A group of companies, drawn from both the consumer electronics and automotive industries, today announced the formation of the Car Connectivity Consortium, to help develop, maintain and promote in-vehicle connectivity solutions such as Terminal Mode, NFC and wireless charging. The stated goal of the organisation is to have "a seamless, safe, effortless and delightful user experience when using a smartphone in a car".
For almost all aspects of smartphone-desktop connectivity, Mac owners haven't been too disadvantaged. In fact, some aspects (e.g. PIM sync) are arguably a lot better under Mac OS X. However, a notable hole in overall functionality has been being able to check for firmware updates and install them over a microUSB cable. Yes, 'Over the air' updates are usually sufficient, but it's good to have a second source of vital software improvements. Nokia Beta Labs just released a Mac version of their Software Update tool and I've been trying it out. Screens and links below.
The Nokia E7 has received a minor firmware upgrade, from version 13.016 (PR 1.0) to version 14.002 (PR 1.1). The update, which is 907 kb in size, is available OTA (over the air) and can be downloaded using the 'SW update' application. This is a small update with minor performance improvements and a number of bug fixes.
Every year Ewan disappears to South by South West (SXSW) in Texas with his podcaster's hat on - and every year we give him something interesting to road test. This year, the kilted road warrior is taking his turn with the Nokia E7 Communicator and in this second video in the series (embedded below), he looks at social networking on the device. All delivered in inimitable chatty Ewan style. Fans of Emu will be delighted to learn his feathered friend has now joined him in Austin, having taken a longer flight (it's a lot of flapping to get to the USA) and may well appear in an upcoming video....
Now available as an 'experimental beta' for all S60 5th Edition and Symbian^3 phones, Nokia Shoot & Tag is a camera-centric utility that allows video capture with automatic scene detection and then lets you browse through scenes later on. The idea, as usual, is to get the public to try the interface and ideas before the concept is (or isn't) rolled out into device firmware. Links and a video below.
Our friend, Asri Al Baker, brought my attention to a discovery he made about how to access one's Google Docs account as a WebDav drive. This is thanks to an experimental service, the "Dav-Pocket Lab". This services uses Google's API, providing a WebDav portal into one's account. Other sites have reported a method which requires one to log in with their Google credentials. However, since the news originally broke, the Dav-Pocket blog has announced an OAuth addition. Read on for more details.
As I write this, Jason Hawkes, one of "the world’s most respected aerial photographers", is flying round some of the UK's most stunning (large) locations on a 5 day 'shoot', attempting to capture some innovative aerial photos using just the Nokia N8, to show what can be achieved with "the phone that's always with you". Well, yes, if you also have a helicopter chartered, in this case! Embedded below is an intro video to the project, plus some quotes from the press release. We'll have more from the 'HD Horizons' project in a week or so's time, complete with some of the photos captured on Jason's N8.
Every year Ewan disappears to South by South West (SXSW) in Texas with his podcaster's hat on - and every year we give him something interesting to road test. This year, the kilted road warrior is taking his turn with the Nokia E7 Communicator and in this first video in the series (embedded below), he looks at typing, music and video playback. All delivered in inimitable Ewan style. Fans of Emu will be disappointed to learn that his feathered friend's passport had expired and so doesn't join him in the videos.
Nokia UK has just launched a photo competition for UK residents based around its N8 smartphone, with the theme of 'Life through your Nokia N8' and with the grand prize a 'huge' version of your winning photo on a billboard near your home. Plus - ahem - £1000 to spend, so not too shabby. Details are listed at Nokia UK's Facebook page and photos (as many as you like) can be sent in by email.
Google Chrome users might like to direct their attention to the Chrome Web App Store. An unofficial app for Nokia's Ovi Store has recently appeared, giving users a direct shortcut to the Ovi Store on their 'new tab' page. Google's move to bring apps to the browser has seen varying amounts of innovation. Some "apps" are nothing more than glorified bookmarks to websites. The Ovi Store Web App falls under this category, so don't expect any extra functionality. Read on for screenshots.
The Ovi Store client has been updated today, with v2.06.00042 being enforced for Symbian^3-powered phones, and v1.9.008 for S60 3rd Edition and 5th Edition phones. The new version is to maintain compatibility with architecture changes at Nokia's end and also provides performance improvements on all devices.
I'm with Devin (at The Nokia Guide) all the way when he lists his '13 Reasons Why I Love The N8', giving an overwhelming vote of confidence in the N8's build, specification and functionality, based on his usage of the device over the last few months. Worth a read, even if you're already an N8 fan.
The alternative browser company, Opera, has announced that the Opera Store is now available for users of the various browsers from the Norwegians. Powered by Appia, the store can be found at mobilestore.opera.com and will be on the initial speed dial for new users to Opera. In tandem with the launch, their Publisher Portal is also open for business.
Those interested in buying the Nokia E7, wanting to see more of the device before spending their money, should head over to my blog. Following on from writing part 4 and part 5 of our extensive E7 review, I held an impromptu photo shoot of the E7, along with some other devices. There are twenty seven photos, showing the E7 from all angles. Read on for a preview.
Digia, a Finnish software company, has signed an agreement with Nokia to acquire the commercial licensing and professional services arm of Nokia's Qt. The major portion of Qt, including all core development and LGPL licensing remains with Nokia. Nokia plans to continue to invest in the future development of Qt, which remains core to its Symbian (150 million additional devices) and MeeGo (future disruptions) activities. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the month; neither company are disclosing cost details.
