UIQ technology have announced a new version, 3.1 of their UIQ software platform. The new version adds supports for scalable vector graphics (SVG), improves the softkey configuration options and provides functions that facilitate multi-tasking thereby improving the ability to switch between applications.
Nokia has today announced that they will make their mapping and navigation solution (smart2go) available for free download. Initially available for S60 and Windows Mobile 5 it will later become available for other platforms. It is the same solution that is found in the Nokia N95. Mapping and route planning will be available free, but turn by turn voice navigation will be a premium service. Location is via any Bluetooth GPS. The download will be available from this Saturday.
If you're into trivia, pub quizzes or fact finding, note that my free Trivopaedia (... a trivia enecyclopaedia) has had a huge update and is now up to v2.2, with over 300 entries. It runs inside (the also free) Mobipocket Reader for all Symbian OS-powered smartphones. Comments welcome!
HanDBase, a long standing PDA and smartphone database solution, with full PC interoperability, is now officially available for all S60 3rd Edition smartphones. In addition to creating and maintaining your own custom databases, there are thousands of ready made database 'applets'. See also Krisse's review. The full press release from DDH Software follows.
At Nokia World Alastair Curtis talked about some of the concepts behind the Nokia Design philosophy. As a glimpse of the future he showed some concept videos, which Nokia has now made available via YouTube, exploring the potential areas for mobile hardware design and accompanying software might go to. Read on for more.
Antony Pranata usefully provides screenshots, details and the right download address for the new (beta) Yahoo! Go 2.0, a Java host for a selection of genuinely useful widgets (news, searching, etc.) Do note though that the 500k download has to be done in Services, not Web. We'll be knocking up a full review in the next week or so.
AAS chief Rafe Blandford weighs in with his official predictions and challenges for 2007, along with an assessment of what he got right and wrong from last year's predictions piece. Essential reading for anyone in the industry or who is interested in where the Symbian OS world is going. Plus, a bonus preview of the front cover of Symbian magazine, Dec 2007...
Yet another DVD/video to Nokia smartphone converter has been released, from Rock Your Mobile. Nokia Video Converter looks quite slick though. URL and press release follows.
Steve thinks nothing in the modern world seems to work properly any more. In this editorial he ponders whether heavily converged devices are ready for the mass market when things do not work 100% reliably.
Makayama has announced Mobile TV Center 1.0. A world's first, it lets you watch recorded TV shows on more than 500 mobile devices, using your Windows Media Center. Compatibility includes many Symbian devices from Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Motorola. The full press release follows.
Part review and part tutorial, our own krisse evaluates HanDBase for S60 3rd Edition and finds an impressive powerhouse with a huge data library behind it. It's spoilt only by a few late-beta niggles. Here's the big HanDBase review.
In audio podcast no.8, Ewan Spence interviews PsiLoc and Bitween, two long time developers working in the Symbian OS world. Applications featured include Remote Control, Wireless Presenter and Mobile Fax.
I was resisting posting about this because I think they're in danger of complicating the application, but Opera Mini is now up to v3.0, with photo publishing (to an Opera photo server), RSS (news/blogs) and HTTPS (secure site) support, plus various usability improvements. It's still the best way to keep your GPRS bill down though....
Ewan has put his thinking kilt on and ponders whether the problem of the illegal software scene can be solved by a white knight - Symbian Signed. It is a controversial area and amongst the AAS team there are a range of opinions.
