One area which is often overlooked but in which Nokia has been steadily improving our smartphone lives is the 'Switch' application (a.k.a. Data Transfer), ostensibly letting us transfer all our 'stuff' from one S60 phone to another. Vaibhav has been documenting Switch's use in keeping two smartphones in sync and has been relishing all the options and control. Worth reading if you're about to switch or if you have two devices (husband and wife?)
The Windows Live client for S60, which includes the Windows Live / MSN Messenger (IM) and is available via Nokia's Download! client, will shortly become a paid for service in select markets. Up until this point in time no charges have been levied, but starting immediately consumers will be offered a 30 day trial after which time they we be asked to pay a monthly fee to continue too use the service.
Ever since Jaiku was bought up by Google, questions have been gathering about the mobile presence-based network. Now Ewan's spotted a pertinent post by Ryan Paul and has written up his own thoughts on the saga . Is Jaiku long for this world?
These accelerometer applications are getting more and more fun - PyPiwo runs on the N95 et al and provides free water or beer, you will have fun with this down the pub, I absolutely guarantee. And it's written in my current favourite development system, Python, showing what can be done with this RAD (Rapid Application Development) language.
There's a fabulously interesting article over at Unwired View, where the author's got hold of the probable tech details of Nokia's multi-touch system, to be seen this year. Even more interestingly, the article goes on to describe a Nokia patent for a touch-less, ultrasonics-based 3D control system. 2008's shaping up to be quite a year!
Yup, it's out. A whole new version of the free Yahoo! Go! on-device portal. Version 2 was actually pretty handy, including mapping and routing and support for built-in GPS. Version 3.0 claims better email handling, more news, satellite maps, live traffic. Sounds a bit like Google's portfolio, except that here it's all in the one Java application. Worth a try? Type get.go.yahoo.com into your smartphone's browser.
In All About Symbian Insight # 7 (AAS Podcast #55) Steve, Ewan and Rafe look back at 2007 and pick out their highlights from the year. We cover the Nokia N95, a resurgent UIQ and Nokia's Ovi announcement. In the second half of the podcast we turn our attention to 2008 and make a few predictions.
Twelfth Night has come and gone so Xmas is well and truly over, but you can still get Snowed In 6: Deep Freeze for free if you hurry. Simply download the game from this page (click on the relevant "try" button), install it on your Symbian device, and then head on over to the unlock code page to get your free key. SI6 is available for all Symbian platforms, and the offer ends on the 15th of January.
A US variant of Nokia's flagship Nseries device, the N95 8GB, will shortly be made available. The only change in the specifications from the standard N95 are in the supported the WCDMA frequencies - 850/1900 MHz instead of 2100 MHz. The device will be available from Nokia Flagship Stores and Nseries retailers during the first quarter at an estimated retail price of $749.
Ah. I just 'got' where PiZero's going with his new (beta test version of his) 'Stealth' theme. It's for those nights out when you'd really not advertise your smartphone to the criminal fraternity by its dazzling luminescent display. Or perhaps for surreptitious use in a darkened cinema? Anyway, head on over if you'd like to help test the concept.
If you're in any way technical and want to get to grips with the ins and outs of audio codecs and the practicalities of streaming and decoding internet radio then you could do worse than check out Menneisyys' latest cross-platform epic analysis in the forums. Warning: not for the faint hearted!
