David Gilson recently performed a big feature on Twitter applications on Symbian and S60. Mind you, thanks to the feedback of AAS readers, he has now expanded his survey to now cover an eye watering seventeen Twitter options for S60 users wanting to get more out Twitter. Gulp. Read on!
Something of an oddball in the mobile world, Snaptu is a Java application that attempts to provide a cosy environment into which you can bring a plethora of online services (Flickr, Facebook, TV listings, News, etc). Ewan, as the main reviewer, wasn't too impressed by the limited functionality within each service or by the clunky Java text input. I was somewhat more positive, as you'll see from my 'PS' - but your comments welcome - are you a Snaptu fan?
Google's YouTube client for S60 has had very patchy availability recently. The official version on m.google.com was 2.2.17, while the version on the Ovi Store varied from 2.2.21 to 2.2.29, depending on which device you were downloading it for. Version 2.2.30 has now popped up on m.google.com for most devices. There are no feature additions that I can see and there's still no explicit N97 version on the web (though 2.2.29 is available for the N97 on the Ovi Store), but completists may want to install it anyway. Phew! Wish Google would just maintain the one version/SIS file... (via Mauku)
Continuing our coverage of Symbian EPL news we offer this video were we talk to Chris Davidson, a Program Manager at the Symbian Foundation, about the journey to EPL. Chris talks about the processes involved in the transition, some of the challenges and the opportunities for device manufacturers and developers. We've also added an extra bonus video where Chris explains the #symbiancountdown and the story behind it.
Today the Symbian Foundation announced that it has completed the move to open source. The platform, which runs on more than 330 million devices and has been developed over the last 10 years is now freely available to all under the EPL (Eclipse Public License). The process, which was delivered four months ahead of schedule, is the largest transition from proprietary code to open source in software history.
The completion of the open source transition marks a critical milestone for Symbian as it seeks to build the enablers for the future of mobile, based on openness and innovation. Read on to view our video interview with Lee Williams and for further information.
David Gilson reviews SMS Chat, an SMS manager application which shows you your text messages in a conversation view, and throws in a lot more features too. If you are tired of the same-old S60 SMS manager and want something new, then you might like to check out his review of this actively-supported utility.
A new firmware update, version 31.012, is now available for the Nokia E52. The update is currently only available via Nokia Software Updater (PC). We've not noticed any major changes, but a number of bug fixes and small version updates to built in applications (Web, Email, Music Store, Maps) are included. The phone's noise cancellation parameters have also been updated, which should improve audio quality of calls.
Nokia has today announced that the new version of Ovi Maps, which was announced on Thursday 21st January, has been downloaded 1.4 million times. The 1 million downloads figure was reached just one week after the launch. The new version of Ovi Maps offers worldwide pedestrian and car navigation, along with other premium features including traffic information, city guides and more, all for free, forever.
Today Greystripe, a mobile advertising network, announced ad network support for Nokia's Ovi Store. Greystripe enables developers to automatically add pre-load and exit 'screen' rich media adverts to their games applications via a self-service web portal. This should result in an increased number of ad-supported (free) games and applications in the Ovi Store. Additionally Greystripe is migrating 1,200 Gamejump.com Java titles into Ovi Store.
After months of struggling with low RAM (in which CellPhoneSoft came up with RAMblow) on the Nokia N97 and N97 mini, we now have firmware for most N97 product codes that has more free RAM and handles memory much better. Still, the appearance of RAMblow, screenshotted, linked and detailed below, may help anyone trying to clear extra RAM for a big game, for those whom the new firmware has not yet been released and for those with other devices with RAM problems.
In All About Symbian Insight 103 (AAS Podcast 167), the team start with news of Nokia's Q4 results, which saw an encouraging 5% upswing in smartphone market share (QoQ). We then discuss the Apple iPad news, which leads into a discussion of the importance of service ecosystems. Finally there's news of Skyfire and listener questions on advertising subsidies and dual boot devices. You can listen to AAS Insight 103 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
Ewan takes a look at a new 'TV' system for Symbian smartphones, 'Television', from digital media specialists Makayama. The lawyer in him wants to take the app to task for a misleading name and the consumer in him wants to take it to task for some channel errors and outdate content. But, overall, it's a competent video on demand applet that largely delivers what it (almost) says on the tin...
Nokia Beta Labs has debuted a utility for both S60 3rd Edition and 5th Edition phones to enable the editing of words in your phone's predictive text dictionary, a long-awaited function. You are also able to import and export the custom dictionary, meaning you can transfer it from one phone to another. There's a video to explain what's covered and links below.
David Gilson and Panashe Ngwerume review the new Rseven online sync and backup service, uncovering a number of browser compatibility issues that the developers need to address. They find the beta-status Rseven understandably immature from a functionality standpoint, requiring more development in order to deliver its aims and ambitions in a modern multi-platform environment, but Panashe in particular calls the service a 'gem', implying that there's great potential here for the future.
When it comes to Twitter applications (perenially popular, it seems), Symbian and S60 have no shortage of choice. Guest author David Gilson has done a mass review of all the Twitter applications he could find for S60, and presents us with a detailed feature comparison, along with a number of recommendations.