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Nov 18 2009

Nokia N97 & N97 mini | The problems with the Music Player search

Posted by Norman John in N-Series, N97, N97 2.0, N97 Mini, N97 Mini RAOUL Limited Edition, Nokia

4115286954 2702e01595 Nokia N97 & N97 mini | The problems with the Music Player search

The latest firmware update for the Nokia N97 brought many new features and changes. However, not all changes have improved the experience and usability of the device. One of which is the new search function in the music player.

For all of you who haven’t noticed it or have not yet updated your handset, I’ll start from scratch and explain the problems. With the old search function you could enter the word ‘love’ for example, and you got a lists of the all songs containing the word ‘love’, either in the title or author’s name.

However now, with the new v20 firmware and also on the Nokia N97 mini, when you enter the word ‘love’ you only get a match with the first word in the title of the song. So, you end up getting a really limited search result which isn’t much use at all.

4115172236 3ec980f441 Nokia N97 & N97 mini | The problems with the Music Player search

Take the following  example:

I want to listen to a song of which I only know that the title contains the world ‘diamonds’. I will never find the song ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ by searching ‘diamonds’ as ‘diamonds’ is the last word in the title.

4114402885 136ea520a7 Nokia N97 & N97 mini | The problems with the Music Player search

More over there is another issue with the search functionality when you want to edit the search term. Once you have entered your word, you can’t edit it and if you try do to so by pressing the clear/delete button, you will be asked whether you want to delete the song instead.

These are some major bugs in the software and not how the search functionality should work. The N97 offers 32GB storage, essentially for music, and you can store thousands of songs on it. Without a proper search option, the music experience is spoiled and leaves the end user browsing through extensive lists to find the desired  song to play. I really hope that Nokia send out an update to solve this issue soon, as it is so much easier to use an mp3 player at the moment.

Related posts:

  1. Ovi Music: DRM-free downloads and enhanced search capability
  2. Your Music Player Is Ringing: Live Q&A session with Nokia
  3. Music Player with Lyrics for Nokia 5800, X6 and 5230 Plus Tips on Embedding Lyrics
  4. Symbian Tutorials: Adding Music Album Art and Editing Details with Windows Media Player and Songbird
  5. iSearch – a web search launcher for S60 5th Edition

  • rodak69

    I have the same issue, it’s very irritating when you have up to 20GB of mp3′s on the phone…

  • http://www.symbianworld.org Norman John

    Yes, this really sucks. I use the Music player daily and so I cannot find songs that fast as before…

  • Johnny

    It seems they exchanged the search algorithm between the N97 (mini) and the ovi store :)

    A few days ago, it wasn’t possible to find the “egg timer” on ovi store by searching for “timer”- this works now. But now there are similar problems on the phones. How funny…

  • http://www.symbianism.com Merlin-HDH

    no sir,
    I have a German 20.0.019 on an N97 and I don’t have this problem. The only thing what was changing is that I couldn’t place the icon for the player on the front screen for direct access anymore.

  • http://www.symbianism.com Merlin-HDH

    oh … now I see … I use the search function that will find anything on your phone or if you go to music only the music … I have that now on front screen

  • http://www.symbian-guru.com/welcome/2009/11/music-search-on-the-n97-one-step-forward-two-steps-back.html Music Search On The N97: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back | Symbian-Guru.com

    [...] John, on Symbian World, has just written an article highlighting two issues with the new search system. The first one is that you can no longer search for a word that isn’t the first one in the [...]

  • Lee Archer

    Whats the name of that N97 theme in the screen shots???

  • http://www.symbianworld.org Norman John
  • Edouard

    does anyone found a better music player to install as an app?

    This problem is terrible !!!!!!!

    I have also a lot of music in the 32G memory and it’s impossible to find something with default player.

