Today sees the formal unveiling on S60 5th Edition. The new version of S60, built on Symbian OS 9.4, adds touch enablers to the platform, which means it is possible for licensees to create devices that use finger touch and/or stylus interaction. Other additions and improvements include the new sensor framework (adds easy integration of sensors, such as accelerometers into the platform) updated web technologies (WebKit version updated, Flash Lite 3 as standard) and enhanced multimedia functionality (support for widescreen displays, image and video editors as standard). Read on for more details.
Today, in London, at its Remix event, Nokia formally launched its Comes with Music service offering. Comes with Music (CwM) lets you buy a Nokia device that includes a year of unlimited access (downloads) to tracks from the Nokia Music Store. After the year is up you can keep any previously downloaded music. CwM will launch first in the UK later this month on the Nokia 5310 Xpress Music, with the Nokia N95 8GB and Nokia 5800 Xpress Music to follow in due course. Read on for more details.
Nokia Chat, the instant messaging/Contacts-integrated/GPS-using/Maps-linked(!) utility, has just received a significant bug fixing upgrade, though Nokia Beta Labs promise us that more is on the way. They've also broken the news that Nokia Music for PC has graduated from Beta Labs and is now formally released, though don't download it if you've been testing the beta - you'll need a special upgrade file that's coming later this week by email.
It seems that the BBC's version of iPlayer for S60 has gone live, download it here. It has been implemented as a web runtime widget that kicks off streaming in RealPlayer. And it's also, naturally, a bit fussy about which devices it installs on. It seems happy with the N78, N95 and N96, obviously, other success stories welcome. Screenshots and more comments below... [updated with photo of iPlayer running side by side on N96 and E90]
Kyte today have officially announced the full availability of their Mobile Producer application, a C++ based S60 application to help produce and distribute live streaming and pre-recorded mobile video and pictures. It sits alongside their Kyte Mobile java application which allows people to view media on the Kyte.tv service. It's a free download, just point your phone's browser to http://m.kyte.tv/get and choose the Mobile Producer.
Digia have today announced the immediate shipping of @Web, their Webkit based UIQ 3 browser. This application, which has been in fairly open beta testing for the last few months, brings full S60, iPhone & Google Android style browsing to the UIQ 3 platform.
Mail for Exchange, Nokia's Microsoft Exchange client for S60 powered Nokia phones, has been upgraded to version 2.7. Updates include support for Exchange Server 2007 Autodiscover (enter your email address and server settings are automatically provisioned), updated mapping of data fields in Contacts and a number of bug fixes. As was recently announced the new version can also now be installed on any Nokia S60 3rd Edition phone.
Nokia announced today that it is 'renewing its business mobility solutions and strategy'. Nokia will cease developing or marketing its own behind-the-firewall solutions. Rather than offering its own complete end-to-end solutions, Nokia will strengthen strategic partnerships and will form its enterprise offering by combining Nokia devices and applications with software solutions from companies such as IBM, Microsoft and Cisco.
Thanks to ratkat for the tipoff, but vtap have released a native S60 version of their 'videos from everywhere' client. This forms a competitor to the likes of emTube and Mobitubia - and of course to YouTube's own mobile client. vtap's unique selling point is that it aggregates from more than just YouTube. Look out for a video head to head between these four different systems in the near future.
The best SatNav app for Symbian [in Asri's opinion! - Ed], Garmin Mobile XT, just reached version 5.0. The new version looks like a totally new app because the interface has been redesigned and the speed in loading map data is also greatly improved. Both S60 3rd Edition and UIQ 3 users can now enjoy the new version. Blurb and changelog below the break.
On my WinXP laptop, Foxit Reader is my preferred PDF reader because it's fast, it's slick and doesn't hog memory like crazy. Although the future of UIQ is uncertain, some developers are still showing support to this platform. This 1.00 Beta version enables you to view PDF files easily on Symbian UIQ 3.X devices. With small size, fast launch speed and friendly user interface, Foxit Reader for UIQ 3.x is recommended and it's FREE! More from me and the developer below the break.
A short note to all Sony Ericsson G900 users. You can now use Fring, the free application that lets you interact with all your Fring and IM buddies with "free calls, live chat, file transfer and much more"... So get fringing and let us know how you go!
Smartphone game publisher Astraware has let us know that they're looking for more S60 owners to take part in their beta testing. Their S60 version of shoot-em-up Platypus had some compatibility snags when it launched recently, so if you want to help fix this kind of thing and get games free in the process head on over to the Astraware beta testing forum to find out more. They also do games for UIQ3 and most other smartphone platforms too so you may want to apply even if you're not an S60 owner.
ProfiMail has been around on all the Symbian OS sub-platforms for longer than I can remember. But did you know that the developers have been making great strides recently with full on IMAP Idle support and better integrated file and attachment browsers? Nick Anstee's been using ProfiMail for ages on his Nokia E90 and presents details of his personal email client quest, together with a detailed list of pros and cons for this quirky application from Lonely Cat Games.
