Hello, Pizero.net users!

Starting from today, I’ll try to write a brief post each day, with a small selection of the most interesting news of the day taken from other blogs or  websites. All the news are Mobile and Symbian related, and, instead of writing a post, i’ll point directly to the news, with an external link.

clicking on the news title will open the 3rd party website, with a removable upper frame for returning to PiZero Symbian Design.

I hope you will appreciate this new  daily service.

Here we start, with the most interesting news of today:

• Gameloft’s Asphalt 4 Theme For Car Racing Fans – by Symbian-Freak

Gameloft’s Asphalt 4 dev team has delivered a fantastic mobile theme for racing fans featuring attractive
Bugatti Veyron car as a wallpaper. The theme is designed for the S60 3rd edition FP1 and Fp2 devices and
fits both, portrait and landscape mode. Beside the nice wallpaper it also contains set of sounds that can
be applied through the Personalisation menu Setting.

• Detailed Galleries and Comment: Nokia E55, Nokia E75 and Nokia 5630 XpressMusic - by AllaboutSymbian

Here’s the final batch of high resolution images from Mobile World Congress 2009 from Rafe. Immaculately done as usual, click through any image for the full size JPG. Featured here are the Nokia E55 (compact qwerty keyboard), the Nokia E75 (side-sliding qwerty) and Nokia 5630 XpressMusic (mid-range music phone, with ‘Say and Play’). Enjoy. See the comments threads on the individual galleries.

• Fring now out for S60 5th Edition – by Allaboutsymbian

• Would You Like To Get Your Hands On An Omnia HD Before Anyone Else?  by Symbian-Freak

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., a leading mobile phone provider, opened ambassador program for the ultimate
multimedia powerhouse with HD brilliance. OMNIAHD ambassador program is the competition to select the 50
most interesting applicants who will get the device prior to its launch.
OMNIAHD ambassadors will be at the forefront of introducing the phone to the world through blogging,
filming, playing, chatting, and demonstrating its unrivalled capabilities.

• Nokia Answers Our Ovi Store Questions – by Symbian-Guru

I submitted a few questions to Nokia, to see if we could get some more clarification on them, and have just received the answers. Hopefully, this will clarify some of the questions floating around about the Ovi Store.

The Third Perfect Theme Project Poll is starting today!

Just to remember, The Perfect Theme Project is  the project to make a theme based on the suggestions and votes from PiZero.net Users.

The First Poll about the "Perfect Theme Project" of last week, is telling that over 94% of you seem to like the idea of a theme built on user’s wishes and votes.

The Second Poll, which ends today, decided the subject ot the theme: Abstract, as this subject was the winning among other with 65% an more than 750 votes.

So, Today’s poll is asking your preferred colour for the background main colour: choices are Black; White, Grey (including beige), Red, Blue, Light blue, Green, Pink, Yellow, Orange, Violet or purple, Brown (and all variatons).

Make your choice now!

The new Nokia 5800 Tube is probabily, since it was unveiled in October, the most awaited phone of 2008. The implementation of the s60 Touch UI and the very attractive price tag were the key features, to expect it to be among the best-sellers of 2009 in the mobile industry.

Nokia announced first that the phone price was expected to be of 279 € + VAT. The low price, as said below, was one of the greatest surprises.

But only one month later, rumors began to spread in forums and communities, saying that the price was to be retouched to 429 € in most countries, including taxes.

So, the phone launch is approaching and some stores are already taking preorders at the price of 429 €.

Many users are disappointed, because the price is higher than expected, but last minute news are telling that the  price could still be a (good) surprise in some countries at least.

According to latest news, Nokia’s official price is still 279 €  + VAT.  The problem is that regional Nokia divisions, in each country, will be allowed to offer the phone in a bundle with additional features/services. So, especially for Christmas, some countries are offering the phone at 279 €  + taxes + a 100 €  voucher of "Comes with Music" songs, plus a 3-months subscription to Nokia Maps.

So, here’s why in some countries the price became 429 €.

