Finally, we have on our hands the first beta release of Fennec, the Firefox browser for mobile devices. It’s the milestone number 12 in the development roadmap and its intented for testing purposes, get wider feedback, engage community and encourage add-on developers to port existing add-ons. It’s only available for ‘Maemo’, the Linux OS running on Nokia N810 Internet Tablets.

You can look at all the features in the Release Notes. There’s nothing shocking, but some of them are really inteteresting. I specially like what they call ‘Devices services integration’: click on a phone number to initiate a call and a JavaScript API to get device location.

Anyway, I must confess I’m a bit disappointed by the pace of Mozilla’s advances in its mobile version. Two years ago, Mozilla decided to discontinue the Minimo browser project. It was the first attempt. Some months after, they announced their intention of starting a new project and Fennec development started from the ground up.

From that moment, the release of a stable version has been delayed time over time, and now we have no idea of when we’ll have a version for a mainstream platform (Windows Mobile or Symbian, the only two covered by Fennec).

Let’s hope all the feedback and re-encouraged contributions of the community will help to make Fennec a reality as soon as possible. Otherwise, it could be too late for them, as all WebKit-derived browsers take the market.

Via ObservatorioInternetMovil
Links ReleaseNotes SevenClick SevenClick

I criticized Google recently for not including Gmail Tasks as part of Google Calendar instead of a Gmail Labs add-on, because of the missed synchronization capabilities of tasks management.

Despite that this fact has not changed, I won´t be surprised when it would, as Google folks can´t keep quiet. Now it´s time for extending a synchronization feature already available for Blackberry, to a bunch of SyncML capable devices, including iphone/ipod touch.

It´s called Google Sync and even it´s a beta (as usual) it provides full bi-directional synchronization capabilites with Google Calendar via Microsoft Active-Sync. This includes up to five calendars, but note that a Microsoft´s Exchange Active-Sync config could not co-exist with a Google Sync config, so you´ll have to choose from which to sync if that´s your case (and beware Google Sync will erase your local contacts, so you have to back-up before proceeding).

Keep up the good work.

Link Google Sync |  Known Limitations
Via TUAW

Thanks to appleBlog, we have get to an interesting post in DaringFireball, where they analize the use of private APIs on the implementation of the new voice search feature, on the last reselease of Google Mobile. This might set a precedent in the use of private APIs on iPhone.

More accurately, the point is the use of proximity sensor API. It seems Google is using an undocumented API call in order to know when the user talks on the microphone.

The way iPhone triggers voice activation is so smart:

1. Move the iPhone.
2. Trigger the proximity sensor next to the speaker at the top of the iPhone.

No problem with the first step. But it seems that threre is no way to know when second step takes place. I don’t know iPhone APIs in depth, so I won’t dare to talk about the technical analysis.

The important fact is that, in theory, use of undocument APIs are not allowed if you want your application on App Store. So, Google has been given permission to use it, or… someone in Apple did not realize they were breaking the rules.

The question is: in case Google actually got this special permission from Apple, will other less powerful companies have the same opportunity?

Via appleBlog
Link DaringFireball

No, it´s not a mistake. You can really run a web server on your S60 mobile phone. Wheter you find it useful or not, that´s up to you.

Nevertheless, they have found some interest uses. Accesing calendar, contacts or SMS through the website the phone provides (and that includes sending SMS) are just the basic features. Sharing the pictures of you camera gallery and maintaining a mobile website like a blog with RSS support are some of the advanced features.

Beware, get an unlimited data plan or prepare to face the famous “carrier charges may apply”.

Link Mobile Web Server

New Mobile Internet Explorer 6 will first arrive in China, and will be available on Samsung Omnia. This new version includes embedded Flash and automatic zoom which will automatically adjust the size of the website depending on its width, like other mobile browsers do.

Microsoft doesn’t “to convert existing users of the competing phones like the iPhone or Google’s Android”, they want to “grow faster than the market”, as Scott Rockfeld, Microsoft’s director of Windows Mobile told ZDNet Asia. They “want to have users in emerging markets get their first online experience with Windows Mobile”.

Here you have a video of IE 6 in different devices, enjoy it!

If you want to read more info about mobile browsers you can access to this previous post.

Via gizmovil

imiChat is a free software for symbian and PCs that manages instant messaging with audio and video. It´s available for S60 3rd ed. and a few 2nd ed. phones, and its full of features. imiChat allows you to send text messages, audio messages and live video just typing the phone number of the addressee or his/her nickname.

imiChat is easy to use and uses your phone´s available features, like camera zoom, night mode or led light / flash. And it´s free !

Link ImiChat

Some months ago RedFiveLabs launched the first release of NET60. It was a very important step forward, as it brought .NET CF applications to Symbian S60 cellphones.

But it has a big drawback. It only covered .NET Compact Framework 1.0. This was quite disappointing because nowadays the vast majority of .NET CF applications (at least, those that I’m used to) are targetting version 2.0.

Now, the South African company, with this new release, adds support for .NET CF 2.0. This means that we could start considering NET60 in our deployment decissions when talking about delivering applications for multiple platforms.

Moreover, while this is very good news, it’s even better. RedFiveLabs have added a managed wrapper for some Symbian native functionality: SMS, Telephony, GPS, Sound, Vibration, Camera and OpenGL 3D. And, if this is not enough, you can access all native Symbian APIs via P/Invoke.

In additon, making it even more frienly for .NET guys, the SDK includes a Visual Studio plug-in, for developing an generating SIS files from Visual Studio directly.

Awesome!

Via XatakaMovil
Link RedFiveLabs

Nokia has confirmed an touchscreen support N-Gage platform early next year, and plans to launch more than 30 touch enabled games along 2009.

There is no information about this future handset but it won’t be the 5800 XpressMusic (it doesn´t support N-Gage ). Something better?

Nokia want to make lot of money as Apple is making in this mobile game profitable bussiness, but it is an insecure path and Nokia must solve its n-gage platform limitations and create something at least as good as Apple has made.

Via Gizmovil

Do you want to know the tv schedule just holding the tv remote?, Can you imagine your computer displaying the weather forecast just opening your umbrella?. Can you?. It sounds futuristic, but is real!!

Violet (the makers of Nabaztag rabbits) is about to launch Mir:ror, a small USB gadget which acts like an interface between your everyday belongings and your computer, now you can connect all your stuff with the digital world.

Just place and object on top of the device above, it´ll automatically execute a task on the machine that you’ve synced up with your items.

The Mir:ror can instantly identify many objects with built-in RFID tags, but you can tag pretty much anything you want with their colorful identification stamps (ztamp:s).

You can know everything about Mir:ror and how to use it on Violet’s new web site.

Violet expects to release the Mir:ror in the US on October 27th, and you can order the $69.99 starter kit (including Mir:ror, 3 ztamp:s, 2 nanoztag rabbits, and an additional skin for the surface).

This is pretty funny, and sometimes useful, I like this kind of gadgets but I love the Nanoztag rabbits

Via Technabob

Google upgrade its maps mobile application to include “Street view”, The newest features will be available for BlackBerry devices and many Java-enabled phones., and in markets where Street View, walking directions, and reviews are currently available on the desktop. This service is now available in this link.

“We’ve also added other features to help you search for and get to businesses and locations. You can now read business reviews, so you’ll know if it’s actually worth driving across town to that store.”

iPhone owner must wait, I tested and it is not supported. Google please! (begging ) upgrade our iPhone google maps!

Via GoogleMobileBlog