Ewan Spence takes a look at Locago. A location based mapping application, built in Java. Locago overlays points of interest from sources like Wikipedia, Flickr, and Yahoo!, to help travellers find out more about their surroundings. Despite the quirky interface, Ewan recommends all travellers take a look and show it off to their friends.
For all the internet connectivity, software, shiny themes and applications, there is something that is eminently wonderful about a physical object. Touchnote, from the London based company of the same name, brings both of those worlds together and Ewan Spence reviews the S60 5th Edition application here, ending up 'thoroughly recommending' it. PS. Look out for Rafe's cute kittens....
Steve Litchfield takes Wikitude, the ambitious augmented reality browser for Symbian (plus iPhone and Android) for a spin in his local area. What sort of things can Wikitude help you find and is the app ready for mass market adoption yet?
Rafe reviews the updated version 2 of Klomptek's Track and Protect, which he describes as the 'Rolls Royce' of remote security, allowing not only the traditional locking and wiping functions but also super-cool recovery actions like getting the phone to report its own whereabouts to you over the web (even if the finder/thief puts in a new SIM) and taking photos of anyone trying to 'break in'. Read on for a full breakdown of Track and Protect's capabilities.
For years, there has been no easy and convenient way to extract text messages to different media types because the SMS system is locked to the phone. For example, you can't just change from a Motorola phone to a Nokia, and transfer all the contents of your SMS Inbox across from the Motorola to Nokia easily. It doesn't work that way. Enter SyncLion. A new utility developed by a newcomer to the Symbian application market, Trismer Technology. As it suggests, SyncLion is a tool which will archive your SMS, MMS, Contacts and Notes into your standard email.
Ewan, with beard and a full head of hair to match, seemed perfect to set sail on virtual seas and go a-plundering for the day in a new S60 5th Edition virtual reality game, AR Pirates - out on the patio. If the thought of blasting ships off Caribbean islands in err... Edinburgh seems a lot to take in, then read the review for Ewan's explanation.
We've all seen the semi-viral videos, where someone (apparently) knocks up a faux-impressionist masterpiece using nothing more than a smartphone touchscreen. It may be that I simply don't have the talent, but I'm a little sceptical, given the sizes of phone screens. Mind you, with software like HandyPaint, reviewed here for S60 5th Edition and UIQ 3, at least the tools are there to get close to the picture in your imagination. HandyPaint is something of a labour of love and it shows - it's not perfect, but is powerful and still improving.
David Gilson looks in depth at Bolt, a Java proxy-based web browser for all phones that claims desktop-class browsing, a degree of social integration and both Flash and HTML 5 video support. This latter seems to be the only feature that really impressed David though, with Bolt's overall operation seeming stilted and clumsy in comparison to Opera Mini, its nearest competitor.
Steve Litchfield dons his sports gear and trials the new Sports Tracker application with wireless heart rate monitor. Can this new version of an old favourite, in conjunction with some Bluetooth accessory magic, help you improve your workouts, whether walking, cycling or jogging? (Short answer: Yes. With bells on!)
It's Snake, but with levels, power ups and something of a complete overhaul (though staying in 2D) and it's out now in the Ovi Store, with a trial version. At which point I look through my review archives to find a suitable review - and I don't have to look any further than Mr Snake himself, Ewan Spence. Here's his full Ovi Gaming review of Snake Revolution.
