Symbian in Motion

Kudos to Psiloc for coming up with a fun and unique way to celebrate the upcoming release of a brand new S60 app! Psiloc What? is a fun way to compete for a free license code for an upcoming application that will be released in the next few weeks. You can read about it on the Psiloc blog, but I’ll give you the nuts and bolts here:

Head to the Psiloc What? site, download and install the free app. Every day you open the app and update its status, you will see a new clue as to what exciting new S60 software Psiloc will be releasing soon. Any time you’re ready, take a guess as to what the new app will be. Then at the end of the content Psiloc will pick 12 of their favorite entries (the best/funniest/most interesting guesses) and those 12 people will get free license codes. It’s that easy.

If you don’t end up winning a free code, don’t cry just yet. Maybe I can convince Psiloc to hand over a few free codes for SiMo readers once their new app is released. ;)

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A big congrats to the winners of the BlueTect contest! Truth be told, it wasn’t much of a contest (all you had to do was post a comment) but that won’t make your 100% unlimited BlueText license codes any less enjoyable. ;)

• yd
• Robert H
• Markus
• Scott
• last but not least, Bruno

By the time you all read this, you’ll already have a fresh new license code waiting for you in your inboxes. Congrats once again and to everyone else, thanks very much for your comments!

UPDATE: yd, please email me to claim your prize. I’ve tried two addresses for you and neither worked! 

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For years now I’ve wondered why my PC couldn’t replace my mobile phone while I’m sitting at my desk. Let me explain: When I’m at work, I’m sitting at my PC 90% of the time and it becomes my main method of communications. Whether I’m in Outlook, some form of instant messenger (I use four different IM apps unfortunately) or making calls using Skype. When my office phone rings, it annoys me. Convergence, people. I want one point of focus that handles all of my work and communications needs. I’m on my PC, I have a bluetooth headset in my ear connected to my PC, call me on Skype! Likewise, when people call or text me on my mobile it draws my attention away from my PC and forces my to use my handset if I want to interact. Sure I can forward my mobile to my Skype number and ignore my SMS if I so choose, but why should I have to? When I’m within range of my PC, I wish it would automatically connect to my handset and take over all communications. An email widget, an SMS / MMS widget and a voice comms widget - at least.

BlueText is a step in that direction. Like Nokia’s Text Messenger beta, it is a PC-based SMS interface that allows you to send and receive SMS via your mobile phone. Of course BlueText isn’t the first piece of software to afford users this functionality, but it is the first to do it with S60 3rd and Windows XP. As neat as Nokia’s Text Messenger is, it’s Vista only I’m afraid. If you’re like me then you avoid Vista like the plague so Text Messenger just isn’t an option.

The PC app is very Vista-like in terms of appearance. It has a nice semi-transparent UI that is nice and minimal. Sending an SMS is quite simple as shown above. Select your recipient, type your message, hit send and be on your way. Notifications will pop up directly on your screen when new SMS messages arrive and you can reply in just two clicks.

The device-side app is quite simple as well, as you can see above. After installation, license activation and set up, you’ll only access the app to enable and disable the service.

BlueText is the first app from Psiloc to make use of their new PC-based installation wizard which makes installation a breeze for inexperienced users. Psiloc’s new system is self-contained and once installed on the PC, it deposits the SIS and launches it at the appropriate time.

What will you need to use BlueText? An S60 3rd handset and a bluetooth enabled PC with Windows or Widcomm bluetooth drivers. Price of admission: Just north of $15 depending on the strength of the US dollar (price is 9.95€) and there is a trial period as with all Psiloc apps. SiMo readers are in luck however! Of course there’s no app like a free app and five lucky commenters will enjoy a free unlimited BlueText license code courtesy of Psiloc. Woo hoo! Just post a comment below and I’ll pick five at random on Friday March 14. Those selected will receive their license codes via email on Friday.

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Back in November, I was happy to announce the winner of the 1,000 Words contest sponsored by Palringo and hosted here on SiMo. Cheryl, the contest winner, has been happily enjoying her prize for a while now and over the weekend she emailed me some pics of her shiny new toy in action. Perhaps she sent them to me just to rub it in, but more likely because I asked her to. ;)

As you can see, Cheryl is still enjoying Palringo on her E90 and what a joy it must be with that giant full keyboard. Palringo, by the way, is definitely positioned to show us some exciting new things in 2008. With the recent completion of a funding round and the news this past October that Simon Judge is now working with them, it should be quite a year for Palringo (and their Symbian app) indeed!

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A big congrats to pilsner and Rolf, winners of free irRemote license codes courtesy of Psiloc! Their comments in the original contest post were randomly picked using Andrew Hedges’ random number picker. I’ll have emails out to each of them shortly containing their prize. Woo hoo!

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