Opera has announced the new versions of its mobile browsers, Opera Mobile 11 and Opera Mini 6. These bring an updated user interface, improved text wrapping, and most significantly, multi-touch zoom. Overall performance is improved too, with native handling of heavy sites appearing to load faster in Opera Mobile 11 than with Opera Mobile 10. Read on for more about the update.
An official PayPal mobile application, written in Java, is now available for download in the Ovi Store. It allows you to send and receive money, review your recent transactions, set a mobile PIN for easy mobile log-in and carry out other common PayPal tasks. The application is available in select markets for most S60 5th Edition devices and some Symbian^3 devices.
For almost all aspects of smartphone-desktop connectivity, Mac owners haven't been too disadvantaged. In fact, some aspects (e.g. PIM sync) are arguably a lot better under Mac OS X. However, a notable hole in overall functionality has been being able to check for firmware updates and install them over a microUSB cable. Yes, 'Over the air' updates are usually sufficient, but it's good to have a second source of vital software improvements. Nokia Beta Labs just released a Mac version of their Software Update tool and I've been trying it out. Screens and links below.
The Nokia E7 has received a minor firmware upgrade, from version 13.016 (PR 1.0) to version 14.002 (PR 1.1). The update, which is 907 kb in size, is available OTA (over the air) and can be downloaded using the 'SW update' application. This is a small update with minor performance improvements and a number of bug fixes.
Now available as an 'experimental beta' for all S60 5th Edition and Symbian^3 phones, Nokia Shoot & Tag is a camera-centric utility that allows video capture with automatic scene detection and then lets you browse through scenes later on. The idea, as usual, is to get the public to try the interface and ideas before the concept is (or isn't) rolled out into device firmware. Links and a video below.
Google Chrome users might like to direct their attention to the Chrome Web App Store. An unofficial app for Nokia's Ovi Store has recently appeared, giving users a direct shortcut to the Ovi Store on their 'new tab' page. Google's move to bring apps to the browser has seen varying amounts of innovation. Some "apps" are nothing more than glorified bookmarks to websites. The Ovi Store Web App falls under this category, so don't expect any extra functionality. Read on for screenshots.
The Ovi Store client has been updated today, with v2.06.00042 being enforced for Symbian^3-powered phones, and v1.9.008 for S60 3rd Edition and 5th Edition phones. The new version is to maintain compatibility with architecture changes at Nokia's end and also provides performance improvements on all devices.
Digia, a Finnish software company, has signed an agreement with Nokia to acquire the commercial licensing and professional services arm of Nokia's Qt. The major portion of Qt, including all core development and LGPL licensing remains with Nokia. Nokia plans to continue to invest in the future development of Qt, which remains core to its Symbian (150 million additional devices) and MeeGo (future disruptions) activities. The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the month; neither company are disclosing cost details.
For all Symbian/S60 3rd Edition/5th Edition phones, SPB TV has been re-launched with a new version number, v2.0, adding higher quality TV streams, better performance and wider device compatibility. As before, SPB TV is marketing and advert-driven, with a registration process and with occasional static adverts displayed during channel loading pauses. Some screens and a link below.
Layar, an augmented reality browser, is now available in Ovi Store. Layar provides an augmented view of the world around you by overlaying information ('layers') on to your smartphone's field of vision (as seen through the camera). For example, this can be used to visualise local search (overlay local businesses), orientate the position of nearby landmarks and attractions and see nearby social activity (Twitter, YouTube, etc). Layar is available for all Symbian^3 devices, plus the N97 and N97 mini.
The Qt SDK beta 1.1 was launched today. While the SDK is a beta release, the Qt (4.7.2) and Qt Creator (2.1) releases within it are final (i.e. not beta or previews). This means that Qt Quick can now be considered to have been officially released. Qt Quick is a crucial step forward for Qt, bringing easy UI creation, which allows developers and designers to work together more easily to create applications with great user experience.
Sound-clip publishing service, Audioboo, is now available in the Ovi Store. The "Twitter for audio" allows you to record short messages on your phone, tag them with text and pictures. Once uploaded to the Internet, Audioboos can be shared, listened to, and commented on. Already a popular service on Android and iPhone, Audioboo is a welcome addition to the Symbian platform.
Nokia Beta Lab have released an update to Ovi Maps, taking it to version 3.06. While still in beta, it’s available through the Ovi Store or direct from the labs. This is a small update from the main 3.06 release last week, with the addition of two check-in services, Qype and Foursquare taking centre stage. This version is specifically for touch devices only. That is, the Symbian^3 devices: N8-00, C6-01, C7-00, and E7-00; and S60 5th Edition handsets. S60 3rd Edition are not supported in this release.
Symbian^3 users should keep an eye on their Software Update application over the next few days as we have just become aware of an update for the Quick Search application and widget. The update is said to improve the user experience of the Quick Search widget, and other updates for 'organising conversations and sending images'. So far, among the review units we have at All About Symbian, the update has appeared on our C7-00 and C6-01.
After a year of development, Podcatcher (originally Escarpod) is now in the Ovi Store for all S60 3rd Edition, 5th Edition and Symbian^3 Nokia devices. Of course, it's not necessarily needed for phones with Nokia Podcasting on board, but it's a boon for the increasing number of devices which haven't. Screenshots below. Note that if you've been using the free distribution, at v1.10, this is much the same, but with a few less minor bugs.
