Belle
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The latest 'Belle' trailer introduces us to the film's dazzling technicolor virtual world
Mamoru Hosoda’s latest movie opening in US theaters this week, Studio Chizu and the film’s distributor have shared a new trailer for Belle ahead of its North American debut on Friday, January 14th.
Skype officially ready for Symbian Belle FP1 and FP2 devices
Skype has been available through official channels for Belle-based Symbian devices for awhile, but not for those running FP1 or FP2. If you'd wanted to use the world's largest VoIP service from a more recent (or recently updated) Symbian phone like the 808 PureView, you were stuck. A low-key update has thankfully flicked the support switch for those who upgraded to the newer OS before their internet calling could follow suit. From early appearances, though, compatibility is the primary upgrade; My Nokia Blog doesn't see a functional difference from earlier releases. The Skype refresh is still a welcome tweak for those who'd like to hold on to Nokia's original smartphone platform for just a little longer.
Nokia Belle Feature Pack 2 pulled again due to reported user issues
Like something from a school play, Nokia's Feature Pack 2 for Symbian Belle first bounded onto the stage prematurely, before being ushered back behind the curtain. Now, despite walking out at the proper time, it looks like it's fluffed its opening lines, and has been taken offline once more. The announcement came via a support discussion on one of Nokia's forum threads, with some users claiming they were unable to install it at all, or that some functions weren't working properly -- or worse, being unable to turn the handset back on -- for those that could. At the moment Nokia simply states that it has been pulled from servers, and it will advise once the update is back online. If you've been affected, head to the source for the official thread on the issue.
Nokia launches Belle Feature Pack 2 firmware OTA, Pureview 808 gets extra imaging goodies
Like the proverbial groundhog, Nokia's Feature Pack 2 for Symbian Belle peeked out a bit too early last month and had to withdraw back into its burrow. Now the new firmware upgrade for the Nokia 701, 700, 602 and Pureview 808 is out for realsies, with the latter star of the lineup getting the lion's share of new trinkets. Specifically, the big-sensored phone will now have a landscape Gallery Grid view option, which will enable faster and easier zooming, editing and sharing of images; more picture info like ISO value, white balance and location; and a reset button to get back to the default image setting in one touch. All the above Symbian Belle phones will get an updated browser with better HTML5 support, a (much) faster keyboard, the Video Pro editing application and Car Mode -- which gives "easy access to your phone's key features when you're driving," according to Nokia. If that makes you feel better about your legacy Nokia OS investment after all the company's Windows Phone 8 hoopla, check the source to see how to get it. [Thanks, Fakhre]
Symbian Belle FP2 for Nokia 808 PureView spotted early, pulled quickly
Nokia has been tuning up its Symbian Belle phones with new software over the past few days, but there's been one glaring exception: the 808 PureView. The camera-centered behemoth isn't far behind, though, as a handful of users have spotted and grabbed a 113.10.1506 OS update lurking on Nokia's servers before it was abruptly yanked. While Nokia hasn't confirmed details of the upgrade, those few who tried the download can vouch that it really is Belle FP2, or Belle Refresh. As such, it's bringing an overhauled keyboard with text prediction, new versions of the browser and music player apps, fresh widgets and no doubt a few under-the-radar bug fixes. It's hard to know if the update is final code, so we'd advise caution before loading up any unofficial copies you might find -- even so, it's a portentous sign for 808 owners who'd like to have a definitive instance of smartphone-grade Symbian before the platform rides into the sunset.