The same sources are telling that, probably starting from January, the phone will be sold, at least, in some countries, without additional services (so, without "comes with music" vouchers), for the retail price of 279 € +VAT (In Italy, this would mean a price of 335 € wich is a unusual price, so probably, 349 €).

And we all hope so, Nokia.

source: Engadget

Hi! Today we are talking of the Perfect Theme Project,  the project to make a theme based on the suggestions and votes from PiZero.net Users.

The First Poll about the "Perfect Theme Project" of last week, is telling that over 94% of you seem to like the idea of a theme built on user’s wishes and votes.

So, let’s get started!

The first thing that I must know before starting with the theme developement is the subject of that theme.

I wanted to know if you’d prefer a theme on an abstract subject, (like, for examples Spectrum, or Reflex remix), or if you prefer a theme made for an actual photography or landscape graphics (for example, Penguins, or Summertime). The third possiblity would be a theme based  on a brand or logo subject (For example, like Beijing 2008, or Gucci), and the fourth would be a character/cartoonish subject (Like Simpsons, Futurama, or like the Screeam!!! Theme):

So, here are the choices, vote now and contribute to the Perfect Theme Project by PiZero!

(The Poll is closing  next Tuesday, at 23:59 GMT +1, so you have more than 4 days to vote).

Inside the new forum you will find news and discussions about  2nd and 3rd edition symbian platforms, off-topics and a themes section as well!  Over 50 topics have been already opened in the launch day!

If you wish to sign up on Symbianplanet forums, click here!       (Warning: It’s in italian Only!!!)

I’ve come across a nice video by Stuff.tv Magazine, it’s showing a Nokia 5800 Hand-on, with quite clear images of the Touchscreen and Operating system response. Great focus, like on every review of the last days, on the multiple text imput methods, here showing the Full Qwerty touch imput, mini-qwerty to use with included pen, and classic keypad imput with numbers and multiple letters.

Also, some websites are reporting that the first country to get the 5800 release will be Russia, probably on the first days of December. This is because russian market is in some ways different from other european markets. Nokia aims to fight there, against the growing iPhone-mania. Also, The Nokia 5800 sold there will be more expensive (around 450 Euro, while in other countries the price will be 299 Euro + Taxes).

Then, the Tube will be available in Spain and some other countries before the end of the year. The rest of the world (including Italy), will get it on the first months of 2009.

Sources: Dailymobile, Mobile-Review

Today and tomorrow, in London, there is the Symbian Smartphone Show 2008. A great event for all the european Symbian enthousiasts and operators! 

I was also invited here, and I would like to thank Mr. Neil W. for doing so.

But unfortunately, I am very busy with the university right now, and I was not able to reach London for this event.

However, no fear, for those of you who would like to read a live coverage of the Event, Steve and Ewan of AAS are right now in da house!

Click Here to read the live coverage from London Smartphone Show 2008.

Finally, after weeks of work, everything seems to be ok, and so here is the new layout of PiZero Design.

Many of you will notice slight changes in the graphics and layout.

The hopepage has now totally new feel.

In the top area, a new header,   and 2 navigation bars:

• The first brings to useful areas of the website (pages)
• The second allows to read directly each blog category, plus there is a compatibility tool, and a brief theme installation tutorial.

In the main area, you will find 3 major categories:

• PiZero News – Everything that is related to this blog
• Symbian News – Sometimes, I like to share the most interesting news with my readers
• Then, the Symbian Themes:

1. In the First area, you will find the 5 most recent themes that I ma
2. In the lower area, there are the 5 most downloaded themes since this website creation. I tought it can be useful to new visitors that are looking for "most popular" products.

On the sidebar, the first square can be used to suscribe to email feed, meaning that when the website is updated, you will receive an email with feed.

There is also a new featured video, showing at a glance my most known works. Try it!.

Last, but not least, I completely remade the Theme Gallery, now showing nearly all my new and old works. The new gallery is now more stylish and easy. 

Once the gallery is open, just click on the theme thumbnail and you will have a shadowbox showing fullsize screenshot. On top of the screenshot, you can download that theme directly, without going trough each post. Cool, isn’t it?

The only themes that are not included in theme gallery are the newer ones, that can be accessed easily using the blog posts.

