A round of quick updates for you to note: Nokia PC Suite is now at v7.0.8.2, Nokia Maps (for FP1 devices) is at v2.0 Build 3204 and Share Online is at v3.0.08.23. All no doubt mainly bug fixes and optimisations, but I'm a version junkie and am grabbing them anyway (via Ricky Cadden)
Yahoo has released a native Symbian application which puts a shortcut to its oneSearch service on the Idle screen of your phone (N70, N95, N73, 6120, and E65). The stand out feature is Search Assist that suggests terms and phrases as you go and aims to save you time and provide related concepts for more refined results.
Phonelocator is a real-time GPS tracking application for S60 phones. It send location information to the Phonelocator website where you can view the phone's current position and a trail of where it has been. The software includes some intelligent algorithms designed to minimise data and power usage so you should be able to run it over relatively long periods.
Continuing Steve's series of 'S60 Mac virgin' walkthroughs, he tackles the thorny subject of video, both transferring it to the phone and doing useful editing on footage from the phone. Do any of the Mac video solutions play better with Nseries MP4 video files than the current crop of PC editors? In previous parts, he connected up and synced via Bluetooth, and he transferred media and bookmarks using the USB cable.
Nokia Beta Labs have released an enhanced calculator for S60. The calculator, which has been ported from Series 40, features standard, scientific and loan modes. A big plus, in standard mode, is the use of the D-pad as shortcuts for the common operators (+, -, × and ÷) which greatly improves the speed of entering calculations.
Two bits of news from RMR Software - if anyone's still using an older Series 80-based Communicator then note that all RMR's software is now reduced by between 45% and 70%. Also, more 'cutting edge' is that RMR has put together what's possibly the first real Style Tap-based app for S60 (i.e. Palm OS app running within Symbian OS). More on this below the break.
Content from the Lonely Planet travel guide series is now available in Nokia Maps. The guides are available via the Extras section in the Options menu of Nokia Maps 2.0. The Lonely Planet guides take the form of a collection POIs (Points of Information) which are divided into several categories (Eat, General, Night, See, Shop and Sleep). Read on for more details and screenshots.
Nokia currently has three platforms in development simultaneously, for their smartphones (S60), normal phones (Series 40) and internet tablets (Maemo). They all have their good and bad points, but in this feature krisse looks at how S60 could learn from its two sister-platforms. We would like to hear what you think S60 can learn from Series 40 and Maemo in the comment thread.
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.
Nokia Chat, the Contacts and GPS-integrated chat and location-sharing system, just became available for vanilla (i.e. non-FP1 or FP2) S60 smartphones such as the Nokia N93, E61 and E65. There are a few small functional limitations but, armed with a Bluetooth GPS, there's now no reason not to join in the world of Chat.
Nokia has made available, via its website, a wide range of Ramadan related content for a number of phones (including all recent S60 devices). There are a number of applications: Quran (multi-lingual interface, search and bookmark, Emsakya (prayer alerts), Hajj and Umrah (journey guide) and more; as well as ringtones, wallpapers, anasheed (Islamic vocal music) and landmarks (for Nokia Maps).
What with more and more video codecs being involved and YouTube continually fiddling, it's not surprising that shareware-by-any-other-name Mobitubia is having to be fiddled with too, to keep it working efficiently. Version 1.81 build 5 just got released for anyone who's donated to the project and features video playback fixes, general app bug fixes and a new feature: Make thumbnail, for clips which don't come with one. Recommended.
Vodafone has made available, via widgetvine.mobi, a number of WRT Widgets which have been developed by Vodafone's Group Research and Development department. There are some genuinely useful widgets available such as cinema listings, travel planning and news retreival. Read on for more information and a few screenshots.
In All About Symbian Insight #35 (AAS Podcast #88) Rafe, Steve and Ewan chat about the launch of the N-Gage's Reset Generation, carbon offsetting from your phone, the continuing importance of voice and the Nokia Music client/store.
With eclectic musical tastes and a love of all things Web 2.0, Ewan was the natural choice to review Mobbler, a new S60 client that integrates with Last.FM to share your music favourites with the world and present to you other tracks and genres that you'll probably like. And it's Open Source too, i.e. free - what are you waiting for?