Nokia 808 PureView review: the future of mobile imaging, wrapped in the smartphone past
More Info Nokia announces 808 PureView: Symbian Belle, 4-inch display, 41-megapixel camera! Nokia 808 PureView impressions, camera showdown with the iPhone 4S and HTC One S Nokia 808 PureView announced for US, available soon through Amazon at $699 The Nokia 808 PureView has a 41-megapixel camera sensor. But you knew that. The crystallization of five years of imaging R&D has landed, and the timing couldn't have been better for Nokia. Alongside uncomfortable financial reading, its move to Windows Phone hasn't exactly set the smartphone world alight just yet. It's seemingly established itself as the go-to WinPho choice for American customers thanks to some aggressive pricing, but with news that the next iteration of Windows Phone won't come to the Lumia 900, many will hold out for Nokia's next handset. Whatever that device will be, it's likely to bring the same PureView technology we've got here on the Nokia 808 PureView -- a Symbian-based handset whose software has seen better days. However, OS be damned, it still blew away attendees at this year's Mobile World Congress. Impressive stuff, given that it's the same show where HTC's admirable One series debuted. That huge sensor is paired with a new five-element Carl Zeiss lens and a refreshed flash with double the strength of the one on the Nokia N8 -- the existing cameraphone champ. But behind the technical bullet points, it's how Nokia maximizes the 41-megapixel sensor, oversampling with those pixels to create improved 5-, 8- , 3- and 2-megapixel images, reducing noise and improving low-light performance. However, when it comes to software, Symbian Belle (with Feature Pack 1 in tow) lags behind the likes of Android, iOS and Windows Phone in user experience and app provision. Similarly, the chunky handset flies in the opposite direction of the trend for slim smartphones. Is that camera module really all Nokia thinks (and hopes) it is? What's more, is Symbian relevant enough for such future-facing goodness? Let's find out.
Nokia 808 PureView impressions, camera showdown with the iPhone 4S and HTC One S
Nokia invited us to take a tour of the Carl Zeiss HQ in Germany, all in the name of getting some time to shoot with the pair's latest project, the 808 PureView. Sure, you've heard the specs: a 41-megapixel sensor, f/2.4 Carl Zeiss lens and a focal length of 8.02mm. That hulking sensor dominates the body, but how do those photographic results turn out? We spent a few hours shooting with Symbian's (possibly) last hurrah and found that -- unsurprisingly -- this looks to be the new benchmark for mobile imaging. The top-heavy body fits in with the focus on mobile photography epitomized in this phone and there's a tangible quality to the photos even on the 808 PureView's 640 x 360 display, alongside a noticeable decrease in noise. Check out our gallery and grab more impressions and comparison images with the iPhone 4S and One S after the break. %Gallery-156016%
The future for Nokia PureView: Possible slimmer models and 'not necessarily a 41MP sensor'
Nokia's 808 PureView may not even be blasting retinas in stores just yet, but that doesn't mean those Finnish cameraphone obsessives aren't already cooking up a buffet of high-megapixel ideas for the future. Vesa Jutila, Head of Product Marketing for the incoming 808 PureView, said that there was plenty more high-spec digital imaging products in the pipeline. While he wasn't about to be drawn on specifics for any future Lumia-Pureview unions just yet, there were "multiple ways" that Nokia could run with its new imaging jewel. Slimmer models are a possibility, still containing high-end Zeiss optics and Nokia's oversampling techniques avoiding the need for optical zoom. He added that the next generation of Nokia camera sensors are already being worked on -- the 808 PureView was borne from an idea back in 2007. Jutila included one more soupçon of information: future PureView products "would not necessarily have the same 41-megapixel sensor" that we've been playing with recently.
Nokia 808 PureView enables NFC image share, mobile payment apps to come
Rounding off a busy day of shooting with Nokia's new imaging mistress, the company's Vesa Jutila, Head of Symbian Product Marketing, hooked us up with some more developments for the 808 PureView, specifically to do with NFC. He told us that picture sharing would be possible across devices -- not limiting itself to fellow PureView smartphones, and differentiating it from another hotly anticipated future smartphone. We'd err against using it on those full 38- or 34-megapixel images though, as they will often measure over 10MB and it could take some time. Further, Nokia's already applied for Mastercard and Visa accreditation to get those mobile wallets up and working. We're curating our own exclusive image gallery as we speak and they're likely to whet your appetite for more oversampling goodness. Expect a fully-fledged review with a final model in the not-too-distant future.
