All About Symbian - Editorial News

Insight 24 - Devices, News, Location-based search

Mon, 12 May 2008 11:49:25 +0100

It's... Insight number 24, aka AAS audio podcast 73, in which the usual team discuss the news of the week, including N-Gage and Nokia Communication Center (sic), three new S60 3rd Edition smartphones (black N82, Samsung i450, Nokia 6122c) and we introduce the idea and state of play in the world of Location Based Search.

Route 66 Mobile 8 gets a serious test drive

Sun, 11 May 2008 16:40:25 +0100

Guest writer Arjen Broeze has been trialling the new Route 66 Mobile 8 for over a month now and here's his very detailed review. The only real problem seems to be over-stubborn clinging to originally-calculated routes - apart from that Arjen gives this sat-nav solution a green light on all fronts. I was sceptical about the way search matches are still shown in alphabetical order, but Arjen argues that the search match filtering is good enough to do without location-sorted results.

All About N-Gage reviews Mile High Pinball

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:17:56 +0100

Over on All About N-Gage, we've been putting one of the games of the year, Nokia's first party title Mile High Pinball, through its paces. Those of you who remember the original gen N-Gage version may want to check out the new high res graphics, as there are lots of screenshots. Click here to read Tzer2's in-depth review on AAN and find out how Mile High Pinball did. UPDATE: We've now added a gameplay video at the beginning of the review.

Long term review: Nokia N82 (Black)

Wed, 07 May 2008 08:31:16 +0100

Well, the headline's almost accurate. I'd been using a Nokia N82 as my main device for a month day in, day out. And had formed quite a few 'long term review' opinions. And then the black N82 arrived. In this part-editorial, part-review, I look at how a simple colour change has helped the N82 challenge at the very top of the smartphone stack.

Secrets of the new Sports Tracker widget

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:11:08 +0100

Nokia's Sports Tracker has proved to be one of the must-have GPS applications. It is now possible to share journeys recorded using Sports Tracker via the brand new Nokia Maps and Photography widget. Steve explains how the photo location actually works and runs through the steps needed to get your own Sports Tracker powered widget up and running, including how to embed it in almost any web page and with a tweaked example formatted for wider blogs and pages.

Insight 23 - Adobe, MOSH, Nokia in the US

Tue, 06 May 2008 09:40:22 +0100

It's Insight time, covering News, the MOSH ad-sponsored games, Adobe Open Screen Project and we (shock, horror) actually try to answer a user-submitted question, talking about whether Nokia could be more aggressive in the US market. Plus, Rafe reports back from the Nokia Design Studio Day in London. You can listen (and subscribe) to Insight number 23 here.

The Rules of N-Gage

Mon, 05 May 2008 23:37:33 +0100

Over on All About N-Gage, we've been considering what minimum standards N-Gage titles ought to have, from wraparound menus to demos that let you actually try the game properly. Any suggestions of your own?

How to install N-Gage direct to your phone without a PC

Sun, 04 May 2008 23:50:08 +0100

The official N-Gage site's installation instructions seem to concentrate on installing the N-Gage application using a PC. However, there is a much quicker and simpler alternative which lets you install the N-Gage app directly onto your phone through its web browser. Click on the headline of this news item for more details...

Adobe Open Screen project

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:37:56 +0100

Yesterday Adobe announced the details of the Open Screen Project. This will see Adobe, in conjunction with partners, create a consistent 'rich Internet experience' across televisions, PCs, mobile devices and other consumer electronics using future evolutions of its Flash and Air platforms. Adobe will open up Flash and Air by releasing more technical information and removing license fees and format restrictions for Air and Flash.

The Top Ten Reasons Why Mobile Phones Haven't Changed The World

Fri, 02 May 2008 10:32:46 +0100

For all the bright lights, technology and potential, has the smartphone really changed how we live in the world? Ewan, with his tongue in his cheek, says that they haven't really changed anything. Look for a followup piece next week from me in which I'll disagree, putting forward the top ten reasons why mobile phones have changed the world. Comments welcome!

There's a Time to Tinker and a Time to Stop

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:36:23 +0100

It's all very well going through the tweak - buy something new - tweak - buy again cycle, but Steve has been musing that sometimes it pays to just sit and enjoy a fully mature, tweaked smartphone without having to keep putting yourself through the bleeding edge agonies of reinstalling apps, settings, tweaks, etc. - for the umpteenth time.

N-Gage has lots of potential, but it's currently going to waste

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:19:04 +0100

Over on All About N-Gage, there's a special editorial on how N-Gage could potentially become a very large gaming platform indeed but not while it's left out of compatible phones' firmware. How many people will actually bother installing the N-Gage app if it doesn't come built into the phone?

Skype, the 5320, Widgets and One-handed use

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:52:32 +0100

It's All About Symbian Insight 22, a.k.a. audio podcast 71, in which we cover Skype Mobile, the new Nokia 5320 XpressMusic, new announcements in the world of Web Runtime and widgets, plus a discussion on whether touchscreen devices that require two hands to use will take off in the mainstream. Listen here.

In the face of overwhelming specs, what makes a smartphone 'smart'?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:58:16 +0100

With the announcement of LG's Secret, with 5mp cam, auto screen rotation, DivX VGA video playback, TV out, Office viewers, etc, I've been musing on what makes a smartphone 'smart'. How does my Nokia N95, for example, compare? I've been playing with the Secret's older brother, the Viewty and have been able to draw some conclusions.

Software That's Worth Paying For

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 13:14:34 +0100

Free software for our smartphones has never been so abundant. From Nokia's stream of useful freebies to technology demos from big companies to small utilities from home developers, everything now seems to be free. With so much freeware around, is there still a market for paid-for software? And which would be the top picks of the All About Symbian team, for both S60 3rd Edition and UIQ 3-powered smartphones?