Tag Archive
Nokia Symbian^3 UI demonstrated in detail, seeks multitouch devices (video)
Nokia VP, David Rivas, was in San Francisco yesterday touting Symbian^3 improvements. While we’ve heard and seen plenty about Symbian Three’s enhanced user experience already, it’s still worthy of another look considering Symbian’s dominant marketshare. Besides, David provides a very detailed look as he walks us though elements like the customizable (and more finger friendly) homescreens meant to provide quick access to call features and at-a-glance data. Rivas also reiterates speed improvement claims over existing S60 5th devices (about a 3x improvement in graphics performance) that should “very very pleasantly surprise” users. Naturally, a faster UI coupled with a Symbian device running on something better than ARM 11 will also help here — Nokia’s only Cortex A8 device is the N900 running Maemo, not Symbian. David takes a veiled shot at Microsoft’s new WP7 platform when discussing Symbian’s true multitaking capabilities without any “tricks” — apps are actually running in the background, not just freezing their state until you return. Multitouch screen control on capacitive and resistive (really?) touchscreen displays with Cover Flow-like album art navigation? Yup, it’s all in there, as are hundreds of usability improvements (and fewer nags!) that should bring Symbian^3 up to the level of what everyone expects from a modern smartphone, according to Rivas. In other words, we’ll have to wait for S^4 on early 2011 devices to see any real innovation. While the live demo was run on a laptop, we suspect it won’t be long until Nokia starts showing off its live OS on a production handset. Until then, check the video after the break — it’s all we’ve got.
[Thanks, Rafael C.]
Continue reading Nokia Symbian^3 UI demonstrated in detail, seeks multitouch devices (video)
Nokia Symbian^3 UI demonstrated in detail, seeks multitouch devices (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | 
PhoneDog | Email this | Comments
MeeGo repository going public later this month, coming to Nokia N900
Valtteri Halla — Nokia employee and one-half of MeeGo’s Technical Steering Group — has blogged up a storm this week about the first baby steps that’ll get the platform off the ground from its Moblin and Maemo roots, and from the sounds of things, we’ll be able to get our first glimpse at it on production hardware before the month’s out. Currently, the plan is to open up MeeGo’s code repository to all comers “by the end of this month,” targeting both Atom boards and the N900. Now, we certainly wouldn’t say that MeeGo’s decision to use the N900 as an early target device is indicative of an official upgrade down the line — but this is particularly interesting in light of the fact that we’ve never gotten a commitment out of Nokia to bump its latest MID to Maemo 6. And besides, considering that the average N900 customer is a bit of a hacker in his or her own right, let’s be honest: a code repository that supports the phone is just about as good as an official gold build anyhow.
MeeGo repository going public later this month, coming to Nokia N900 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Nokia’s Explore and Share concept uses super fast, mystery wireless
The Nokia Research Center has another tech tease that gives us a glimpse into one of our many possible mobile computing futures. The so-called, Explore and Share concept starts by placing an N900 onto a “writer” that’s tethered to a PC at a retail store. At that point, the PC recognizes the handset and serves up a number of options to the purchaser. For the purposes of the demo, an unnamed Finn selects an album that downloads to the handset in less than 10 seconds. Less than 10 seconds, wirelessly! If we assume that the 18 track Bruce Springsteen album is somewhere between 100MB and 200MB then we’re looking at a 10MBps to 20MBps transfer rate. Nokia doesn’t admit to what tech it’s using, referring to it only as “a new radio technology.” It’s certainly not NFC which tops out at 424kbps, or Bluetooth 3.0 + HS which tops out at 3MBps. It also negotiates much faster than WiFi (though that could just be editing trickery). It’s closer to Wireless USB’s real-world data rates of around 15MBps or TransferJet’s 375Mbps effective throughput. Or as a long shot, maybe Bluetooth 4.0 which targets 60Mbps (theoretical) transfer rates. Regardless, it’s fast so we have to agree with Nokia when it deadpans: “Sounds great. Doesn’t. It.” Check out the action after the break.
