC Suite software and USB cable to synchronise and back up these with your PC.

Updating software

1. Press the Menu button (Figure 1).
2. Scroll to highlight Tools (Figure 2). Press Open.
3. Scroll to highlight Utilities (Figure 3). Press Open.
4. Scroll to highlight Device Manager (Figure 4). Press Open.
5. You will see details of the phone's current software version and date (Figure 5). You can normally check for the latest software version online at Nokia's support and software section. To check directly from the phone, press Options.
6. Highlight Check for updates (Figure 6). Press Select.
7. A message appears asking if you want to connect to the internet (Figure 7). Press Yes.
8. You can now select which access point you want to use. You can choose a mobile network or a WLAN connection. You can use a WLAN connection to avoid any potential mobile data costs and to get quicker downloads (Figure 8).
9. Highlight the WLAN or mobile network you want to use (Figure 9). Press Select.
10. The phone now connects to the Nokia server and shows whether any updates are available (Figure 10).
11. If an update is available, press Accept to download the update. The software update starts downloading (Figure 11).
12. A message appears asking if you want to install the software update (Figure 12). Press Now if you want to install it.
13. A message appears reminding you to backup your phone's data before installing the software (Figure 13). Press Accept if you want to proceed (if you haven't yet backed up your phone, press cancel and do so before installing the software update later).
14. A message appears telling you that the phone can't be used during the update and that the phone will restart (Figure 14). Press Accept.
15. The phone will start updating. In a few minutes, the phone restarts and a message appears: Phone updates: Update complete. Press OK. Your update has been completed and the phone is ready for use again with the latest version of software installed.
16. Reinstall any files or contacts you have backed up.

The Nokia N78 can connect to the internet using a wireless network (WLAN) connection as well as a standard mobile web link. You can hop onto any WLAN connection - even protected ones as long as you know the password - and browse the web, send and receive email and use the phone's Maps application at high speed and without paying a penny to your mobile network provider.

Connecting to a WLAN via Active standby
If Active Standby is activated on your Nokia N78, your WLAN connection status is always visible from standby mode. The bottom line of the screen shows your WLAN status. If there are no wireless networks in the area, you'll see the message 'No WLAN network found'. If you're near a WLAN that you're not connected to, you'll see the message 'WLAN name found'.

To log on to this network, simply highlight the WLAN status line (Figure 1) and press the centre selection key. You'll see three options:

• Start Web browsing
• Search for WLAN
• Switch WLAN scan off.

Joining an open network
If you know that the WLAN the N78 has detected is an open, unprotected network (and needs no passcode to access), simply highlight Start Web browsing and press the centre selection key to go to your Bookmarks page and start browsing the web.

Joining a protected network
If the WLAN is protected, you'll need to enter a passcode to begin browsing. First highlight Start Web browsing and press the centre selection key. You'll be prompted to enter a 'WEP key for WLAN' (Figure 2). This is the  passcode that your or a network administrator applied to the wireless router when it was set up.

Some WLAN configuration tools will set up WEP security on your wirless router using an easy-to-remember password, but the N78 needs you to enter the hexadecimal equivalent. If you're not sure what this is but you know the router's password, go to WEPKEY.com, enter the password into the top field, click Generate keys and the hexadecimal equivalent will appear below. Enter the first 64bit key into the field and click OK. If the code is corrects you'll be taken to the Bookmarks page and you can start browsing the web. If not, you'll see the message 'Invalid WEP key' and the blank field will reappear. Try the second passcode listed on WEPKEY.com and so on.

Searching for other networks
The Nokia N78 will usually detect the WLAN with the strongest signal. If that's not the network you want to connect to, highlight  'WLAN name' found and click the centre selection key. Highlight Search for WLAN and click Select. A list of detectable WLANs will appear. Highlight the one you want to connect to and click Connect to join, entering the passcode if necessary. Again, you'll be taken to the  Bookmarks page and  can start browsing the web.

WLAN authorisation icon
You only have to enter a passcode into the N78 once. You'll know that you're authorised to use a particular WLAN because a round icon like that next to 'mat' in Figure 3 will appear next to its name.

WLAN wizard
You can also connect to wireless networks using the WLAN wizard. To find this, open the main menu, click on Tools and scroll down and left to highlight WLAN wiz. (Figure 5). Press the centre selection key to open the wizard.

The WLAN wizard opens to show you the active WLANs in the area (Figure 6). To access a network, highlight its name, click on Options and select Start Web browsing. Enter the hexadecimal passcode if required, press OK and your ready to start browsing the web

The Maps application on the Nokia N78 allows you to plan a route between two locations, as it draws up a step-by-step itinerary or route map for you to follow.

Using voice commands just as a dedicated GPS system would, the application will also link up with the N78's GPS tool to guide you from your present position to your destination.

