Rapid Web News

I previously posted on how Nokia open-sourced the Symbian mobile operating system and the advantages this will bring to mobile web developers. Nokia has now released their first mobile device based on the open-source version of Symbian, the Nokia N8 phone.

It is the first version of the software since the Symbian foundation announced that it had made its code open source in February.

The Foundation – which includes Nokia, Motorola and Samsung amongst others – gave away the code to developers for free in the hope that it would help speed up the pace of improvements. Any organisation or individual can now use and modify it.

The software in the N8 allows the phone to have multi-touch and multi-tasking, meaning more than one application can be open at any one time.

The device will be Nokia’s flagship smartphone. It can be plugged into home theatres and supports surround sound as well as high-quality video.

Social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, can be displayed on the home screen in a single application.

Lee Williams, executive director of the Symbian Foundation, said he was “stoked” that Nokia had chosen to use the operating system on its phone.

BBC News article

The Nokia N8 will ship in the third quarter of this year, 2010. Hopefully the improved software will bring advantages both for its end-users, and the software ‘app’ and web application developers.

Just a little follow up to a previous story, though this was a little amusing maybe even a little ironic. Turns out after the mass banning of live accounts which have modded consoles EBay has been bombarded with second hand console with the tag line “100% working offline”. Curious to know if all those people will be re-buying the 360, after all they’ll have to start buying games now regardless, not a prospect I think any of them will relish…

With the government enforcing a new VAT rate for the next 13 months, you’ll need to make sure that your ecommerce site adheres to the new standard. We’ll be contacting our clients over the next few days, but if you’d like to talk to us about updating your site then give us a call on 01785 250222

1. Ghosts

2. Creative Director’s hearts

Well, you can probably think of a few more things, some of which are possibly not fit for a global audience. These are the two scariest things that Adam, our Creative Director, can think of right now.

A month ago he had a heart attack. Out of the blue. No warning (is there ever?). It turns out that he had a coronary spasm, where the arteries of the heart close up; stopping the blood flow. The good news is that he’s physically fit and healthy (Well, he should be for a 30 year old!) and it was a freak occurrence. The bad news is that he’s back in the office now, and he’s driving us mad with his healthy lifestyle lectures.

Anyway, we wish him a speedy recovery!

For more information on heart health go to http://www.bhf.org.uk/