Finally, I hope that this new website will make an easier and more pleasant navigation. I hope everything is ok, if you find a bug report it using the new contact form (right button on the navigation bar).

If you want, please leave a comment with your thoughts about this new layout.

PiZero

Nokia has launched a new website, Face the task, for promoting their new Nokia N96 and to Help the WWF to save the Red Panda of Nepal. The website is video-based and is very nice. Afther seeing all the videos you will be able to enter a contest to win a Nokia N96 Limited edition. Or, if you want to be sure to have it, you can make a donation to the WWF, and if you donate 759 Euro, Nokia will send you a Limited Edition Nokia N96, in a special box that will make it unique; and you will have it before it’s released worldwide. There are only 96 Limited edition Nokia’s flagships available.

The only problem is that you can’t make the donation when you want; you have to wait until the embedded counter reaches 0.

Check it out here

A new mysterious website by Nokia was spotted today by Symbian Freak.

After opening the website, you are asked to resolve the “puzzle” you see above, combining the matching symbols. After that, you are shown a catching video talking of a strange clip that was made hundreds of years ago, that was locked away in a sealed box for the weird effects it produced….

Without doubt, this is another great marketing promo by Nokia, that always find the way to catch the attention of customers, made maybe for the launch of a new service or product…

To take a look with your eyes at that strange website, just click the link at the end of the post, but be warned, open it at your own risk!

Click to visit Openatownrisk.com!

The Premium themes by PiZero – Summer 2008

6 New High-End Themes

Deep Abyss, Ruby, Zen in 2.0, and 3 other New top quality Themes…

… Coming Soon …

]]> http://www.pizero.net/archives/434/feed 28 http://www.pizero.net/archives/429 http://www.pizero.net/archives/429#comments Tue, 24 Jun 2008 07:52:24 +0000 PiZero http://www.pizero.net/?p=429

Breaking News From Nokia’s Official Website:

Nokia to acquire Symbian Limited to enable evolution of the leading open mobile platform
June 24, 2008

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced it has launched a cash offer to acquire all of the shares of Symbian Limited that Nokia does not already own.  The net cash outlay from Nokia to purchase the approximately 52% of Symbian Limited shares it does not already own will be approximately EUR 264 million.

The Guys from All About Symbian are always writing something interesting. I usually visit their blog more than once a day, and I always find something interesting to read.

Today Rafe is trying the new N78 by Nokia, and the first part of his detailed review is online, talking of the Hardware and Connectivity. I would suggest you to take a look at it, if you are interested in buying one ( and even if not).

I’m already waiting for the second part.

It seems that the iPhone-mania of those days is going to modify the strategies of other mobile phones companies. Nokia, for example, today announced that the touchscreen technology will be included on most of the upcoming phones, starting from the 5800 XpressMedia, but not only on high level devices.

Nokia Conversations reported today an interview with Anssi Vanjoki, Senior VP of Nokia Markets.

Anssi, talking of touchscreen technology, said that Nokia “will introduce products from the very low segment to the highest one featuring this type of functionality.”

Today touchscreens are not present on mid and low-end devices. They are featured on the most expensive mobile phones. But Nokia “always aim for a situation where (we) can cover all the segments with all the options”

Plus, Xatakamovil, is reporting a that Nokia could release the Nokia 5800 XpressMedia, the first Nokia with Touch UI, “before Christmas“

Good news, good news.

[Via: Spaziocellulare]

Those pictures, altough some apparently strange details (vodafone brand on a prototype?), seems to be authentic. They show three new phones from Nokia: The N85, already seen yesterday, the rumored Nokia N79 ( but it seems a nonsense, as the N78 has still to reach the stores), and the long-awaited 5800 Xpress Music, codename Nokia Tube: a veeery long phone, with a vaguely familiar (ehm…) design and touchscreen interface.

But to be completely honest, why we had to wait 2008 to have a touchscreen Nokia with stylus, since it’s an already old technology? Somebody tell them that stylus are annoying, and today’s touchscreens are made using multitouch, using fingers. And it has not to be a very expensive solution.

[Thanks to: TalkaboutNseries and P@sco]