In All About Symbian Insight #36 (AAS Podcast #89) Rafe, and Steve chat about the web as a platform for services and follow on with a discussion on whether Nokia should make its services available on competing hardware. There's also a debate on the relative merits of the N78 and N82 for those looking to make a purchase decision.
It's not only AAS which has guest writers, you know. Over at Darla Mack's site, AAS regular snoyt brings us an epic tale of how an N95 classic performed, week in and week out during some transcontinental journeying. He worked the N95 into the ground, but fear not for a more modern replacement is on its way...
In this video review Rafe looks at the Nokia 6650, the clamshell S60 device that is exclusive to the T-Mobile network (and which I reviewed in text last week). In the video (embedded below) you can see the T-Mobile and Nokia services running on the device, a run through of the 6650's cover UI and a demonstration of the customisable keypad lights.
Canalys have crunched the numbers and produced some definitive smartphone sales stats for Q2 for EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa). Always interesting reading, the highlights this time are that 38% of devices had built-in GPS, 58% had built-in Wi-Fi and 13% had touch-screens. Nokia shipped almost 9 million smartphones in this region alone, with 71% market share - 7% is the share of RIM and HTC, more or less in joint second place. Apple are lumped in with others, but may prove a contender in the future, of course.
You may recall that in March Steve reviewed an early sample of the Samsung i550W - plagued with bugs and issues, Steve was rather disappointed. However, Samsung haven't abandoned the device and, with latest firmware under the hood, the i550W is transformed into a 'recommended' device. Unique selling points of this candy-bar design are its thinness, the trackball, the extra shortcut keys, USB charging, plus smartphone staples like GPS and Wi-Fi.
Our very own Krisse, when not writing for AAS, produces a series of video and text reviews for the independent Nokia Duck site - here's a fresh, beaky look at the Nokia E51 - well written as always!
Digia has announced it has integrated TD-SCDMA to the S60 platform. TD-SCDMA is the version of 3G being used in China with networks covering 8 major cities and more to follow. The solution will enable manufacturers to reduce device development time as they will be able to use a ready-to-go software and hardware package (specifically a TD-SCDMA/EDGE modem from ST-NXP Wireless). This should help increase S60's market penetration in China.
It has a super clamshell form factor, it's beautifully made with brushed metal outer casing, it's got the battery from the E90, it has disco-worthy colour-cycling LED backlights, it has a cover UI, it has GPS - and it runs S60 3rd Edition FP2. And you can only get it from one network. The Nokia 6650 is something of an enigma, one which I have valiantly tried to unravel in my All About Symbian review.
I'd more or less given up reporting on smartphone coverage in Channel 5's Gadget Show (in the UK) because I kept forgetting to watch it, but have just discovered that Channel 5 has put the whole of the last 3 series up on the web for anyone to watch as and when. Of note is the very latest episode, in which the Apple iPhone 3G is pitched against the Nokia E71 in three real world tasks - the result? An honourable draw, but worth a look!
The Nokia 5320 XpressMusic has the lowest launch price so far of any S60 device, and is squarely aimed at the mainstream market. It's a music-oriented device, with external playback controls, a dedicated audio chip and a 3.5mm headphone socket. It will also become a slightly gaming-oriented phone later this year, when the N-Gage application becomes available for it. All About Symbian has put it through its paces, and you can find out how it did by reading our review. If you have any questions about the device, post them in the comments thread of this news item and we will try to answer them.
ABI Research are quoting Q2, 2008 phone sales figures (via IntoMobile). On average, growth was around 18%, bucking the worldwide financial situation. 301 million phones were shipped during the quarter, with Nokia selling over 40% , and with Samsung in second place with 15%. Motorola, LG and Sony Ericsson are each around the 9% mark, with Apple estimated around 2% and lumped with other tier two manufacturers into an 'Others' category.
Rafe's epic three part review of the Nokia N78, the first Nseries phone to have S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2, comes to its end with a detailed look at its application bundle. Rafe also summarises the N78 and explains its strengths and significance.
It was fascinating to read Malcolm Lithgow's very detailed real-world head to head between some budget Symbian smartphones, the Nokia 6220 Classic and the Sony Ericsson G700 and G900. Mainly because Malcolm has been (and still is) a big fan of UIQ 3, which gives him a novel perspective on the strengths and weaknesses of the two platforms (and individual devices). Some good points in here, even though most of us would have wanted to see a higher spec S60 device used for the comparison. (via Carnival of the Mobilists 135)
Following our own review of the Nokia 6120 Classic, the folks over at PDA247 have put up a review of the Nokia 6124, essentially the Vodafone version of the same device and listed on pay-as-you-go for only £100. Staggering price, it had to happen one day, although the review also mentions what sounds like a serious overheating problem during 3G calls.
It's... another All About Symbian Insight podcast, number 34, with Rafe and myself discussing Google Maps 2.2, Skyfire, Missing Sync for Symbian, plus the Samsung i560 and G810. Then we move onto the Nokia 6650 and the Samsung L870 and INNOV8.