Last week Nokia announced a focus on Qt as its sole developer framework across both MeeGo and Symbian and that Symbian would move to a continuous improvement model, with Nokia building future applications and user interface in Qt. Developers were promised that there would be no binary compatibility break and consumers were told that many future improvements would be compatible with, and available for, existing Symbian^3 devices. In this feature article we look at some of the technical details, which explain how some of this will work.
Somewhere the gods are looking down and laughing. You might recall a piece I wrote previously on how networks need to take care what they add to a handset – what could easily be considered a “value-add differentiator package” by head office could be seen as crapware by the end user. Steve and Rafe have handled the native hardware and software of the generic 'world' N8 package – now it’s time to look at what the UK retail variant of the N8 has had added to it.
You'll remember from three months ago that I explored, in some depth, peoples' various definitions of what makes a phone a 'smartphone'. I also tested some of these with a concrete example. Musing on the apparent huge divide between the excellent and dismissive reviews of the Nokia N8, it hit me that one of the original tenets of smartphone-ness is utterly personified in the N8 and yet almost totally ignored by tech-mainstream reviewers. They are indeed working to a totally different definition of the word - and this split in meaning for this now oh-so-common word threatens to not only confuse the casual reader but also split the smartphone world apart. Can't we bring the best of each world together and give peace a chance?
Watching the feeds and blog sites in the last week would get a hypochondriac very worried, as multiple sites are reporting a “dangerous and new threat” from touchscreen smartphones, specifically that there are highly infectious virii being transmitted by sharing phones (stories like ”The Ultimate Bacteria Carrier” being typical). Really? You know, a bit of research and some common sense proves exactly the opposite. If you want to read more than the first paragraph, that is.
Let me introduce you to guest writer Tony Butler, a long time AAS reader and, as it turns out, a first class wordsmith too. Like me, he has been fighting to balance the innate gadget lust that all of us secretly harbor with common sense - admitting that the current smartphone we own actually works pretty well. Grab a coffee and read on - I guarantee that some of his musings will strike a chord with many reading this - and may well help save you a few pennies by staving off the dreaded 'lust'....
So..... Xenon flash is back in fashion (thank goodness) and we have several top end smartphones with decent cameras and decent overall specifications. Having now been using the Nokia N8 for two weeks, I wanted to pitch it at the Motorola XT720, its exact counterpart in the Android world. Which device wins out overall in terms of specifications, usability, software and results? Here's my latest best-of-Symbian versus best-of-Android 'head to head'!
Considering starting Qt development for Symbian? Well if you are there is an interesting series of blog posts over on Symbian.org that’s worth checking out. The final part is due to be posted today, probably by the time you read this post. In four relatively short posts, Salvatore Rinaldo takes you from installation of the Nokia Qt SDK, though the development of a web browser app to the installation of the app on a Symbian phone.
In case you missed it, there was another 'seven' in the mobile world yesterday to go alongside the shipping of the C7. Microsoft unveiled their new mobile OS and platform, Windows Phone 7. The fireworks are out in celebration as what is essentially a new platform with zero market share attempts (yet again) to take over the world.
It's all very well having a Nokia-prepared selection of widgets (CNN, Accuweather, Mail, Social, etc.) to put on your N8 (or N97, C6) homescreen. But what if you want a web site or service that has no widget currently available in the Ovi Store? Here's my guide, for Symbian beginners, to getting all these other Internet resources on your smartphone's homescreen.
With the Nokia N8 finally here, there are a lot of people thinking “finally, it’s been shipped!” And a lot more now wondering how long till the E7 makes its way into the stores. Is there any rhyme or reason to the gap between announcing and shipping a phone for Nokia? And how do they compare to other manufacturers? I decided to have a look around.
