I spend loads of my spare time chatting to friends on social networks, usually using Facebook.
There’s a whole world of different social networking apps out there for your Nokia Asha though, making it easier to keep in touch, to enjoy instant messaging on the move, and to make things easier for Nokia owners. That’s why I’ve been checking out some of the other options on my Nokia Asha 308.
Sign In
Sign in is one of the easiest apps you’ll find, but it’s also one that offers less functionality than the others I’ve tried. It’s still a useful tool to have on your Asha though, effectively acting like a giant bookmark for social networking sites.
The app is capable of launching everything from Facebook, Gmail, Twitter and eBuddy, to MySpace, Bebo, Friendster and Flickr. If you tend to use lots of different social networks, then Sign In is a worthy download.
Imsy
Imsy can take a little while to get to grips with; there are lots of options, and it’s certainly not the most intuitive. Once you do get the hang of it though, it’s a great app for posting updates across different platforms. You can post to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or you can also use the app as a type of RSS reader, getting the latest news from sites like the BBC.
Updates will appear in the messages section, with the page split up into different parts for different sources. It’s all easy to read and use once you get the hang of it, you just need the patience to stick around and enjoy it.
Yahoo! Messenger
Yahoo! Messenger does exactly what it says on the tin, letting you access your Yahoo! account and chat to friends on the move. The app is easy to use, and it’s simple to send instant messages to friends who also have Yahoo! accounts.
It’s a lot easier to get to grips with than alternatives like Imsy, but then again it doesn’t offer a lot of the same features. If you want a simple app for chatting on Yahoo! though, this is the ideal solution.
MXit
The first thing you’ll notice about MXit is that you have to register to use the app. This includes a unique username, password, pincode and can take a few minutes to set up. Once you’ve done that, you can invite other friends to join you and chat using MXit, or you can also catch up with friends by adding your Yahoo!, MSN and Facebook accounts to the app.
You can upload photographs for your friends to see, and you can also add feeds from other sources. It’s a comprehensive app, but with so many options it can be a little baffling at times.
Nimbuzz
Nimbuzz is another app that requires you to spend a little time setting it up first. That’s because Nimbuzz is intended as a stand-alone instant messaging app, where you set up your own Nimbuzz account and ask your friends to join you. Along with instant messaging, you’ll also be able to join chatrooms, talking to people from around the world.
It’s a shame you can’t include Facebook or Twitter contacts in the messages, as it’s a really easy app to use. Everything is sensibly laid out, works quickly and effectively, and if all my friends weren’t already committed to other social networks I could happily use it more often.
Twitter for Nokia
There are a number of third-party solutions for the Nokia Asha, but you can also use the integrated Twitter app to stay in touch with your friends, family and followers. You can tweet with the app, discover trends, and even send direct messages. Everything is intuitive to use – as you’d expect from a Nokia-designed app – and it’s one of the most fluid social networking apps out there.