What if your phone could destroy an entire network base station with just a single command? Would you rework the OS so safeguards would be in place, or would you prefer to hold back every third party application, Canute style, hoping nothing gets through? The attitude of Apple and Symbian to this issue reflects the benefits of the open platform that Symbian and the upcoming Foundation promote, in my opinion. Read on.
Over on Ovi Gaming we've got lots of new vids: How to install the Ovi Store application on the Nokia N95, a more general look at how to use the Ovi Store application, a gameplay video of old-style arcade shoot-em-up My Little Tank, and a gameplay video of plasticine-based scrolling shooter Platypus (think Wallace & Gromit crossed with R-Type).
Give two very articulate and S60-experienced phone reviewers the same device and they'll come to roughly the same conclusions, right? Wrong. Showing yet again that the Nokia N97 seems to polarise opinion, we have Karri Ojanen, concluding that the N97 is well worth perserving with and who seems enamoured of most aspects of the device, and Johnny Bruha, who found the N97 lacking in so many areas during his extended test period that the device ended up in the bin. Both reviews are well worth reading over a glass of wine this evening and I guarantee you'll nod your head in agreement with both, somewhat paradoxically!
In an OviGaming.com editorial, Ewan discusses the dual existence of the (virtually identical) standalone and N-Gage versions of Sims 3 - will this be a problem, will this duality give Nokia and EA much useful information and does it highlight any flaws in the current muddled system?
In recent years the USB flash disk has become the ubiquitous way to carry files around with you. But what about getting files from a USB flash disk to your mobile phone when you're out about? In his review of the Mobidapter, an accessory which offers a solution to this issue, Steve considers whether this is a really useful solution or a really bad idea.
The Carnival of the Mobilists has reached number 184 and 'idlemode', and represents your reading material over your Tuesday morning coffee break. Always good, generic mobile material.
After three days of delays (FX: looks meaningfully at YouTube's system manager and the programmers of S60 Podcasting), The Phones Show 86 is now online - and available via RSS from the usual addresses. Subjects covered: News, Qwerty phones, my N86 video zoom demo and my verdict on the Samsung i8910 HD. See here for the video, RSS links and more info.
Candid insight is hard to obtain during the initial phases of an acquisition. Accenture’s purchase of the Symbian Professional Services group from Nokia is no exception. However, a little digging does indicate that from Accenture’s perspective this deal is about more than gaining access to Symbian skills. Read on.
Opera's press release today caught my eye not because of the “It's been used to look at ten billion web pages in a month” headline, but the top ten list of countries using Opera Mini. In order, these were Russia, Indonesia, India, China, Ukraine, South Africa, U.S., U.K., Poland and then Nigeria. Now I could pull out a list of top countries for the internet as a whole, but that's not going to be comparing like with like, but the thing is that many of them have the US, UK and mainland European countries high up on the list. Read on for my thoughts...
The Nokia 5800 has just gotten its v30 firmware update (actually v30.0.011). It's currently available Over The Air (*#0000# from the home screen) for some product codes, including my APAC one, as a 4MB download. Perhaps not the 'mega' update that many people had thought was coming, tying in with the upcoming 5530 XpressMusic, this is still a recommended update, bringing bug fixes and performance optimisations.
In this tutorial, Rafe explains how you can create your own shortcut widget for the TouchWiz-powered idle screen of the Samsung i8910. In this example, the widget links through to the AAS mobile site, but you'll have your own destination in mind. And, hopefully, will have your imagination inspired to create something more ambitious - and maybe even enter Samsung's competition to win some big cash prizes? See the bottom of the tutorial for full details.
Two little software items of general interest. The rather lovely (you know I like clear, white themes) 'Nseries White' theme, as featured in the firmware of the N86 8MP, is now up for download here (is copying themes from one device to another legal? - discuss!). You'll spot that the theme is RARed up, but that's OK because there's also now a freeware UnRAR tool for S60 and no, you don't have to fiddle about signing it (unless you want a file recognizer too).
In which I reprise my 'Gotta have QWERTY' theme and explore the currently available options for anyone wanting Symbian OS and a 'proper' keyboard... I look at Eseries, Nseries and numbered S60 phones - it's safe to say there's no runaway winner either. (Oh yes - and I promise not to mention 'Psion'!)
Nokia today announced that it is acquiring certain assets of cellity, a small privately owned mobile software company. cellity's current services, which are focused around managing and syncing contacts between different web services, will not be transferred to Nokia; rather Nokia will acquire the cellity team to strengthen its own 'competencies in the area of social networking'. Read on for more.
As I head out the door, I turn back, unlock the house, and sheepishly pick up my smartphone from the office desk. Probably a scene that we've all done once or twice, but have you ever wondered how much freedom the mobile phone actually takes away from you? In my musings below, I keep my tongue firmly in cheek and paranoia firmly in my brain. Read on...