  • http://www.pinoyloveforum.com Mike De Leon

    i bought two units of Nokia N97 because i like the style of this phone and also its features. Best phone i have ever used.
    ^

  • Edouard

    Did anyone found a solution yet ? It’s a pain in the a** ! Can’t find any music since this update…

  • http://www.arthritistreatment.asia Tommy

    I love the look and feel of the Nokia N97. This is probably the best phone that i ever bought, the other best phone would be the iPhone.

  • Edouard

    Hi there,

    I’m still looking for a solution regarding the music search.
    After a new update ( V 21.0.045) the music player doesn’t provide any solution…
    Help !

  • Raanan

    what’s the problem ?
    use the global search ?
    I use FW ver v2.1 and the global search works fine, even for middle words.

    there are other problems in the music player:
    1. when u copy a full album , with album art to the phone, all is great. once u erase the song from the album that the player links to (I mean, it uses a certain track’s album art as picture for the artist and album), then no longer can u see the album art in the artists list, or albums list (u do see it when the songs are played).
    2. if several artists have the same album’s name (i.e Greatest Hits and not “bobby’s Greatest Hits), the player unites the albums. so now I have “Greatest Hits” with Eurythmics photo and songs by them and Brian Adams).

  • Megan

    i have just got a new nokia n97 mini on contract, i had put loads of music on it, however it wouldnt play any of it, i have deleted all music files from the phones memory and my memory card however in the actual music player it says i still have all that music there but cannot delete it :-( can anyone help if so please e-mail me at smegs1990@hotmail.co.uk many thanks

  • franiii

    ola a todos…! tengo un n97 mini y va todo bien menos el reproductor de musica…tan solo 1 vez pude reproducir una cancion y colocar el reproductor en la pantalla (acceso directo)… (dnd sta la radio) en la ”discoteca”…hay ya no me deja meterme( ni pinchando ahi ni en ‘opciones’)…como dije antes tan solo una vez me dejo…le di ‘actualizar biblioteca’ y asi siii….xo q va,, ya no me deja meterme mas….me stoy apañando con la aplicacion ‘tunewiki’ (la polla ), xo claro cuando me falte internet sta aplicacion…como q no (eso creo). en fin…q puedo hacer…???

  • micze

    Megan, I got this same problem on my N97. You have a solution?

  • Nandu

    this phone is not good for every devices

  • yomismopep

    este movil es una mierda, no os engañeis

  • unhappy

    i had the old search function on my old nokia n97 and loved it, but i had my fone replaced when i broke it, i hate trying to search through music now and have noticed the music player freezing alot more too!! I’m happy i’ve finally found an explaination for it though!

  • suneet dhablania

    when i play the songs on music player the music player plays the song but i am not able to hear the song as there is no volume

  • reece bob

    had the no volume problem and it was the head phones as they dont work.
    to get the music player to work you go in to the music player menu and refresh the library.

  • nishant

    I have nou mini . I have uploaded 3000 songs in the memory card but after refreshing the library its showing only 1800 songs . Iwent to nokia care they updated the software but the problem remainss . Now every time i update my phones music library 1or 2 songs are added . I m tired of trying anything already but still i need a solution to my problem . Someon pleasee help.

  • snemyllas

    Virtual Player (or V_Player) was supported up to S60v3 but as my Nokia N97mini is v5 this leaves me without a random webradio player. The Ogg Vorbis guys have a new version ready but that isn’t trustworty … as yet?

  • imran

    when i change walpaper or profiles the phone(n97 mini) resarted automatically. how i solve the problem?

  • hemanth

    i have problem with music player it shows system error some time it shows not enough memory to complete operation
    please help me

  • Ali

    I accidence deleted the maps that where on sounds and now i cant listen to music can someone please tell me what maps where in sounds

  • UMAIR

    very very very good and beautiful

  • tykAh

    music player not found…y ?

  • FwefwefF

    Wattttt” new????

  • Ralph Aldrin Nicolas

    mine says file corrupted but i have still my songs in my music player and if i enter the playlist key it says general system error . . . what should i do???? can someone help me?