SymbianBelle
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Nokia to announce Symbian Belle update on Wednesday, crafts a countdown timer
Well, that must be embarrassing: Nokia gets a fancy countdown clock set up on its Facebook page as a teaser for something new on Symbian, and the file it set up still says "belle_fb_TeaserMain" in it. It doesn't anymore, but the cat's already out of the bag; on Wednesday morning Espoo will most likely unveil Belle, its forthcoming bump up from Symbian Anna. We're unsure of the exact details that'll be shared, though we've already seen enough of the new update to know what to expect: with a couple lengthy videos, multitudes of screenshots and a leaked version of Belle floating around somewhere, there isn't much of a mystery left to shed light on. That said, we're still hoping we'll see some device announcements as well as dates and device compatibility. Perhaps Mr. Elop just wants us to think it's Belle, in which case this would be the best teaser of all. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Engadget Mobile Podcast 100 - 08.21.2011
We're 100. 100! If you're like us, you totally can't believe it's been more than two years since we first started Mobile Podcasting but you totally can believe it at the same time because that's just how we roll: dedicated. To celebrate we've brought along Engadget Chinese editor Richard Lai and Noah Kravitz of TechnoBuffalo to weigh in on stuff like the Xiaomi phone and Symbian Belle leaking its way into the world. And...a couple of other things. We're old. It's a mobile party. You just got your pentaband invite to click on the play or download links below. Don't sleep on it: before you know it we'll be 200.Hosts: Myriam Joire (tnkgrl), Brad MolenGuests: Richard Lai, Noah KravitzProducer: Trent WolbeMusic: Daestro - Light Powered (Ghostly International)00:02:45 - HP will 'discontinue operations for webOS devices', may spin off Personal Systems Group00:21:55 - Google acquiring Motorola Mobility00:42:45 - Motorola's new Droid HD makes cameo alongside Droid Bionic01:04:30 - BlackBerry Bold 9930 review01:05:43 - AT&T streamlining individual messaging plans August 21st, leaving unlimited as the sole survivor01:15:00 - Xiaomi Phone hands-on (updated with video)01:25:40 - Symbian Anna now available for download on Nokia N8, E7, C7 and C6-0101:26:30 - Symbian Belle download leaked to N8 community, quickly pulled from site (update: Anna available on NaviFirm)01:30:57 - CNET: RIM in talks to squeeze out BlackBerry music service01:32:50 - Motorola Photon 4G review01:36:53 - Samsung Hercules, HTC Ruby available from T-Mobile on October 26th?01:38:56 - Samsung Hercules gets its Telus on in leaked glamour shots01:39:38 - HTC Holiday prototype shows up on Craigslist, gives us reason to celebrate (update: AT&T-bound)01:45:55 - Why is LTE equipment being installed in an Apple Store?Hear the podcastSubscribe to the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes[RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically[RSS AAC] Add the Engadget Mobile Podcast feed (in enhanced AAC) to your RSS aggregator[Zune] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune MarketplaceDownload the podcastLISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)Contact the podcastpodcast (at) engadgetmobile (dot) com.Follow us on Twitter@tnkgrl @phonewisdom @engadgetmobile
Symbian Belle download leaked to N8 community, quickly pulled from site (update: Anna available on NaviFirm)
For a very short period of time there was pure bliss for Nokia N8 users with a knack for tinkering around; Symbian Belle, a coveted update to the still-unreleased Anna, was spotted in a user forum, leaked and available for download. Alas, it was not meant to be, as enough users experienced issues installing the new firmware that the files had to be pulled until it can be resolved. According to DailyMobile, the folks behind the update will try again tomorrow, so anyone interested may want to keep a close eye on it just in case it goes live again. As any other unofficial firmware install, it's not for the faint of heart; you'll want to be confident in what you're doing before you get started. Head below for another eight-minute video. Update: It looks like Symbian Anna is now available for N8 users, with early variants of the firmware showing up on NaviFirm. No word yet on when V22 will be available via Ovi Suite or as an OTA update, but if you've already upgraded, let us know how you're finding it in the comments. [Thanks, Daniel]
Symbian Belle gets eight minutes of hands-on fame (video)
Screen grabs ain't got nuthin' on this one. Just as we savor a full set of screenshots showing off Symbian Belle in all its glory, a YouTube video of the unannounced OS strolls onto the scene with eight minutes of footage. The successor to Anna is seen here on a Nokia N8, which could be a sign that at least some existing Symbian^3 devices will receive the update when it becomes available. The video exhibits several aspects of the new UI, such as the Android-style pull-down bar for notifications, a back button-based interface, a new virtual keyboard, and a new camera UI -- all of which appear to be significant improvements over the platform's predecessors. If you have a few minutes to spare, dive past the break to get the full tour. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nokia RM-670 screen grabs reveal Symbian Belle in all her glory
