Now this is good timing for the many people (including us) now in possession of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Although many S60 3rd Edition applications run on the device, the implementation doesn't really fly very nicely with the touch-screen. Epocware have always been quick off the mark and they've now announced that all their S60 applications have been optimised for S60 5th Edition. So that's the usual Handy Safe, Handy Shell, Handy Weather, and so on. Screenshot of Handy Shell running on the 5800 below...
Read on in the full article.
USER REPORT:
Something Nokia stubborly refuses to do in S60 v5:
1) Include more shortcuts on the desktop, despite the HUGE screen space on the 5800
2) Provide ANY way to enable/disable bluetooth in one touch
3) Refusal to provide any widget, panel or some customizability to the stupid standby screen, now FAR behind any other OS desktop (even Windows Mobile)
4) Refusal to provide any smart dialing, in fact, not providing alphabets on the dialing keypad, thus precluding any apps like Skye Quickey or T9Nav.
Handy Shell, while a nightmare on S60 v3 phones, is a positive blessing. The weather widget is especially cool, finally making a Nokia set LOOK like a smartphone too. Although I still hate the way it forces Handy Taskman as the task switcher, and makes the END key behaviour a mess of accidental switches, and how any call or SMS still arrives on the S60 desktop. In the absence of T9Nav and JB TaskMan for S60 v5, this is the best you can do to make 5800 slightly easier to navigate.
HandyTaskMan works OK, though clearly less capable than the (free) JBTaskMan.
Handy Calendar is OK too, but I fail to find a difference between this and the built in S60 Calendar.
Handy Weather is fantastic. Get the subscription ASAP.
I tried to install the SlovoEd Dictionaries. Installation process is a mess. Even though the website says they are S60 V5, they are in fact normal S60 v3 files. You have to install the dictionary, the dictionary engine, and the sound modules separately (go figure). And.... THEY DON'T WORK. I guess just wait for them to fix it up.
Havent tried the other apps, but the ones I mentioned are the most important IMHO.
Hi,
One easy question, if i buy the nokia 5800 or N97 will my software S60 3th edition works perfect on the devices ??
Ok i know they can be 'optimised' for the touschscreen, but i just want to know without 'optimising' if they work normal.
For example Advanced Call Manager (ACM) Webgate works perfect will it work if i install the sis file and registrate ???
Thanks for reply
I tried Shell on my N95 8g and it only lasted a day.
This version just lasted 5 minutes on my 5800 even though i would like the stand by screen to hold more info. I just cant get on with Shell.
I'm hoping we get more option in coming firmwares, along with a few other things I'd like to see.
I installed handy shell last night on my 5800. I have to say i like it. I wouldnt say its missing a few items on the desktop. the middle button at the bottom is designed to bring you to your favourate applications. So i find that works very well for me.
Provide ANY way to enable/disable bluetooth in one touch
The E51 does allow one touch Bluetooth though, if you press and hold down * while on the standby screen it switches on Bluetooth.
But you're right, it ought to be possible on all phones somehow.