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Nokia's all-in-one Camera app expands to entire Lumia range with new beta
Devices with the PureView tag attached have not only the best shooters in Nokia's Lumia range, but also exclusive access to the relatively new Nokia Camera app. Today, though, that latter privilege is being extended to all Lumias with the launch of the Nokia Camera beta program. Any Windows Phone 8 handset that's been updated to Amber or above can now use the software -- an amalgam of, and successor to Nokia's Pro and Smart camera apps. As it's not quite ready for a full store debut, you'll need to sign up with Nokia Beta Labs at the source if you want early, and perhaps buggy access.
Nokia Transit makes the commute over to Asha touchscreen phones, adds public transport info
Inviting beta testers, Nokia has brought its city navigation app, Transit, to its Asha touchscreen range. Like the Windows Phone and Symbian iterations, you'll be able to plan trips across multiple public transport routes, save particular journeys as well as research departure and arrival times. It's all crafted in those familiar rounded lines of previous S40 software and is also the first location app that Nokia has tested for its Asha range, which remain a lucrative component of the company's business. The app (currently in Nokia's Beta Labs) will work with Asha numbers 305 through 311, although the sleek lines of the Asha 310 are absent from the line-up at the moment.
Nokia releases Play To beta, updates Music app for Windows Phone
To follow its announcement of updated Nokia Drive, Maps and Transport apps (and not to forget Creative Studio), the firm in Finland now has two more servings of software to crow about for its Lumia lineup -- okay, no more alliterations. We promise. Today, Nokia has announced an updated version of its music app, now dubbed -- simply enough -- Nokia Music 2.0, along with an entirely new beta package known as Nokia Play To. While the Music upgrade appears to include little more than minor revisions to the wording of certain functions, the Play To software will cater to users of DLNA equipment with its ability to stream photos and videos. Because it's only in beta form, the means to stream music hasn't yet arrived, but Nokia intends to bake this ability into a future revision of Play To. For those who'd like to be a Guinea pig for the Espoo crew, just check out Nokia's source link below.
Nokia Sleeping Screen: soothing low power notification for Symbian
Nokia's cooked up a rather lovely and useful new app in its beta labs realm for all you lucky Symbian owners: Nokia Sleeping Screen. Now rather than simply seeing a blank sleeping device you'll be awash in useful info like message notifications, time and date, missed calls, and even a night clock mode that further dims the display while you rest your weary eyes. The display mode used isn't bright and instead of rendering the entire screen, all the icons are drawn using small circles -- which we assume further reduces the energy required -- and the app even goes to sleep while covered in a pocket or a bag. The only negative in the list is that apparently the phone can't be used as a flashlight while Sleeping Screen is running -- but we expect those enjoying the soothing cool hues won't mind that too much. Honestly, this seems like nothing but useful to us, and if Nokia's claim of not significantly impacting battery life is to be believed, may well be a must-have app. [Thanks, Kari]
Nokia Feel app suggests activities based on your emotional state (video)
Still feeling an overabundance of nervous energy over this morning's big announcement? (No, the other one.) Well, then, Nokia has just the thing for you, in the form of a little app called Feel. Simply tell your handset how you're, well, feeling, and it gives you suggestions as to how you might best use the device. Feeling creative? Take a picture. Energetic? Put in your earphones and dance, dance, dance. Feel like... giving it a shot? Hit the source link to get in on the beta test. Merely curious? Check out the video (hosted by a man who ironically seems to have little affect) after the break. Already bored by the concept? There's nothing we can do for you there, sadly -- but empathize.
Nokia Custom Dictionary takes predictive text to the obvious next level
Nokia's just posted its literally-named Custom Dictionary utility to Beta Labs' hallowed halls of experimental wares, finally bringing what appears to be a thorough, editable predictive text solution to S60 devices so that you can use (in Nokia's own words) friends' names and nicknames, places, and "slang" (read: every four-letter word you know) with aplomb in the course of normal textual conversation. What makes Custom Dictionary cooler than the average predictive text system, though, is the fact that you can load, unload, and transfer custom word lists to and from your PC and between devices, making it easy to back up your nonsensical gibberish in the event you lose or change phones. As with anything in Beta Labs, you've got to proceed at your own risk -- but the stuff's available to download now. Follow the break for a video demo.
New Nokia Messaging beta adds IM capabilities, E75 gets first dibs
Nokia Messaging represents Espoo's premiere email experience -- so premiere, in fact, that the company eventually plans to charge for it on some of its devices -- and to help makes it just a little bit more awesome than it already is, they've now started adding in instant messaging capability. The new Nokia Messaging - E75 IM Beta (yes, that's the full official name) offered by Nokia Beta Labs rocks compatibility with Yahoo Messenger and Ovi -- more services are expected to be compatible in the future -- and appears to serve up pretty much all the features you'd expect of a modern mobile IM client, including background notification, multiple conversation management, status control, and chat log save capability. So far, only the E75's compatible, but Nokia's imploring folks to stay tuned to Beta Labs for updates on when they'll open it up to other devices.
Nokia brings threaded SMS to an S60 device near you
Being unable to view SMS in a threaded fashion on your S60 handset got ya down? Fret no more, messaging fiends, as Nokia Beta Labs has heard our cries. The so-called "Conversation" app should run on most phones that rock S60 3rd edition, with or without Feature Pack 1. Seeing that the app isn't finalized yet, proceed with caution and if you do install it -- there are some concerns right now about memory usage -- so sound off in comments about your experience. [Via All About Symbian]