Homescreen update for many devices brings Belle FP2 widgets

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Nokia is pushing an application update (not a firmware update), via both the Nokia Suite desktop application and Software Update mobile app, to Symbian devices that have not yet received the Nokia Belle Refresh update. The application in question is called Homescreen Widgets, and adds a set of widgets that were seen in the Refresh update.

Homescreen widgets

Homescreen widgetsHomescreen widgets

There are at least seven new widgets for all Symbian devices running Nokia Belle, and as are follows.

  • Calendar, Agenda
    This widget gives a three-row scrolling widget of upcoming calendar events. Located at the end of the events list is a button to create a new calendar event. A widget like this has been long awaited after Nokia Belle was released with a single row calendar widget. Third party substitutes created to display more calendar entries were less aesthetically pleasing as they were created in the old Symbian Anna style.
  • Music Player, small
    This music player widget is created in the same style of the larger player widget introduced with Nokia Belle, but occupies less rows on screen.
  • Scrolling RSS Widget
    This widget is available for any RSS feed that has been added to the built-in Web browser. The widget is the same size as the Email and Calendar Agenda widgets and also shows three rows that can be scrolled. Tapping on an item launches the individual item view in the feed reader mode of Web.
  • Visual Bookmarks
    Reminiscent of the functionality found on the Maemo powered Nokia N900, this widget allows you to link to a website from the homescreen. The block takes up two columns and one and half rows, and shows a thumbnail of the website. 
  • 3G On/Off
    Toggles 3G and GPRS connectivity.
  • Bluetooth One/Off
    Powers the Bluetooth radio on and off, as found in the notification drawer.
  • VPN On/Off
    Toggles Symbian's built-in VPN functionality. Note that this widget was already included on the Nokia 700, which is a more recent device. 

Homescreen Widgets as seen on our Nokia N8.

Depending on your product code, language set, and previously installed software, the Homescreen Widgets application (if offered) may also present the following set of additional widgets. We have had one reader who reported these extra widgets appearing on a Nokia N8. Even more curious is that our Nokia 700, which is from a different hardware generation, received the Homescreen Widgets rather than the Belle Feature Pack 2 update with these additional widgets.

  • Notes
    This widget for the built-in Notes application allows you to browse, create and delete notes in-situ on the homescreen. When editing, the Notes application is launched (i.e. no in-situ editing). It occupies four columns and three rows just like the email, agenda and RSS widgets.
  • Mobile Data Tracker
    This one by one widget displays how much mobile data has been used in a given period (daily, weekly, monthly, indefinitely). The application behind the widget is part of the Settings application, where you can input your carrier's usage limits and charges.
  • Silent
    This activates the phone's 'Silent' profile, as found at the top of the notification drawer. 
  • Offline On/Off
    This toggles overall connectivity - the de-facto airplane mode.
  • Mobile Data On/Off
    This toggles cellular data, as found in the notifications drawer. Useful to save power in a Wi-Fi environment.
  • Clock, big analogue
    This large four by three widget displays an analogue clock, featuring a second hand, along with the day of the week and month.
  • Clock, text
    This large four by three widget displays the time in words, e.g. "Eleven Fifty", accompanied by a numerical date underneath.
  • Clock, mechanical
    An aesthetic variation on the big analogue clock, featuring the same three-handed clock with date and day. Drawn in a clockwork style.
  • Clock, flip
    A four column by one row widget that shows a 24 hour clock with date, drawn in the style of a flip clock.

Homescreen widgetsHomescreen widgets

Homescreen widgetsHomescreen widgets

These four screenshots were taken on our Nokia 700

It was expected that all legacy Symbian^3 devices would receive the Nokia Belle Refresh. One of our Nokia N8s, which has product code 0598984, custom firmware version 111.040.1511.C00.01 and software version date 2012-07-28 did receive Nokia Belle Refresh. However, one of our other Nokia N8s which has product code 059C5Q8, custom firmware version 111.030.0609.377.01 and software version date 2011-11-26, did not receive the Belle Refresh update and only received the first group of widgets with the Homescreen Widgets application.