We didn’t expect too many fireworks from Microsoft and Nokia’s joint teleconference this morning, and, well, we didn’t get any. As expected, Office Mobile is coming to Symbian, along with Office Communicator Mobile, SharePoint, and Microsoft System Center, and the two companies also said they’ll be working on “future user experiences” for Nokia customers. Don’t get too worked up about that, though — Nokia said it was “deeply committed to Symbian,” and that “there are no such plans” to work on a Windows Mobile device. So much for that. We did ask whether this partnership would affect Nokia’s rumored Maemo plans, and we were told that development is Symbian-focused for now, but that there might be “other business opportunities” in the future, so at least that door remains open a hair — but for the most part this is all about Microsoft and Nokia trying to stake out a stronger enterprise position, not anything else. Video after the break, if you’re having a hard time taking that nap.
Source: Engadget.com
Poor Symbian. Sony Ericsson’s been giving you some hot play with its Satio smartphone, but lately it seems Nokia wants little to do with you, always throwing a cold shoulder and mentioning what a great guy that Maemo dude is. Now, according to rumors from the (still pink) German Financial Times, Nokia is looking to drop Symbian OS altogether and move to Maemo wholesale, powering not just its internet tablets but also its smartphones, the first of which is due in “the next few weeks” — possibly referring to the RX-51 Rover that’s been out and about lately. According to the report, the Symbian OS just can’t keep up with the younger players these days; “far too cumbersome to work with.” Nokia has issued a typical no comment, but interestingly last night’s mention of a “alliance” between Microsoft and Nokia for the creation of Office for Nokia phones made no explicit mention of Office for Symbian. Intrigue; we love it.
Update: As Reggie has pointed out in the comments, Peter Schneider, Nokia’s Maemo marketing guru, has put the brakes on this rumor via Twitter. “No, Nokia is not replacing Symbian with Maemo. Symbian and Maemo will continue to coexist.” So much for intrigue, and romance.
Source: Engadget.com
Remember the Sony Ericsson Jalou? Well, the photo may have been a fake, but the Jalou is the real deal. It’s a fashion phone with a jewel-inspired design and with a limited Dolce&Gabbana edition just around the corner.
The Jalou is a petite clamshell – just 73 mm tall when closed – and weighs the handbag-friendly 84 grams. The internal display has a special finish that allows it to double as a mirror – how thoughtful! Jalou will be available in attractive gem colors like Onyx Black, Aquamarine Blue and Deep Amethyst.
The Sony Ericsson Jalou will have a limited, Dolce&Gabbana-branded edition giving it serious fashion cred. It will have all the techy features of the regular Jalou but elements like 24 carat gold plating and Sparkling Rose color scheme make it exclusive. There’s also preloaded content like photos and videos of the 2010 Autumn/Winter runway show including backstage footage. Specially crafted wallpapers and themes are a given as well.
The Dolce&Gabbana Jalou will serve as more than just a fashion accessory – with an RSS feed from a special blog you’ll instantly get updates on the latest trends, news and gossip. Stefano Gabbana and Domenico Dolce themselves will be crafting an ad campaign, which will start October, to promote the Jalou.
Quite expectedly with the Sony Ericsson Jalou the high-end specs sheet was obviously not a priority – it measures the hefty 18.2mm in thickness and features a 2-inch QVGA screen (with a monochrome one on the outside) as well as a 3 megapixel camera without auto focus.
A NetFront browser and YouTube application as well as Google search application put the tri-band HSPA in gear with GPS (US version only) and Google Maps rounding it off. Oh, and after you’ve checked your makeup using the Jalou’s internal screen, a video call is just a few key presses away. Threaded SMS, email, instant messaging is the other way to keep you in contact with friends.
Both editions of the Jalou will be out in the fourth quarter of 2009 with the Dolce&Gabbana edition available exclusively in Sparkling Rose. No word on pricing though – just as usual.
Source: GSMArena.com
