Sorry, we should have posted this a few days ago, but Vodafone Mobile Clicks is an annual competition for mobile developers that finishes on the 14th May, with a 150K Euro prize. This is the first year that the contest has been open to UK entrants. On Twitter, see hashtag #vmc, or follow @vmc2009 or @momolondon for contest news.
Readers in Finland may like to know that the unlocked SIM-free 5800 is now on sale on Verkkokauppa at just 269 euros including taxes, which brings it into line with the UK unlocked price. It also makes it one of the cheapest smartphones in the country right now, and places it firmly in the mid-range category. (The same deal is also available in blue.)
The N-Gage application has been updated to a new version. There don't seem to be any major changes visible, but apparently this fixes some score sync and predictive text problems, and possibly other bugs. If you want to update, open your N-Gage application, select "Options" and then "Check For Updates", then follow the instructions. Alternatively you can download directly from this link. Important Notes: The update download file may have the old app version number, but it IS the new version. Also, after installation the N-Gage icon may get moved from the front page to the Applications folder, you can move it back to the front page by using the instructions below.
Just a few miscellaneous Nokia N97 bits and pieces. Rafe, Ewan and I had the N97 as the core of our recording of AAS Insight 70, which will be up on Monday - we're all in agreement over the great 'N97 clock speed' debate, at least. Then there were yet more example N97 camera photos, looking good. And now there's a near-ten-minute arty video (the high quality version embedded below) from the guys who designed the N97, including some interesting snaps of the Nokia production line and some new screenshots and animations (plus all you ever wanted to know about the N97 hinge).
The quarterly report of radio audiences (RAJAR) in the United Kingdom has been published, and while most of the data is only available to members, some interesting facts for online radio fans have come out via the BBC News report. The first point is that generally listening to radio has been on the rise, and part of that can be put down to new technology (roughly 15m people using DAB, digital TV or internet). And the number of people listening on their mobiles has risen by 13%.
Thanks to CJ for noticing that a S60 5th Edition Touch version of Nokia’s Friend View application is now available. Friend View is similar to Google Latitude in that it lets you add friends to a custom list and shows you where each is at the moment, along with a status update or message. Do you think Friend View has a future and will it ever make it into a device's firmware? Will it ever get integrated with Nokia Maps in the way that Ovi Contacts has been? Comments welcome!
A quick one for developers, as Brady Forrest points out both the addition of some web badges/buttons for the Google Latitude location service, but also an API to allow apps access to the location data of a user. Available as both JSON and KML Forrest is right that this is a very small first step, but expects more features and functions over the coming months.
You've got to love Ricky and Rita at Symbian Guru, here unearthing (and providing a brief tutorial for) another gem - Pixelpipe, a new plug-in for Share online which widens the photo (and video) uploading compatibility to encompass Facebook, Twitpic, Picassa, YouTube and others. If you've used Pixelpipe then your comments welcome.
The AAS review of the Nokia E75 may not be the first in the world, but it's hopefully the most insightful and comprehensive. In the first part the review, Rafe considers the hardware and general design on the latest Eseries device. There's a detailed look at the keyboard, musings on this cross-over device and much more. Part two will follow next week.
Nokia has recently made available a major firmware update for the Nokia N96. The new firmware, version 20.050, improves email support (including an email shortcut on the homescreen), adds personalisation settings for Audio Themes, slide handling and slide show wallpaper. There also improvements to WiFi support, camera image quality, Flash Lite video support and more. The firmware can be updated over the air or via Nokia Software Updater. Read on for more details and screenshots.
The classic 3D platformer Pandemonium is out now in the N-Gage showroom. To see it, go to the N-Gage application on your compatible phone, select the "Showroom" tab, select "Options" and then "Update Now". You should also be able to see it in the "All Games" section. You can find out more about the N-Gage platform including a list of compatible phones in the All About N-Gage FAQ.
Hot off the press is Nokia's new E52, with specs, photos and video embedded below. The E52 can either be thought of as a massive update to the popular E51 or a traditional number-key candybar version of the bigger E75. Highlights include S60 3rd Edition FP2, GPS, 3.2 megapixel camera, Ovi, Nokia Messaging, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB charging, noise cancellation, Nokia's 1500mAh mega-battery for a full 8 hours talk time, and more. Read on for more.
More Nokia E75 coverage from the blog world, with Rita El-Khoury producing a very insightful little series directly comparing the E75 with yesterday's qwerty favourite, the E71. Here are the parts, in order: Form Factor, Hardware, '3 Jewels', Software, Camera. Enjoy. All About Symbian's own E75 review will be exhaustive and is imminent.
In All About Symbian Insight 69 (AAS Podcast 127) Rafe, Ewan and Steve talk about Bobba, operating billing on the Ovi Store, v21 firmware for the Nokia 5800 and the new N-Gage game - Age of Empires III. Rafe then reports back in detail from the Nokia Developer Summit 2009. You can listen to AAS Insight 69 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
One of many people's must-have utilities, and like competitor Fring before it, the VoIP and chat client Nimbuzz has been finally ported to make full use of the touchscreen on the Nokia 5800. In fact, not just a straight port, since the developers have produced the most Nokia-like UI of any third party app for the 5800 that I've seen so far. Screenshots and download link below.
