S60 Open to new features

The biggest S60 news of the week has been announcement of 3 new S60 NSeries multimedia computers by Nokia. In the Open Studio event Nokia demonstrated interesting beta version of forthcoming application. It’s a Nokia Podcasting Application! Manual, automatic and scheduled update of Podcasts is possible over 3G or WLAN. If you use it over cellular, flat rate data packet is absolutely necessary. The application itself is independent of a particular service or service provider. You can preview audio and video Podcasts while they are downloading. Search engine provides URLs as OPML files for summary and easy subscription. Also sending and receiving of Podcasts & links is possible over Bluetooth or MMS.

Stuff magazine writes:

We were also shown a cool new podcasting feature that will be available to download from Nokia’s site for the latest Series 60 phones – which rules out the N70 – to let you browse and search for shows with keywords via Wi-Fi and download them. You can search for all audio ‘casts, like Stuff’s, and some MP4 video shows will be available too.

Free Download will available on www.nokia.com around early July. It’s compatible only with S60 3rd Edition.

Nokia 1Q results came out today. Nokia N70 was the highest revenue generator for Nokia this quarter and the world's number one selling WCDMA device. Answer to the question on title is too obvious.

Smartphone market in general is doing very well. Nokia Multimedia business group increased sales by 55% and had 18% operating margin. That result is done almost solely by S60 products. S60 as a SW product is stronger than ever.

During this week I have been listened several survey results about S60. Surveys have been done for our customers and partners. The results have been very interesting, but you know, they are not always praises and compliments. There is lots of room for improvement and now most problematic areas are identified. Anyway regardless of problems, missing features, release delays and so, it was so nice to be reminded today that basics are done right and S60 products achieved outstanding sales.

It is very difficult to get to my favorite application list i.e. to be an application what I use daily or almost daily and over long period of time. According the user studies I’m not an exception. There is a long list of standard platform applications I use and I continue usage when changing the phone to new e.g. calendar, Clock, Messaging etc. Now I’m also proud S60 browser user. The first time actually quality in the browser coming with platform fulfills my requirements (and I consider myself as quite normal prosumer).

Friday idea for free, market demand is there, only implementation is lacking.

You remember Mission Impossible and those messages in the beginning of the show. “This message will self-destruct in five seconds”. BANG and it was gone, forever. First this sounds very trivial feature but I’m not sure anymore. We have we young minded politicians in Finland. They seem to use mobile phones and text messaging like teenagers and searching mate by just sending SMS. Teenager messages rarely are published in newspapers, politician’s messages happen to get there more often. I’m quite sure they would appreciate mission impossible type automatic deletion after reading –feature.