Over on Ovi Gaming we've been reviewing lots more games, we have another batch of Ovi Store client installation walkthroughs, and we'd like to know which games you want us to review. See below for a complete list of links...
Just a quick link to a couple of nice software mini-reviews in the last 24 hours over on the Nokia 5800 'Tube' blog, looking at PixelPipe, which plugs a number of popular image and video sharing services into S60 Share Online, and at Shazam TrackID, which tries to identify music that's captured by the phone's microphone. A couple of nice 5-minute reads.
In All About Symbian Insight 83 (AAS Podcast 145), Rafe and Steve discuss the enterprise focused alliance between Microsoft and Nokia and ponder its implications. Steve shares news of Gartner's Q2 smartphone shipment figures, before moving on to first thoughts on the Nokia E55. We then answer some reader questions. You can listen to AAS Insight 83 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
A minor firmware update, version 12.0.024, has been released for the Nokia N97. The updates fixes a number of bugs and improves performance and stability. The firmware is being made available through both Nokia Software Updater (part of PC Suite) and OTA on the device. The firmware is currently available for SIM-free models; as usual the availability of the firmware will vary by market and device variant.
Looking for fully-working freeware for your Samsung i8910 HD (Symbian flagship smartphone)? Look no further than my definitive top 20 list (with a few apps 'bubbling under'), everything here has been tested to install and work. And, most of all, not to require you to dip into your wallet! I'll also be doing a 'Top 20' commercial software for the i8910 HD (Omnia HD) next month, so watch for that. Comments welcome, as always.
As it's the weekend we've got a round-up of eight new game reviews over on Ovi Gaming, as well as a few other features. Following our new format, the reviews are brief but include long gameplay videos and lots of screenshots, to give an idea of what the game is really like. All the relevant links are below...
Symartic, developers of ExtGPS, have announced that they will soon be releasing Symabook, a Facebook client application, for S60 3rd Edition and S60 5th Edition. The application allows you to update your Facebook status and view your news feed, friend list and photos. Symabook has a custom UI which is designed to allow you to view photos more easily and make the best possible use of screen space.
Over on Ovi Gaming we've been lamenting the rather poor service provided by Ovi Store's search function. However, instead of just complaining about it we've set up an alternative unofficial Ovi Store search using Google's Custom Search Engine. You can try Unofficial Ovi Store Search over on Ovi Gaming. This is still very experimental, so let us know what you think in the comments thread.
Ewan is, as you might have noticed, a big eBook fan and when he switched to the Nokia 5800 he found himself deprived. The only practical eBook reader, Mobipocket, was written for phones with hardware buttons, specifically a * key, providing the essential full-screen toggle function. Thankfully, he's spotted that the N97, having a basic qwerty keyboard, does provide a way to enter the * character and, again thankfully, Mobipocket Reader responds appropriately, as is demonstrated here, along with notes on getting and installing the software. Ewan's a happy bunny and you may be too if you own an N97 and wondered whether to get re-acquainted with your eBook collection...
Nokia today announced that it has reached the mile stone of one million activated Ovi Mail accounts in just over six months. Of these accounts 650,000 have been created on a mobile device. Nokia says Ovi Mail 'is quickly establishing itself as the email account for the developing world', underlining that, with Ovi Mail, people can get their first email address, set up and manage email entirely on their phone, without any need for a PC.
Where is North? Can your phone tell you? Yes, if it's an N97 with a compass app. But should you bother, asks Ewan, in his review of N97Compass? Predictably something of a luddite, he opts instead for a plastic compass and paper map! Ewan does make some good points about the irritating need for calibration and the bare bones nature of the utility though. And note that the free Ovi Maps 3 also shows directional information if you're zoomed into your current position, etc.
In All About Symbian Insight 82 (AAS Podcast 144), Rafe and Steve round up software news from Quickoffice, DataViz and Digia. Steve reprises his Mobidapter review and we discussing some of the forthcoming hardware content on AAS including the Samsung i8190, Nokia 5530, E52 and E55. You can listen to AAS Insight 82 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
Check Flights is a small and simple widget from the Nokia Ovi Store that lets you (guess what?) look up flight information, whether you're rushing to catch one or meeting someone off a plane. Ewan takes a quick look at Check Flights and gives it the thumbs up, partly because it's totally free, albeit with on-screen adverts, and partly because of its Calendar integration.
In the last few days there has been considerable comment, in various media channels, on some of the changes that are set to be introduced with the Symbian^4 release, including the breaking of backwards compatibility due to the retirement of AVKON and introduction of Orbit, which we first reported on back in May. With Symbian starting the process of communicating the changes to developers, and with renewed discussion online, it is worth revisiting the subject. Read on for further details.
The Ovi Store application is available on quite a number of Nokia phones, including the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. We've done a brief video (embedded below) which shows how to find and install Ovi Store on the Nokia 5800, either through the "Download!" icon or by visiting the Ovi Store website on the phone's browser. You may also be interested in our videos on how to install Ovi Store on the Nokia N95, and how to use the Ovi Store application.