Start by making sure that you're connected to the internet via your mobile network provider.

Planning the route
From standby mode, highlight the Maps icon and click the centre selection key, or click the main menu button, highlight the Maps icon and click the centre selection key.

The GPS system will try and pinpoint your location around the globe. To by-pass the animated graphic, click Skip. The GPS will keep looking in the background.

Your location (or in the case of no GPS signal, your most recent location) will appear on a map on the screen.

If at this point you see a message reading 'No Internet connection. Please check your network settings', follow the instructions in the section Maps Network Settings, below.

To begin planning a route, click Options, highlight Plan route and click Select.

You now have to enter a Starting point and Destination for your route. To select a Starting point, highlight the top line and click the central selection key.

You have six choices (Figure 1).

• GPS position - Calculates your current position and installs that as your Starting point
• Landmark - Lets you assign one of your preset Landmarks (favourite locations) as your Starting point
• Recent - Remembers five recent locations and lets you choose one as your Starting point
• From map - Transfers you to the visual map. Using the navigation keys, move the cursor around the map, zooming in with the * key and out with the # key. When the cursor is over your starting point, press Select
• Address (Figure 2) - Enter the Number, Street, City, Post Code or Country of your Starting point into the fields provided, click Options and Search, and Maps will locate its full address. Highlight the preferred location on the results page and click Select to set that as your Starting point
• From guide - You can purchase a range of city guides to download to your Nokia N78. Highlight From guide and click Select, then use the navigation key to tab between Nearest guides (a selection of local guides), all Guides (guides for a selection of countries) and My guides (guides you've purchased). To buy a guide, highlight its title, click Options, highlight Purchase and click Yes to confirm the purchase. When it has downloaded, you'll be prompted to accept the licence agreement and taken online to confirm payment. You can then select a point of interest from a City guide as your Starting point.

Once confirmed, your Starting point will appear in the first line on the Route planner page. Now you need to select a Destination. To do this, highlight Destination and click the central selection key.This offers the same options as the Starting point menu, apart from GPS position (which would be really good if it could detect where you wanted to go!).

When you've selected your destination so that it appears in the Destination section of the Route planner page, you're ready to set your route parameters (Figure 3). Click Options, highlight Settings and click Select. Under the Routing tab, you'll see six options - Transport mode (by car or on foot), Route selection (shortest or fastest), Motorway, Tunnel, Ferry and Toll road (all four of which are yes/no options).

To change any setting, highlight the option, click Options, highlight Change and click Select to see the available options. Highlight your chosen option using the Up and Down navigation keys and click OK to confirm.

Click the right navigation key to see the General settings tab. This lets you set the System of measurement (metric or imperial), Backlight (on or off) and a Language for voice guidance.

When you've chosen your settings, click Back to return to your start and destination points.

To have Maps work out the recommended route, click Options, highlight Show route, click Select and the Route planner will calculate your route (Figure 4).

The resulting itinerary (Figure 5) will be displayed by default as a step-by-step guide, telling you when to turn, and onto which road.

You can also view a graphical representation of the route by highlighting any instruction and clicking the centre selection key, or by clicking Select from the itinerary, highlighting Show on map and clicking Select. Press the Up navigation key to go to the next junction and press the Down nav key to go back a step. Helpfully, the map rotates so that it's always pointing in your direction of travel.

There's also a route simulation (Figure 6), which animates your route and gives voice instructions of the 'turn left' and 'second at the roundabout' variety. The animation is timed according to recommended speeds on the roads. To see this, click Options from the itinerary or Show on map window, highlight Start simulation and click Select. Pressing 0 toggles between flat 2D maps and a 3D view, and you can zoom   in with the * key and zoom out with the # key.

GPS navigation
If you have a GPS signal, your N78's Maps application can guide you from point to point. It works just like the route simulation, with voice commands and clear visual instructions, though it offers instructions based on your movements in real-time, giving you instructions as you need them.

To activate GPS navigation, click Options, highlight Start navigation and click Select.

GPS tracking
Maps can also be set to track your position on a road. Unlike the GPS navigation, this doesn't call out instructions, it just shows you where you are at that particular time. It's useful if you get lost and need to compare your current position in relation to the planned route.

To activate GPS tracking, click Options, highlight Start tracking and click Select.

Maps Networks Settings
If you see the message  'No Internet connection. Please check your network settings' when you start up Maps (similar to Figure 7), you need to assign a network to the application.

• To do this, click Options, highlight Settings and click Select.
• On the Settings screen (Figure 8), highlight Network and press the centre selection key
• When the Network page opens, highlight Default access point and press the centre selection key (Figure 9)
• A list of available networks will appear (both wireless WLAN networks and mobile web connections). Highlight the connection you want to use and click OK to see it in the Default access point field (Figure 10)
• Back to Planning the route, above

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