In All About Symbian Insight 72 (AAS Podcast 131) Steve, Ewan and Rafe round up an eclectic collection of news including Google Calendar Sync, Spore, recent MOAP devices, recent stats and Omnia HD availability. In the second part of the show discuss moments of change - times when we've seen a device of technology that marks a significant shift. You can listen to AAS Insight 72 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
In a special edition of our AAS Insight podcast, recorded today (launch day of the Ovi Store), Rafe, Ewan and Steve share their first thoughts on Nokia's content shop. We talk about some of the initial connectivity and load problems (but try not to dwell on them), plus the usability of the Ovi Store on-device client. We conclude, after kicking the store while it's down (literally), by sharing some of our positive impressions.
Nokia's Ovi Store has soft launched in Australia; the information we recieved indicates that Ovi Store is now accessible on a Nokia E75 on the Australian operator Vodafone (see updates, in full story, for other markets). Ovi Store is Nokia's content store and download application for applications, games, wallpapers, themes, ringtones and video clips.
We're expecting the roll out of Ovi Store, in other countries, to continue over the next few hours and days. It is likely that a formal launch announcement will be made this week. We'll be updating this story, and will have full coverage of the Ovi Store once it launches in the UK. For now read on for more details and the first live pictures showing Ovi Store in the wild!
It all started with a tweet of mine: "Why is almost EVERY game on the iPhone better than ANY game on S60?", penned in a fit of frustration after reviewing yet another batch of insanely good iPod Touch (iPhone) games. And this got retweeted plenty, so before I get burned at the stake by the N-Gage boys I thought it would be worth expanding on my necessarily brief original Twitter post. Read on for my thoughts, especially apposite given the Ovi Gaming site launch and imminent Nokia Ovi App Store...
Our sister site, All About N-Gage, has evolved into Ovi Gaming. The new name reflects an expansion in the coverage of the site. In addition to providing the usual comprehensive N-Gage coverage, Ovi Gaming (OG) will provide coverage of games available via Nokia's forthcoming Ovi Store, which we expect to arrive very soon. As before, we'll continue to feature the best of Ovi Gaming content, here, in AAS's news stream.
How many phones should you make? Every time a company launches a new smartphone, they have to make a decision on how many to make and balance the need to have stock, create a demand for the product, and not leave so many on the shelf that you lose money overall in the batch. Is this decision the key to market survival in a recession?
At their recent developer summit Nokia described how it would be opening up the Ovi platform to third party developers. Apps on Maps was given as the initial example and now, at the Where 2.0 conference, Nokia has announced more of the technical details for the web side elements. The Ovi Maps Player API will allow developers to embed Ovi Maps on third party website and create 'mash-ups' by overlaying data and interacting with the map. As such it will be in direct competition with the Google Maps and its accompanying APIs. Read on for more details.
Launched today by code masters Spb Software is Spb TV for S60 3rd Edition and 5th Edition. I've been using it for a day or two on my Nokia N95 and 5800 and here present a full and detailed review of Spb TV. Around 100 channels, 'picture in picture' channel switching, QVGA video streams, a TV Guide that in some cases works a week ahead, the works.
Hopefully pulling no punches, I've been mulling over all the different form factors seen in the smartphone world in the last half dozen years. Is there a common consensus 'perfect' form factor? No. Could there be one in the future? Yes, I argue in The Quest for the Perfect Form Factor. And, to the point, at least one of 2009's smartphone contenders is achingly close, at least in terms of hardware, to the ideal. This being something of a contentious subject, your comments more than welcome of course!
Last week's announcement by Vodafone UK that they were scrapping their roaming charges for users of the Vodafone Passport service was a welcome levelling of the billing system to the problem of calls made abroad. The offer makes it simple to understand what your bill for calls, texts and MMS's will be when you are travelling in Europe, New Zealand or Australia – you'll pay exactly the same as you would when at home. Read on for my comments.
In All About Symbian Insight 70 (AAS Podcast 128) Steve and Rafe talk about the upcoming N97 and the return of Comes with Music to the UK. However the main part of the show is taken up with answering questions from listeners. We touch on Ovi Store, Nseries branding, screen resolution and more. You can listen to AAS Insight 71 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
The BBC News website today reported proposals to change EU rules governing consumer rights regarding software guarantees. In amongst the article was a gem of a statement from the Business Software Alliance which represents Microsoft, Apple, IBM and many other software giants: "(Digital content) is contractually licensed to consumers and not sold."
Nokia and Orange today announced that they will, exclusively, launch the Comes with Music edition of the Nokia 5800 in the UK. From May 29th, the Comes with Music Edition of the 5800 will be available on a number of two year Orange contracts, ranging from £25 to £45 per month. For the duration of their contract, consumers will be able to download unlimited music from the Nokia Music Store. Read on for my thoughts.
Ho yes. A huge dollup of Nokia E75 goodness for mid-week here on All About Symbian. Firstly I'm happy to present part two of our big Nokia E75 review, this time looking at its multimedia capabilities - I reckon it has the best camera ever put into an Eseries device. Then Ewan pops up with the fifth part in his E75 video blog, embedded below, this time reporting on it live from Eurovision in Moscow, highlighting its quick and unobtrusive nature, along with just about every feature being 'above average'.
Nokia recently announced it was refocussing its service strategy in certain areas. Nokia said it was looking to 'provide a better, more simplified service' and would work more closely with third parties. The implications of this announcement are now starting to emerge: mocoNews reports that Nokia is closing its Kirkland (Seattle) offices and Reuters reports that Nokia is halting investment in its media sharing site, Ovi Share. Read on for more.
