All About Symbian - News Headlines

News Headlines - Series 60

Spotlighting the N90 - from 2005!

You've got to love someone who respects the past. Sergejs Cuhrajs, as guest writer on Nokia Connects, has put up a heart felt and perspective-laden look at one of this (and my) favourite Nokia designs ever, the first real 'transformer' phone, the N90. This was the first Nokia smartphone to feature Carl Zeiss optics and its form factor remains almost unique even today.

# Posted by Steve in Links of Interest at 17:05 UTC, Dec 7th || Comments

Gmail application finally pulled by Google

It appears that Google has finally withdrawn its official Gmail client, written in Java, for Symbian smartphones. Version 2.06 hadn't been updated for two years and I'm guessing that changes at the server end meant that at some point in the near future the client was going to stop working anyway. To avoid complaints, Google has simply pulled the download page for the client. A shame, given that many on S60 3rd Edition phones still use it and would have liked the option to re-install it when needed (though see the PS below).

# Posted by Steve in Software at 16:19 UTC, Dec 5th || Comments

Nokia's 'Great Lost Platform'?

Andrew Orlowski's posts on Psion, Nokia and Symbian over at The Register are often a rollicking read, especially for geeks interested in Symbian's past. This five page article is all about Hildon, the UI (and indeed 'platform', or so argues the piece) that was evolved to Series 90, used in the Nokia 7710, and which underpinned a revamped Series 80, used in the Nokia 9500 and 9300. One for Symbian historians, definitely!

# Posted by Steve in Miscellaneous, Links of Interest at 13:40 UTC, Nov 21st || Comments

People Made - Nokia exhibition at London Design Museum

A free exhibition is currently running at the London Design Museum (28 Shad Thames, London SE1), entitled, 'People Made - Nokia products that changed the world' and tells the 'inside story of Nokia - past, present and future'. The exhibition is free to enter, but is only running from October 28th to November 2nd, leaving you three days to go along and take a look.

# Posted by Rafe in Hardware, Miscellaneous, Links of Interest at 12:56 UTC, Oct 31st || Comments

A detailed look at Nokia Mobile Money in action

There's a nice article by Aatif Sumar over on ZOMGit'sCJ looking in detail at Nokia Mobile Money, announced two years ago but now seemingly arrived, at least in India, as a Java application compatible with S60 3rd Edition smartphones (and presumably S40 and other devices too, right up to the latest Symbian handsets).

# Posted by Steve in Software, Links of Interest at 10:24 UTC, Sep 15th || Comments

Nokia Beta Labs launch Nokia Nearby

Nokia Beta Labs has announced a new project entitled Nokia Nearby. Aimed at emerging markets, it aims to provide ‘hyper local search’ capability, especially for devices not supported by Nokia Maps. Nokia Nearby is a Java application which runs on almost all S60 and S40 devices; with an emphasis on the latter. Utilizing network-based location, it doesn’t require GPS. The application allows you to search by category or name, and add locations to a list of favourites. Read on for a demonstration and download link.

# Posted by David in Software at 9:22 UTC, Aug 30th || Comments

Apple remove iSync from latest OS X, Nokia syncers beware

Mac owners who enjoy bullet-proof syncing from iCal and Address Book with their Nokia/Symbian smartphone(s) should note that upgrading to the latest (and new) OS X Lion operating system will yield at least one unpleasant surprise: Apple has removed all trace of iSync, the phone-sync application that has had wide manufacturer compatibility. Happily there's a workaround.

# Posted by Steve in Software, Miscellaneous at 14:36 UTC, Aug 5th || Comments

361 Degrees podcast episode #7 - Nostalgia

Following on from last week's episode, which focused on Windows Phone Mango, here is the seventh episode of the 361 Degrees podcast. This week it's a nostalgia fest as we remember devices we've owned and that we think have helped shaped the industry. 361 Degrees is a podcast all about mobile technology, created by Ben Smith of Wireless Worker and co-hosted by Ewan MacLeod of Mobile Industry Review and Rafe Blandford of All About Symbian.

# Posted by Rafe in Links of Interest, Editorial Thoughts at 0:06 UTC, Jun 10th || Comments

Folders make a comeback on other platforms - shock, was Nokia right?

[sarcasm alert] I had to chuckle when I saw this blog post on one of my favourite sites about a third party extension to Android, enabling - shock, horror, amazement - folders, to organise one's applications. Maybe the developers are copying Apple, who famously added folders for applications earlier this year in their fourth iteration of the iPhone OS? That must be it. They couldn't possibly be copying what Nokia and Symbian has had since (ahem) 2002, eight years ago, could they? See below for the appropriate Android 'Folder Organizer' screenshots...

# Posted by Steve in Miscellaneous, Links of Interest at 22:16 UTC, Dec 14th || Comments

Symbian: The Secret History

Well worth bookmarking for late evening reading over a beer or two is Andrew Orlowski's epic two part essay on the history of Symbian from creation in 1998 up to near the present day. Interviewing a number of past employees, admittedly, there's a strong aftertaste of 'these are all the bits that went wrong' and there's little in the way of acknowledgement of success stories, but Orlowski's text is readable and well researched. Here's part one: Dark Star, covering Symbian's creation and here's part two: The battle for Symbian's soul.

# Posted by Steve in Links of Interest, Industry at 14:55 UTC, Nov 29th || Comments

Opera Mini goes Symbian native!

