NTT DOCOMO announces 2009 handset line up

NTT DOCOMO today announced its new handset line up for 2009. Included in the line up are Symbian (MOAP) phones from Fujitsu (F-08A and F-09A) and Sharp (SH-05A, SH-06A, SH-06A NERV and SH-07A). Features include being water proof (low end models) and 10 megapixels cameras, GPS built in digital TV receivers, world roaming (high end models).

More on Symbian release plans - Qt-based Orbit UI supersedes S60 AVKON in Symbian^4

David Wood, writing on the Symbian Foundation Blog, about reviewing the release plans, has highlighted some details of upcoming Symbian releases. Symbian^2, the equivalent of S60 5th Edition Feature Pack 1, will be functionally complete next week and in devices early next year. Symbian^3, for which the majority of the source code should be available, enhances communication architecture, multimedia and graphics functionality, and should reach devices in the second half of 2010. 

Symbian ^4 will see the full integration and optimisation of Qt into the Symbian platform. Further proposals includes the 'Orbit' extension library for Qt (replacing AVKON) and a new 'Direct UI' interaction and navigation logic. Put crudely, this means we will see an evolution of the existing S60/AVKON UI to a new Qt-based 'Orbit' Symbian UI for devices coming out in 2011. Read on for more details.

Symbian Foundation: day one and a new logo

Yesterday marked 'day one' of the Symbian Foundation. This announced the commencement of the beta testing of its new web site and that 81 companies have applied for membership (50 of which are first time endorsers). The new logo of the Symbian Foundation was also unveiled: Symbian, in stylised letters, underlain by a yellow heart. Read on for more.

Setting up developer support for the Symbian Foundation

Richard Bloor, a new addition to the AAS editorial team, recently talked to Thibaut Rouffineau, from the Symbian Foundation, on a range of topics including the challenges and opportunities in setting-up to support developers, how developers might contribute to the platform and the role of academia in the software industry.

MOAP on Symbian extends to Taiwan via F905i

Fujitsu and NTT DoCoMo today announced they had localised the FOMA F905i handset for the Taiwanese market. The F905i, which runs MOAP on Symbian OS, is the first such handset to be made available outside Japan. The phone will be available on Far EasTone Telecommunications' (FET) network. The F905i features a 3.2 inch WVGA screen, 3.2 megapixel camera and allows input via the Traditional Chinese character set.

Two more MOAP phones based on Symbian OS, one 8mp, one waterproof!

Yes, yes, MOAP is being rolled into S60 as well in the future. But in the meantime, hardware continues to be released. Launched yesterday were the NTT DOCOMO PRIME series SH-03A, which is made by Sharp, has a touch screen and an 8 megapixel camera, plus the STYLE series F-02A, which is made by Fujitsu and is fully waterproof. 

Insight 46 - RoadSync, N96 and more on UIQ

In All About Symbian Podcast 99 (Insight #46) we talk about the N96 which has received mixed reviews from initial users. In the second half the podcast Ewan provides his first impressions of One, the latest N-Gage game, before we move on to discussing manufacturer commitment to the Symbian Foundation and what the future may hold for UIQ.

Insight 45 - Symbian Smartphone Show part 1

In All About Symbian Podcast 98 (Insight #45) we are back from last weeks Symbian Smartphone Show at Earl's Court. There some discussion on the feel and size of the show, Symbian Foundation related announcements, and the start of our run through of some of the devices and demos we saw.

The AAS Insight #31 - Here Comes The Symbian Foundation

There was always going to be one big topic for in-depth discussion in the latest AAS Insight Podcast - the announcement of the Symbian Foundation. Rafe and Steve are joined by Stefan and Ewan to talk over the ground-breaking news, and shoot a bit of Midnight Pool into the bargain.

AAS Podcast #82: David Wood (Symbian EVP) on the Symbian Foundation

In another of our regular podcast interviews, Ewan Spence talks to David Wood, EVP Symbian, on some of the finer details on the Symbian Foundation. Launched ten years to the day after the announcement of Symbian, Wood discusses a number of issues around the new strategy of the Symbian partners.