DirtViewer

NOTE: This software is currently (May 2010) available in Finnish language only!

DirtViewer is a powerful GPS mapping and route plotting application for Nokia S60 phones. It can utilize locally stored bitmap map formats, but is also able to download Open Streep Map data on-the-fly. It has a load of features including zooming, separate versions for 3.2 and 5.0 devices, storing plotted tracks, sending and receiving location information via SMS, speedometer, odometer, and more.

These features make it highly usable for anyone who likes to travel out doors, boating, fishing, geo caching and it is useful as a free street navigation solution as well. Originally designed for mountain biking, as the name might suggest. Unfortunately the lack of translations to different languages limits the popularity, as DirtViewer is quite possibly the best application of its kind. And it is freeware.

Get dirty and download at: http://www.kolumbus.fi/jarkko.isokoski/dirtviewer/DirtViewer.html

Opera Mobile

Opera Software has done a game changing move, and released the latest v10 of Opera Mobile browser for free for Symbian and Maemo platforms!

We are long time fans of the Opera Mini browser, but the v10 of the Opera Mobile offers several benefits. First of all the performance is good as it is a native binary software, and not Java based. User interface is good on S60 5.0 touch as well as the classic S60 3.2 devices.

The Opera Mobile features a Turbo mode, which can compress transmitted data up to 80%. This feature speeds up browsing in poor/2G network coverage, and saves roaming costs when travelling. Opera Link provides bookmark sync in between the phone an your Opera PC browser.

Opera Mobile is a great product, and highly recommended for people who travel abroad or to poor non-3G network coverage areas. It also has rather innovative usability features that some will prefer over native Maemo or Symbian browsers.

Sing the Opera at: http://www.opera.com/mobile/download/

Palringo Rich Messaging

Palringo is another instant messaging heavy weight application that boasts a full range features. Like competition (Fring, Nimbuzz), the Palringo supports just about every popular IM protocol, including: Google Talk, MSN, ICQ, Yahoo!, Jabber and most interestingly also Facebook chat. In addition to text based chatting, the Palringo users can also communicate in multimedia with voice and pictures. Another interesting feature is creating user groups and group communication. With all this features in place, the Palringo manages to add an extra twist into mobile instant messaging.

Download and install from: http://www.palringo.com

Snaptu

Snaptu is a client software for using a number of most popular web based services: Twitter, Facebook, Picasa, AcccuWeather, Wikipedia, Cricinfo, Flickr and more. What makes Snaptu different is that you will be using these services via the client software rather than the web browser application. This brings a number of usability and performance improvements.

Snaptu is an interesting new concept, although some similarities can be seen to the discontinued WidSets, which also provided mobile versions of popular web applications inside a software client.

To check it out, snap to http://www.snaptu.com

No need to wait for Fring N900 - install Pidgin plugin for Conversations

Our visitors analysis showed that a lot of people are looking for the N900/Maemo version of the Fring application. This software has been listen on Maemo Select since product launch as "coming soon", but it has not been released as I writing this.

Eventually the download location of Fring for N900 will be: http://maemo.nokia.com/maemo-select/applications/fring/

However, the Fring application is somewhat obsolete on the N900. Instead you could open the software management of your N900, and install package Pidgin protocols plugin for Conversations. After the installation the N900's native Conversations client will support all popular IM protocols, including: ICQ, MSN, AIM, Gadu Gadu, Groupwise, SameTime, Google Talk....Just add new accounts under Conversations / Accounts!