It's Brain Training - for S60, with SPB kindly porting their own take on the genre from their Windows Mobile version. The result is something that's clearly not optimised for non-touch S60 phones, but despite this Ewan found the SPB Brain Evolution games challenging and the overall package good value. Will it actually help your brain to evolve? I suspect not, but it sure looks like a good way to keep your grey matter on an even keel while waiting in queues...
Further to our thoughts on who owns the customer, Jan Rezab on the MobileGamesBlog has pitched in with their ideas on what the networks really think of the rise of manufacturer's app stores. In short they feel that the networks have been lazy, and now the challenge of OEM stores is here they need to sort this out and use their unique selling points – a direct relationship with billing mechanisms already in place – to create the app stores that customers have wanted for years.
Nokia today announced the availability of version 4.5 of the Qt cross platform application and UI framework. The new version sees the first release of the Qt Creator, a cross platform IDE, which combined with the Qt SDK, gives you everything you need to start cross platform development. The release is also the first licensed under LGPL, which is more permissive license and should increase the adoption of Qt.
Despite it being post-MWC week (or perhaps because of it), Carnival of the Mobilists 163 is a good one and well worth checking out. Happy reading!
It is just a matter of time before the Nokia Music Store (purchase per track) goes DRM free, but reports from Nokia's 'Comes with Music' launch in Singapore cite Adam Mirabella, Director of Global Digital Music Retail at Nokia, as saying DRM free music is also 'on the roadmap for the future integration of Comes With Music'. Clearly such a move is still some time away and the statement is not definitive, but it's a sign of how keen Nokia is to push its music offerings.
In All About Symbian Insight 61 (AAS Podcast 117) we look back at some of the software highlights of MWC (including a quick N97 mention), discuss the Nokia Netbook rumours / ideas, talk about Ovi Contacts and go over the latest N-Gage developments. You can listen to AAS Insight 55 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
There are fifty, that's right Five Zero, Samsung Omnia HD smartphones (8mp cam, huge OLED screen, S60 5th, etc) available to each person accepted as a Omnia HD 'ambassador' next month. If you run a blog or media outlet and can get some buzz going about this latest Symbian OS super-phone then you've got a good chance of early access to the HD and a free device - apply now! The ambassadorial activities are due to start on April 4th, although Rafe and I should be able to bring you quite a bit more hands on Omnia HD coverage before then.
Continuing a fine and longstanding tradition, I bring you what will be a regularly updated top pick of the very best freeware for S60 5th Edition. At this moment in time, this means the Top Ten freeware for the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. OK, OK, so I relent after 10 and give you a bonus 'next 10', bubbling under. Hopefully there are some items in here that you hadn't considered until now!
In an admirably thorough and even-handed way, Mobile-review.com has investigated the 5800's earpiece problem to find its cause, and they've also got a lengthy official response from Nokia detailing what went wrong and how they've fixed it. In short, the cause was humidity gradually getting inside flawed earpieces. Nokia changed earpiece suppliers in late January so that 5800s made in February 2009 and later should be okay. Anyone with an older 5800 can get their old earpiece replaced with the new version at an authorised service centre. If you're unsure when your 5800 was made, the service centre should be able to tell you over the phone using your IMEI number.
Mobile Royale would like developers to work on a decent Twitter interface for S60 devices. They've posted their challenge on-line, and are pointing to the interface that the Google Search plug-in, and asking for 'something like that' so people can tweet directly from the stand-by screen. There are a number of Twitter clients for S60 available, and a number that are in development, so will anyone take up the challenge?
UK networks Orange and O2 may not carry the latest Nseries devices, including the N97, if Nokia insist on placing Skype on their hardware (reports MoCoNews and others). While other networks have had success with the Skype infrastructure (notably 3 in the UK), the idea of being able to route calls over the internet and not the GSM services has struck fear into others.
Without wishing to harp on about a small third party utility too much, this one's rather popular. Dr Jukka's Y-Browser is now at v0.89(2) and the author has managed to significantly improve the support for touch, including proper 'multi-selection' in dialogs. You can grab version 0.89(2) at the venerable Dr Jukka's web site, along with all the optional companion plug-ins.
Rafe's been busy sorting through his snaps again - in these three gorgeous galleries he brings us close-up photos of the Nokia N86 8MP (great build materials, arguably best camera ever in a phone), the 6710 Navigator (GPS, compass, zoom strip) and the 6720 Classic (active noise cancellation), all launched at the event. Click through and enjoy each of these. And then buy Rafe a humungous beer the next time you see him.
Nokia's Second Life team continue with their regular events, and this Saturday the February edition of the Nokia Connected Worlds panels will take place on the Nokia Island in the virtual world. This month, Hydra and the team will be discussing the issues of disability in SL and other systems, and how they act as enabling tools for many.
One thing which Rafe witnessed at MWC was Stantum's demonstrations of some insanely responsive multi-touch applets working on a standard resistive touchscreen. Leaving aside the demo applets (and also Rafe's own comments, he's still writing up MWC as we speak), then surely this type of technology is what Nokia should be building into its touchscreen phones, so that text input can be increased over the currently limited speeds? Demo and more below.