Continue reading Nokia’s Explore and Share concept uses super fast, mystery wireless
Nokia’s Explore and Share concept uses super fast, mystery wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 07:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
LG GW990 to be among first MeeGo phones
Intel and Nokia certainly surprised a few of us yesterday when they decided to merge Moblin and Maemo into the new, more terribly-named MeeGo OS, but it looks like LG is ready to roll with it — the Moorestown-powered LG GW990 we saw at CES will be one of the first MeeGo phones when it launches later this year. Of course, that doesn’t mean much of anything beyond branding, since the GW990 uses a custom UI on top of the x86-based Moblin core and we doubt there’s any of Maemo’s ARM-based code involved there, but it’s a definite sign of things to come. So, Nokia — are we going to see a Moorestown N900, or what?
LG GW990 to be among first MeeGo phones originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video)
If your N900 is in need of a little more excitement, this post is for you. First up is word of a new firmware release (3.2010.02-8 (PR 1.1.1)), 16.2MB worth of apparently minor changes along with a slew of new regions, the inclusion of which may mean good things for those who haven’t been granted to this smartphone yet. If that’s not enough for you, at MWC Nokia is showing off some new apps for the handset, the most notable being a couple of 3D games that look a wee bit simplistic in terms of gameplay but don’t disappoint in terms of graphics. No word on when exactly these will be hitting Ovi Store — well, nothing more specific than “soon.” Video after the break (of the games, not the firmware update).
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Continue reading Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video)
Nokia N900 gets new firmware, new games coming too (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Firmware at Forum.Nokia.com, Game Demo at YouTube | Email this | Comments
Moblin + Maemo + Linux Foundation = MeeGo
Intel’s had their Moblin mobile Linux distribution for some time. Nokia’s had their Maemo Linux distribution for awhile, too. Neither one really gained much traction in the development community. Along comes Google and everyone’s like “OMG Android!!1″ which must’ve really ticked off Intel and Nokia. In an effort to create a Linux distribution suited for new mobile devices — not just phones — Intel and Nokia are teaming up with the Linux Foundation to create MeeGo.
Nokia at Mobile World Congress – Wrap Up
[MWC 2010] Nokia has just finished their press conference at Mobile World Congress 2010 and a lot was said, but little was substantial and up to the audience’s expectations (whether reasonable or not). First, no new device was announced, which is kind of weird, but I guess that Nokia World is now the new place for this type of launches, and it is somewhat understandable. Secondly, Nokia has announced that Maemo and Moblin – two Linux OS backed by Nokia and Intel – will merge. Well, ok it’s good, but without other handset makers joining the party, it’s going to be hard to create a “common” platform. In reality, everyone is going their own way (cf. Samsung with Bada, Apple Mac OS for iPhone, Google with Android…). It’s not surprising as we’re talking about nothing less than the control of the gate to mobile riches. Expect more fragmentation than ever in the coming years. The second part of the presentation was Nokia’s way of saying that although it is not a leader, its Ovi services are moving forward. It’s not that great, but Nokia is trying really hard to build an eco-system and I give them some credit for doing the right thing: think of software as the added-value. Ultimately, Nokia is currently successful only in developing countries where its brand still has a “halo” that was lost in western countries. Although any progress is good, I believe that Nokia has to recapture the developed world market or face a deterioration of its brand everywhere. This starts with sexy devices and a great smartphone experience. When you loose the high-end, you can take refuge in the low-end, but only for so long…
Permalink: Nokia at Mobile World Congress – Wrap Up from Ubergizmo | RSS Sponsor: Win a Fellowes Microshred Paper Shredder!
Nokia and Intel announce Meego
Hot from the Nokia press conference, Nokia and Intel have just announced the fusion of Maemo and Moblin. Both platforms have not really been popular and although it is understandable that merging the resources is a good thing, it’s hard to believe that the new Meego OS will get much more traction. In a rational way, it’s hard to argue that it is not “better”, but it is clearly an uphill battle for both companies because the fusion won’t do much more than combining the market share of Maemo and Moblin, which are both fairly small. Anyway, we’re not really excited by this, but we will keep an open mind…
Permalink: Nokia and Intel announce Meego from Ubergizmo | RSS Sponsor: Win a Fellowes Microshred Paper Shredder!
MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin
Well this one is a… doozy? Today Nokia announced a rather bizarre partnership with Intel. Namely, the two companies are merging their odd, half-finished, Linux-based OSs into one crazy little package called… MeeGo. No, really. Intel is mixing its peanut butter Moblin with Nokia’s chocolatey Maemo to create a “software platform that will support multiple hardware architectures across the broadest range of device segments, including pocketable mobile computers, netbooks, tablets, mediaphones, connected TVs and in-vehicle infotainment systems.” That broad enough for you? According to the company’s press release, the new platform will begin baring fruit (AKA devices) later this year, though the specific types of devices weren’t touched upon. Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo claims that the union will “create an ecosystem that is second to none” through openness, though at this point it’s largely bluster. Why the two monoliths have decided to pair up on these decidedly niche platforms rather than focusing energies on their front and center products is anyone’s guess, but luckily you can attempt to decipher more detail in the PR, included for your convenience after the break!
Continue reading MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin
MeeGo: Nokia and Intel merge Maemo and Moblin originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
PlayStation 3 controller used for N900 gaming (video)
Is the N900 the most hacker-friendly phone ever created? All sources are pointing to “yes.” Just two short months ago, we saw one determined code monkey turn his N900 into a PS3 controller; today, we’re looking at someone who did the exact opposite. If you’ve memorized the Debian source code and aren’t afraid to dabble in the wild and murky world of N900 modding, you too can one day use a spare SIXAXIS controller in order to dictate gameplay on your Nokia handset. All the instructions you need are there in the source link, and for everyone else just looking to have a watch from the sidelines, hop on past the break and mash play.
Continue reading PlayStation 3 controller used for N900 gaming (video)
PlayStation 3 controller used for N900 gaming (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 13 Feb 2010 10:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Intel to be part of Nokia’s MWC press conference — a new Booklet, or something more?
Well, this is interesting — Intel just sent us an invitation to Nokia’s press event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona next week. We’re told that the two companies will update us on the “latest developments” from their relatively new relationship, before Nokia launches into its solo presser directly afterwards. That could mean pretty much anything from a ho-hum Atom N450 refresh of the Booklet 3G to a fire-breathing Moorestown Maemo 5 phone, so we’re obviously extremely curious to see what goes down — our money is on the more conservative side of things, since we’re thinking Intel just wants to have a presence at MWC, but we do love to be surprised.
Intel to be part of Nokia’s MWC press conference — a new Booklet, or something more? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | Comments
Nokia N8-00: first Symbian^3 handset with 12 megapixel camera, 720p video, and HDMI leaked in summer roadmap?
Nokia’s already tipped its hand for the year Twenty Ten by publicly stating its intent to deliver a sleeker, more attractive, and faster Symbian UI; fewer nags; and at least one Maemo handset before the year is done. What we’ve been missing though, are the details. While we still don’t have the complete story, it is beginning to take shape according to alleged leaks received by Tom’s Guide. First up is a new naming convention, something already telegraphed by Nokia’s Xseries launch and Cseries trademark. According to the French language site, Nokia will end the use of monikers like XpressMusic or Classic as it simplifies around the following five ranges:
- C: voice-centric handsets.
- X: targeting youth, entertainment.
- E: business focused.
- N: high-end.
- S: limited editions.
Tom’s Guide claims to be privy to 14 new models, a few of which it spilled the beans on today. Click through for the gossip.
Nokia N8-00: first Symbian^3 handset with 12 megapixel camera, 720p video, and HDMI leaked in summer roadmap? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Playstation Move: Everything old is new again, if you ask Sony
AMD to finally take on netbook space with new Fusion chip… next year
Sony shows off the Alpha concept camera menus and screenshots