Nokia 808 Pureview goes up against Nokia N8, should probably pick on someone its own age (video)
Aside from a brief video ad to show off its own motion-capture chops, it's gone a little quiet on Nokia's 808 PureView. The imposing 41-megapixel cameraphone, or phone-camera, is Nokia's latest Symbian device so why not run it (almost) side-by-side with the Nokia N8? The screen looks substantially more impressive on the 808 PureView, which is 0.5 inches larger than its older relative, but that brighter showing probably has more to do with the new phone's placement center-stage in exx10sive's hands-on video. Arguably Nokia's last Symbian big-hitter, the 808 PureView seems far more responsive to touch; apps appear to launch almost immediately, while the Belle UI also seems better suited to the newer device, with larger menu text and icons in view. The camera app has also been given a more modern flavor, in line with other smartphone camera UIs. A full-fat eight-minute comparison lies in wait after the break. Hopefully, those hints at a May launch will hold true -- we're waiting for the camera, not the Symbian.
Microsoft brings Word, PowerPoint, Excel to Symbian Belle handsets
As promised, Nokia and Microsoft have made the mobile versions of Word, PowerPoint and Excel available to select Symbian Belle handsets. Earlier this year, the duo heralded the release of OneNote, Document Connection, Lync and PowerPoint Broadcast. With this latest software add, the Office suite for Symbian is (seemingly) complete. Those of you rocking an E7, C7, C6-01, X7, Oro, 700, 701 or 603 can acquire the fresh bits by launching the Nokia Software Update utility. Not bad for a dead mobile operating system.
SIM-free Nokia 808 PureView up for pre-order in Italy, expected to launch in May
Eager to tinker with Nokia's 41-megapixel cameraphone ahead of everyone else (especially if you're based in North America)? Then it looks like you might want to take a trip to Italy next month, as online retailer NStore.it is now accepting pre-orders for the 808 PureView ahead of its "expected" May availability. Il costo? €599, which works out to be about $780 -- not cheap for a SIM-free, Symbian Belle-powered device, but at least the option's there for the mobile photography connoisseurs. Alternatively, keep an eye out for that Lumia PureView unicorn.
Nokia Maps Suite 2.0 rolls out to Symbian devices, breaks free from beta chains
Symbian users haven't seen any shortage of love come their way in 2012. Just look to the 808 PureView for proof of that platform's staying power. Now, Nokia's doling out even more good news, dropping the beta tag from its Maps Suite 2.0 and officially rolling out that software to ^3, Anna and Belle handsets. For those unfamiliar with this bundle of location services, it's primarily a tidy integration of Espoo's Maps, Drive and Transport apps sewn into one, with tailored icons, enhanced UI customization, voice search and photo-tagging. Interested parties can get to downloading the currently available refresh via an OTA update on their phones now. And while you wait for that lengthy install, check out the source link below for additional shots of the packaged goods.
Nokia announces 808 PureView: Symbian Belle, 4-inch display, 41-megapixel camera! (hands-on video)
Remember that Nokia PureView tease from a few days ago? Well, suddenly it all makes sense. We are indeed looking at an imaging flagship phone and a true successor to the N8. It's called the 808 PureView and it's expected to reach Europe in the next quarter for a price of 450 Euros. Before we move on to its craziest feature -- the camera, of course! -- let's run down the other key specs: The OS is Symbian Belle; the engine is a 1.3GHz single-core chip; the display is 4-inches corner to corner but its resolution is a Nokia-style 360 x 640 (nHD). There's 512MB of RAM and 16GB of on-board storage that is thankfully expandable via microSD. A Pentaband modem increases the chances of getting a signal while globe-trotting, while data speeds will top out at plain HSPA 14.4Mbps. Now that Carl Zeiss-lensed camera: it handles continuous-focus 1080p, but is claimed to have an incredible sensor resolution of over 41-megapixels when shooting stills -- or 34-megapixels for 16:9 images. It uses some clever interpolation jiggery-pokery that condenses four or five pixels into one pixel, to produce a smaller file size for the output image. It's expected to arrive in May at a price of €450 and if you're curious, we've got a gallery of hands-on images and video for your viewing pleasure. Just follow the break for our first impressions.