We caught a glimpse of Nokia's new Symbian Belle OS on some RM-670 spy shots a month ago, but back then we were distracted by the handset's impressive hardware. As if to correct our focus, the attention-seeking successor to Symbian Anna has just revealed herself again in a batch of leaked screen grabs, courtesy of NokiaBlog.ro. The pics reveal different-sized widgets in a range of different positions, suggesting that this OS offers a lot more flexibility in customizing home screens. There's also an Android-esque notifications bar, which gives quick access to core settings too. We don't know how final these revisions are, or how effective they'll be in restoring Symbian's waning popularity when the new OS finally arrives, but there's an encouraging hint of that well-executed simplicity that Nokia does so well. Click the source link below for the full Romanian fandango. [Thanks, Clinton]
Mobile Miscellany: week of July 11, 2011
Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of July 11, 2011: Samsung launched an ad campaign for the Infuse 4G which claims its colors are "so good, they fool Mother Nature." Each ad features a different animal that mistakes the Infuse's Super AMOLED Plus screen for real nature. [via Gottabemobile] T-Mobile's MyTouch 4G is now available on Cincinnati Bell as the HTC Panache 4G for $200 with two-year agreement. [via MobileBurn] We got a sneak peek at some of Symbian Belle's UI changes, thanks to the refreshed Design Guideline docs on Nokia's developer website. [via All About Symbian] Inductive charging battery covers are now available for the HTC Thunderbolt and Incredible 2, Motorola Droid 3, and the LG Revolution. [via Droid-Life] Motorola officially announced the Fire, aka XT316. It's a portrait QWERTY handset with Gingerbread and is currently available in China. In the coming months it should work its way to Taiwan, Latin America, and Europe. The XT316 is going for $230. [via Unwired View] The popular GroupMe messaging app is now available for Windows Phone and can be downloaded for free in the Marketplace. [via MobileBurn and Gizmodo] Romanian carrier Cosmote has launched a 21.6 Mbps HSPA+ broadband service. (thx lonel) [via ZF Business Hi-Tech]
Nokia RM-670 swans through the FCC, gives us another 'Zeta' portrait to admire
We first saw the Nokia RM-670 (aka the N7 or 700 Zeta) in a batch of unflattering spy-shots, then in some leaked publicity poses, and now we also have an exquisite line drawing courtesy of the FCC. Sure, it's not the most detailed of portraits, but it's the first absolutely concrete evidence we have that the RM-670 exists and may be headed to the New World. The FCC paperwork lists 1700MHz AWS and 850/1900Mhz 3G bands, suggesting that the handset could potentially work on T-Mobile or AT&T. Other rumored specs doing the rounds include the new Symbian Belle OS, a 1GHz processor, NFC and a 3.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen -- as if those rounded contours weren't pleasing enough. [Thanks, Glenn]
Nokia 700 'Zeta' gets classy, dresses in white for leaked press shots
Representing a letter of the Greek alphabet can be a daunting task. The Nokia 700 "Zeta," however, is busy getting primed for the massive duty on hand, indicated by a pair of possible press shots that surfaced from Indian site KnowYourMobile. A comparison of these new pics with the spyshots grabbed last week show very little difference besides the obvious color change, with the 1GHz, Symbian Belle-powered Zeta opting for a white front and chrome back instead of the black and candy-apple combo we saw previously. This could mean that, like many Nokia handsets before it, a rainbow of various hues will be available to choose from the moment the device launches. We sure hope that's soon, because nobody wears white after Labor Day. [Thanks, Mark]
Nokia 700 'Zeta' caught in spyshots, ready to give mobile makeovers
While we're busy recovering from a recent overdose of Nokia eye candy, secret agents are hard at work hunting down more visual goodness for us to ogle at. These shots above are of the Nokia 700 "Zeta," which appears to be a replacement to the C6-01. The photos show it running on Symbian Belle -- Anna's successor -- and packed with a 5 megapixel camera, LED flash, and NFC support. The source indicates the Zeta will house a 1 GHz CPU and 3.2-inch nHD AMOLED display, weighs a smidge over 80g, and measures out at 10mm thick. Oddly enough, we dug up a leaked snapshot of the Zeta's spec sheet claiming it'll be the "thinnest smartphone ever," which at 10mm isn't anywhere close to earning that title. Though no other phones were pictured, the spec sheet (shown below) brought attention to three other Symbian offerings on the roadmap: the Nokia 701 Helen has the best specs of the bunch with 8 megapixel camera and 3.5-inch ClearBlack display; there's the Nokia 600 Cindy with NFC, 5 megapixel shooter, and 3.2-inch AMOLED; also, we've likely seen the Nokia 500 Fate already leaked as the N5. There's no indication on when (or if) we can expect any of these phones to hit the market, but it looks like Mr. Elop is intent on keeping his promise. More photos after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
