Probably a minor bug-fix update (unless eagle-eyed readers can spot something I haven't), but note that Google Maps for Symbian just got an small bump from v4.1.0 to v4.1.1. As usual, grab it from m.google.com. Google Maps for Android also got a 4.1.1 update a couple of weeks ago, and this was given a big boost by a server-side switch-on of real time route instructions and voice navigation. Here's hoping we're just a few days away from the same being true of Symbian/S60?
Nokia Beta Labs have released a new version of the Ovi Calendar. Ovi Calendar is the online calendar service provided through Ovi.com; users can sync their phone to the calendar and vice versa using Ovi Sync. Calendar 1.6 features support for multiple calendars, and the sharing of these with other Ovi users.
Pizero's Earth theme has been downloaded more than one million times from the Ovi Store. Earth is an artistic and lightweight theme (default icons), with full support for portrait and landscape orientations, and is compatible with both S60 3rd Edition and S60 5th Edition devices. The one million downloads were achieved in 86 days, with an average of 11,600 downloads a day.
The first fruit of the enterprise alliance between Microsoft and Nokia, which was announced in August last year, is now available. Microsoft Communicator Mobile for Nokia, a 'unified communications client', is now available in Nokia's Ovi Store for the Nokia E72 and E52. The application ties in to Microsoft's Office Communications Server 2007 product; it offers the ability to view a colleague's status and then choose the most appropriate communication method - instant messaging, email, text or voice call. More below.
An All About Symbian application, which allows you easy access to the site's latest content, is now available in Nokia's Ovi Store. The application was built using Nokia's new Ovi App Wizard (more on that in a future post) and is based on the RSS content feeds. The content is divided into four channels: All About Symbian News, AAS Insight Podcast, AAS YouTube videos and the most recent AAS tweets. The application is free and is compatible with all of Nokia's Symbian^1 (S60 5th Edition) devices. Read on for further details and screenshots.
Do you want your smartphone to beep you (or play a sound effect) every hour or every 15 minutes? No, it would drive me bonkers as well. But apparently it can be a good organisational tool, or so reckons Ewan in his brief review of Time Chime, by Symbian stalwarts Cellphonesoft. Running on S60 5th Edition, the main blot on Time Chime's scoresheet is its price.
HipLogic has been a name that has floated around S60 circles for the last year or so. Ostensibly a Web-aware homescreen replacement, it turns out to be something more ambitious, albeit with a few minor caveats. I set out last week to intercept HipLogic's 'Chief Action Figure', Mark Anderson, and quiz him on the vision behind, and the implementation of, HipLogic on Symbian. Read on for more.
Ewan investigates Moove, a unique music playback utility for S60 5th Edition phones that claims to offer contact-less music control. Does it work and is the solution ready for the real world? It would seem not, but find out for yourself in his brief review.
Forum Nokia has released a tool, Flowella, which allows designers and developers to easily create design prototypes (mock-ups of how an application will look), without using a single line of code. Prototypes are built by using images of screen mock-ups and defining links between them (i.e. what happens when you click of a given area). The information is then used to create a Flash Lite application or WRT widget, which can be run on a Nokia phone or in the included simulator.
Last week NTT DOCOMO, Renesas Electronics, Fujitsu, NEC, Panasonic Mobile Communications and Sharp announced a joint agreement to jointly develop a new application platform for mobile phones. The application platform, which will run on both Symbian and Linux and is, effectively, the next generation of the current MOAP platform. However there is a clear intention to offer it to mobile manufacturers world wide; previously MOAP phones have been almost exclusively Japan-only.
This week Nokia announced the launch and beta availability of the Nokia Qt SDK, a single 'easy-to-use' software development kit (SDK) for Symbian and MeeGo application development. The SDK is, effectively, an evolution of the Qt SDK, with specific focus on, and support for, Nokia's mobile devices. It provides a complete tool chain for creating, developing, testing, packaging and deploying Qt applications. The SDK is available for both Windows and Linux (Mac support is being investigated) and can be downloaded from the Forum Nokia website. Read on for more details.
A new firmware, version 210.12.15, is now available for the Nokia E75. The new firmware is a relatively small update, but does improve the responsiveness of the keyboard, updates the underlying email software and contains the usual bug fixes and optimisations. The firmware update is available via both OTA and the Nokia Software Updater.
Ovi Music Unlimited, which is branded as Comes with Music in some markets, has launched in India. The service, which can only be purchased with a new device, allows unlimited music downloads from the Ovi Music Store for 12 months. Music is DRM protected, but users are able to keep the music after their subscription period has ended. The service has been customised for India with a smaller Ovi Player (desktop client), local content from more than 150 labels and the ability to download music using different PCs.
As part of our Nokia N8 coverage, we have recorded and published the All About Symbian Insight Podcast (number 116) a few days early. Ewan, Steve and Rafe share their thoughts on the announcement of the first Symbian^3 phone and Nokia's new imaging flagship. Over 45 minutes, we run through the N8's hardware and software and discuss the device's pricing and positioning, how the launch was handled and much more. You can listen to AAS Insight 116 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
DreamLife, a popular S60 5th Edition 'Activity manager' (think Contacts/Calendar replacement) for S60 5th Edition, has now been released for S60 3rd edition FP1 and FP2. The new version features "clear display of contact information in business card format, key match and global find contacts, planner calendar view, context activity editor and hierarchical sub-categories". More info and links below.