My day just got off to a potentially great start. Opera has just released a beta of their proxy-based (read time and money saving) Opera Mini web browser for all Symbian phones. And not just for these phones, but written as a native Symbian application and not as a Java application, so we're talking faster startup times and smoother browsing. Plus you can now switch all text input to use your phone's native system, even T9. And compatibility is, amazingly, right back to Series 60 (effectively S60 2nd Edition). With Web receiving criticism for slow handling of huge web pages, Opera Mini 5.1 beta on Symbian impresses by being many times faster than any native browser on any platform. Some screenshots, links and details below.

# Posted by Steve in Software, Links of Interest at 7:27 UTC, Oct 28th || Comments

Form factors converging, screens getting larger

From AAS's department of the bleedin' obvious come comments from me after looking into data from the last ten years in the Symbian world, looking at screen sizes across a range of form factors and interfaces (including Series 80 and UIQ). Yes, form factors are gradually converging, and yes, screens are getting larger. No real surprise there then, but I thought you might be interested in the charts themselves below...

# Posted by Steve in Hardware, Industry, Editorial Thoughts at 14:34 UTC, Aug 5th || 16 Comments

Qt for Symbian for Linux and Apple

Hopefully you will have seen Steve’s posting about Lucian Tomuta’s video on using Qt to develop apps for Symbian devices. If, however, your computer runs on Linux or Apple you may have run into a small problem, there is no compiler for Symbian apps on these platforms. But never fear, there is a solution. Read on ...

# Posted by Richard in Developer at 10:43 UTC, Jul 25th || 4 Comments

Defining the Smartphone

In leaps and bounds, the term 'smartphone' is being bandied about by manufacturers, analysts, journalists, developers and end users across the world. Which would normally be a good thing, except that there are many definitions, all totally different. What exactly defines a smartphone in 2010? What did it used to mean in 2007? Or 2003? With reports regularly quoting the word, it would be good to all agree what the word means, surely?

# Posted by Steve in Hardware, Miscellaneous, Industry, Editorial Thoughts at 6:29 UTC, Jul 19th || 23 Comments

Good Photos mean 50% Good Camera and 50% Good Photographer

The popular misconception about camera phones is that the higher the spec level, the better the photos you'll take. While I'll accept that there is correlation there, another big factor is the skill (or, more accurately, imagination and common sense) of the user. In truth, you don't have to own the current top-rated camera smartphone costing megabucks in order to turn out pleasing photos. Check out the sample photos at the top of this feature - I've got a mini-quiz for you...

# Posted by Steve in Hardware, Miscellaneous, Editorial Thoughts at 8:13 UTC, Jul 15th || 21 Comments

Not a Dedicated Follower of Fashion - 10 Reasons Why Touchscreens Suck

Playing devil's advocate, but only to a degree, Steve Litchfield turns the entire smartphone world on its head by rejecting its latest darling - large touchscreens. Ask any pundit in the mobile world about smartphones and you'll get the answer that it's all about touch. About large displays that can be caressed and programmed and manipulated with your fingers. Except that traditional, non-touch form factors have these 2010 'flagships' well and truly beat in many ways - here are the Top 10 Reasons Why Touchscreens Suck.

# Posted by Steve in Hardware, Miscellaneous, Industry, Editorial Thoughts at 10:53 UTC, Jul 8th || 48 Comments

Hero or Zero smartphone? - Staying ahead of the need for RAM

Using a mixture of diagrams and literary quotes, Steve Litchfield re-examines the thorny issue of RAM, explains why it has been an issue for years and identifies the models that have been up to scratch and those that haven't. Where do the devices you've owned sit in the grand RAM pantheon? Finally, he asks whether the upcoming crop of devices have sufficient of this precious resource? Comments welcome!

# Posted by Steve in Hardware, Miscellaneous, Editorial Thoughts at 8:30 UTC, Jun 28th || 36 Comments

There's a Bookmark for that!

Over the last few years, I've had a burning conviction that's been growing and growing as I watch the current craze for 'Apps' blossom. Now, I've nothing against genuine applications or games, but it has to be said that a large number of so-called 'Apps' are simply scraping or managing exactly the same data as you can get right now, on any phone, for free. And, my way, there are no installations, no complications and no hassle. Apps? Pah - I've a new slogan to rival Apple's. "There's a Bookmark for that!"

# Posted by Steve in Software, Miscellaneous, Editorial Thoughts, Services at 8:00 UTC, Jun 23rd || 21 Comments

My Top 10 Reasons for Staying with Symbian

I was asked a very good question last week: "Why do you stay with Symbian when there's a world of wonder with iPhone and Android?" I have to admit to finding a number of positives in these other platforms, sometimes accompanied by positives in their hardware, but it's true that I do keep coming back to Symbian as the OS powering my smartphone-of-choice. Investigating my own leanings and trying to justify them, here are the top 10 reasons why I stay with Symbian.

# Posted by Steve in Software, Hardware, Miscellaneous, Developer, Industry, Editorial Thoughts at 10:54 UTC, May 14th || 56 Comments

Why size matters

No, not a cheap attempt at Google search traffic on male enhancements, but another serious look at the ever changing, ever growing statistic that is phone screen size. Steve Litchfield looks at devices and use cases past and present, from Psion Series 5 to Apple Newton to Dell Axim to Nokia 7710 and through to the Samsung i8910 HD in the current day. Initially cautious over whether phones might get too big, Steve points out that a 4" display is more a 1995 phenomenon than a 2010 one....

# Posted by Steve in Hardware, Miscellaneous, Industry, Editorial Thoughts at 6:33 UTC, Apr 20th || 20 Comments

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