Nokia Belle earns corporate street-cred with Microsoft Office apps
Looks like the corporate bromance between Microsoft and Nokia is stronger than ever. The Finnish handset maker has announced a suite of MS applications that is making its way to select Symbian handsets right this very moment. Users rocking a Belle device are being given access to a handful of apps from Redmond, which will include: OneNote, Document Connection, Lync and PowerPoint Broadcast. A second wave of Office-centric wares, including Word, PowerPoint and Excel, will be made available at an undisclosed date in the not-to-distant future. Nokia E7, C7, C6-01, X7, Oro, 700, 701 and 603 owners should see the goodies appear in Symbian's software update application; the phone maker has promised to add support for the N8, E6 and 500 "soon." For more information on the Microsoft software infiltration, check the press release after the break.
Nokia teases with imaging-themed video ahead of MWC
Well what do we have here? Nokia just posted a delightful little video on its YouTube channel hinting at some kind of announcement during Mobile World Congress next week. The imaging-themed video entitled "Get ready to capture a pure view" shows beautiful snowy landscapes and uses words like detail, depth and definition. While we've enjoyed Nokia's recent foray into all things white, the company's current imaging flagship is getting a bit long in the tooth. Could this be about an N8 successor running Symbian Belle? Guess we'll have to wait until Monday to find out.
Nokia Public Transport for Symbian shows you the way, can't guarantee a seat
Nokia's free turn-by turn navigation is great when you're lost, but what if you need to negotiate an unfamiliar train or bus system? Perhaps Espoo's new Public Transport app with its journey planning information for nearly 80 cities and urban areas (including London, Helsinki, Austin and Toronto) will see you right. What's more, you can even save your favorite destinations to the app's home screen to save a bit more tapping and typing. The app's only available for those freshly updated Symbian Belle phones right now, but it's free, and there's a Lumia-friendly version in the works. Sound like this might take the headache out of your daily commute? Then tap the source link below for more info.
Nokia Astound owners face a Belle-less future, no update coming
So this is where the road ends for the Nokia Astound. After getting a hearty helping of Symbian Anna in November, owners of T-Mobile's first (and only) Symbian^3 device became hopeful that -- despite the fate of the OS being sealed -- the US counterpart to the C7 would remain relevant throughout the course of their contract. Sadly, it was not to be: the phone maker tweeted that the Astound won't receive an update to Symbian Nokia Belle. What of the original C7, you ask? Oh, the latest refresh is already rolling out to users worldwide, but the Astound doesn't appear to be invited to the party. Why? It would need to undergo an additional bout of carrier testing, which involves precious time and money that T-Mobile simply appears unwilling to dole out. This is speculation, of course, but we wouldn't find it surprising in the least to see a US carrier shun a ten-month-old device running an OS with a less than promising future.
Nokia 801 adds one part Belle, one part polycarbonate body for 100 percent possibility
See that up there? That slick-looking, Belle-operating beaut is most definitely not Nokia's rumored 801 handset. No, what you're looking at above is simply a mock-up based on recent rumors circling the web, which peg this 12 megapixel-toting unicorn as the successor to the N8 and 701. It's hard to tell which considering the supposed bits of borrowed specs and chassis conspire to blend the polycarbonate stylings of the Lumia 800 and N9 with a 1.4GHz processor, 512MB of RAM and a 4-inch ClearBlack AMOLED display. You might dismiss this gossamer whisper as a mere ghost of Espoo future, but before you do, keep in mind that it has Eldar Murtazin's backing. Sure, there are more concrete paths to credibility (an official announcement for one), but given the existence of the company's 603 -- a Lumia 710 with a Symbian heart -- he might be right on the euro.
Nokia teases February 8th for Symbian Belle update
Looks like Nokia Vietnam wasn't keeping its powder dry when it threw up a page (subsequently pulled) promising an update to Symbian Belle for February 8th. Still, that didn't stop us taking some screenshots of the promised update on its Facebook page, which (electronically) translates to: "After the holiday, Nokia is good news in ne :) You ready to update Symbian Belle Anna my Nokia phone on 8 / 2 home." Which just about says it all, really. [Thanks, Nano]
