HanDBase, the database system for S60 and other mobile platforms, just got itself a 4.1.5 'development' upgrade. This is significant because it's the first version to support devices likes the N96, N97 and N86 which have a mass memory disk as well as a memory card. See here for the full details. Also of note is that there's a special offer on whereby you can get 20% off the purchase price before 20th September by using the coupon code 'backtoschool09'. See also our 2006 review of the first release of HanDBase for S60 3rd Edition.
Over on Ovi Gaming, Ewan Spence has been putting Nokia's exclusive music game Dance Fabulous through its paces, and apparently it is rather good... The game was developed for Nokia by Digital Legends, the same people who did the excellent fighting game ONE, and features exclusive new music created by Dave Stewart (of the Eurythmics) and Cindy Gomez. You can also use your own music if you prefer.
Over on All About Symbian's sister-site Ovi Gaming we've been reviewing some big-name titles recently, and also added our usual gameplay videos and screenshots alongside the reviews. See below for the complete list of links...
The Ovi Macintosh Files Connector, writes Tam Huynh on the Ovi Blog today, is now available. It will allow OS X 10.5 users to remotely access files on their Mac from a Nokia handset, or the Ovi Files web interface , send the files directly to friends and colleagues and build up a mirror of your useful files on the Anytime Files archive that comes attached to your Ovi account. And don't forget that Ovi Files recent dropped the subscription charge and is now available as a free web service.
Quickoffice today announced the official release of latest version of its Microsoft Ofiice compatible document viewing and editing software. With the release comes the news that all existing S60 on Symbian Nokia devices will receive a free upgrade to the latest version, Quickoffice 6. Users will receive an upgrade in line with the version that shipped with their device. This means that Eseries devices will receive an upgrade to the viewing and editing version, while other S60 Nokia devices will receive an upgrade to the viewing only version. Read on for more information.
In All About Symbian Insight 81 (AAS Podcast 143), we share the news that Ovi Files is now free to use and talk about its potential uses. We follow up with discussion of the latest Google software updates, the most notable being the addition of Layers to Google Maps. There's comment on Apple's recent result, Accenture acquisition of Nokia's Symbain Professional Service unit and answers to some listener questions. You can listen to AAS Insight 81 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
Two little software items of general interest. The rather lovely (you know I like clear, white themes) 'Nseries White' theme, as featured in the firmware of the N86 8MP, is now up for download here (is copying themes from one device to another legal? - discuss!). You'll spot that the theme is RARed up, but that's OK because there's also now a freeware UnRAR tool for S60 and no, you don't have to fiddle about signing it (unless you want a file recognizer too).
Nokia have updated the Nokia Music PC app to version 1.3, adding in software to ease connection difficulties between the S60 handsets and the music client. The app will now offer to switch the connection modes of a connected device to ease transfer of music, and the caching of the contents of a smartphone has now been tweaked, allowing faster connections to be made.
This afternoon, Google has quietly released an updated version of the S60 version of its Google Maps for Mobile application. The new version, 3.2.0, adds a 'Layers' feature which helps organise the information displayed on top of the map (including the existing Latitude, Driving Directions and Traffic functionality). However, Layers also gives access to some entirely new information including Transit Lines (e.g. London Underground), Wikipedia and My Maps (user generated content) overlays. Read on for more details and screenshots.
Google has officially declared its S60 YouTube client compatible with the Nokia 5800, with the release of v2.2.9 (it was 2.2.6) on m.youtube.com (i.e. you no longer have to intercept the one offered to S60 3rd Edition phones and transfer manually - you can just go to Google's mobile site in Web on your 5800). There's also a new 'Flag' (as inappropriate) menu function, but still MIA are login/favourites/commenting - surely a version 3.x version will be needed for these? Curiously, there's no 'official' compatibility yet with the N97. Watch this space.
In All About Symbian Insight 80 (AAS Podcast 142), we discuss Nokia's Q2 results and the announcement of the Nokia Surge. We follow up with news of Symbian's Horizon program, before talking about the latest set of software updates for the N97. Finally we answer some questions from our listeners. You can listen to AAS Insight 80 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
Ho yes. Every news network worth its salt has to have its share of iPhone and S60 widgets. ITN is the latest to join the throng, with its News widget now in the Ovi Store for all S60 3rd Edition and 5th Edition phones. It's free, of course, and has sections for 'Headlines', 'Sport', 'Business' and 'Fun'. Many of the stories have attached ITN videos, which pop up in fairly low res (176 by 144 pixels) 3GP format in RealPlayer. Some screenshots below.
Nokia today announced the Nokia 6760, it is an unbranded, enhanced version of the Nokia Surge that was announced in conjunction with AT&T last week. It is a horizontal slider with QWERTY keyboard and is a mid-tier, consumer-focussed, messaging device. The Nokia 6760 will be available from Q3 2009, at a cost of €200, before taxes and subsidies. Along with the Nokia 5530, it is one of the cheapest S60/Symbian phones released to date.
