Before you get too discouraged by Ewan's 'sharing' analysis(!), here's a nice (Flash) demonstration of what can be achieved by Ovi's Share (/Twango) - working on the principle that a picture is worth a thousand words, the slideshow is equivalent to a small book...
Is 'sharing' a good marketing angle for the mainstream? In typically controversial fashion, and with a good sense of Web 2.0 in the real world, Ewan isn't so sure. What fraction of Nseries phone buyers, for example, are really going to get to grips with sharing online and geo-tagging?
Below the break, there's an interesting video demo of some of the features in the upcoming S60 Touch UI, showing standby screen shortcuts, list scrolling and explaining touch interaction in Web. Good to see so much emphasis is being placed on consistency with existing the S60 3rd Edition platform, too...
Ah yes, good to see Nokia and Google talking to each other at last. It seems that they've inked a deal to include Google search results in Nokia's on-device Mobile Search utility. The rollout will start with the new devices announced yesterday and will then come in firmware updates and downloads to existing devices in various markets in due course. The press release is below, if you want the full details.
[updated post] Yep, v2.0 is now out, at http://www.nokia.com/betalabs/maps/ - thanks, guys, we got to a working URL in the end(!) It's strictly a beta release but should work well on any FP1 phone (e.g. N95, N82, E90, E51, etc.) Some of the new features (e.g. traffic) may not work yet, either.
And here's the mobile advertising announcement, Nokia Media Network, a 'premiere mobile advertising network' (their phrase), was announced at MWC. This appears to be the re-branding of the Enpocket advertising company the Finnish company purchased on October 2007, allowing companies to place advertising on Operator and Mobile Publisher pages.
Nokia's press release at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona annoucned Ovi's next step. It seems that the evolutioon of Ovi is geared towards the big press dates on the calendar - which makes sense, as the Ovi concept needs to bear repetition to the world, as witnessed by the number of questions around it at today's press conference. Joining Nokia Maps 2.0, is the Share on Ovi online service.
Also just announced at MWC was the 6210 Navigator, bringing the older 6110 Navigator up to date with 3.2 megapixel camera and latest styling. Maps 2.0 will be built-in and there's an N95-style accelerometer to help out, in addition to the full S60 application package/platform. Photos and more details below the break.
The Nokia 6220 Classic has also debuted, and this is going to be the 'regular' device that surprises everybody. It's got an impressive spec for a mid range phone, including a 5 megapixel Carl Zeiss-lensed camera with Xenon flash (yes, really), HSPDA connectivity and an assisted GPS for location aware services. It also hooks into the Ovi services as well.
While the N96 takes the plaudits, Nokia's N78 is probably going to be the bigger seller. With all the high spec features of the Nseries range (including assisted GPS; Carl Zeiss 3.2 megapixel lens with LED flash; and a 2GB ‘pre-fitted' memory card), but in a more traditional candy bar shape, along with an integrated FM transmitter, to pass out your music and video to a nearby radio (eg in a car).
Nokia has announced the N96, its new flagship in the Nseries, with quad band reception, DVB-H (digital TV), 16GB of internal flash memory and microSD expansion. It runs S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2. Plus all the top end specs from the existing N95 8GB. For thoughts, photos and specs, read on.
Samsung just announced the G810, a 'do everything' slider smartphone with a 2.6" screen, GPS, a 5 megapixel camera (with optical zoom, 'face detection' and image editor), HSDPA connectivity at 3.6 Mbps, Wi-Fi, a 3.5mm headphone socket and based on S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1. It will be available in Europe from March 2008. More details shortly.
If you want to follow Nokia's Nseries launches (two devices are expected), bookmark their dedicated Tangler page, with video and news throughout tomorrow (Mon). Note also that there are probably going to be Nokia Eseries launches, plus possible devices from Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Motorola - we'll bring you the news as it happens.
LG Electronics has announced its new 'LG-KT610', described as a "GPS-enabled, stylish candy bar mobile phone with a unique 2.4" flip screen holding a PC-like Qwerty keypad". More details below (it's actually a clamshell, in the style of the Nokia E90), plus photos from Rafe.
This weeks All About Symbian Insight, #12, focuses on N-Gage First Access (the pre-release version of the N-Gage client and select games). In the podcast Ewan and Rafe talk over their first impressions and some of the choices Nokia have made in strategy, positioning and pricing. This weeks Insight is a shortened version as we're busy get ready for MWC next week.