To say that the Symbian is an old, dying mobile platform would be wrong.

The Symbian OS may be old, but it has been continuously evolving and updating throughout the years to adapt to new and better technology. Just a few weeks ago, it has been announced that the Symbian OS would be going open source in order to attract more developers to making apps for Symbian.

According to the developers, open source Symbian is far more open than other mobile phones –allowing devs access to more hardware and software features than other open source platforms such as the Google Android. The Symbian Os is currently being used by various mobile phone manufacturers but mainly by Nokia and Sony Ericsson.

A recent announcement by Symbian will certainly bring a lot of delight to the OS users as the phone will be getting VoIP through the Skype software. The app is currently uploaded on the Nokia Ovi store. It’s a big help having access to VoIP since this will make calls a lot cheaper and easier to make.

People are encouraged to talk more since the cost of the call is completely free –when accessing free internet that is. When used overseas, the roaming charges on the internet access are pretty steep so users are not advised to use Skype when outside the country.

At the same time, access to the VoIP app is also limited to mobile network operators. O2 has taken steps to enforce the rules in their contract with subscribers preventing the use of streaming online technology –which includes VoIP.

Aside from making voice calls, Skype can be used as a regular messaging application to send and receive calls, messages, files and other info. Contact lists are saved online as well.

Read more about Skype for Symbian at Know Your Mobile.

Tags: Apple, Google, Nokia

Telecommunications giants Nokia reveal that plans are underway to move into the energy sector. Nokia which offers infrastructural solutions in telecommunications, plan to use its present portfolio of solutions alongside its network of partners already created, to achieve this goal. The company plans to emphasize on environmental responsibility, smart meters, intelligent power grids and demand for renewable energy.

Nokia Siemens believe that the generation of sustainable energy brings about a lot of opportunities in the sector and segments are geared towards growth include renewable energy generation, managing of user demand and consumption and the transformation of power grids into smart grids. Nokia Siemens plan to use its existing mediation, charging, service management and network management solutions to profit from these opportunities. Furthermore, it plans to include the energy sector division into its Business solutions organization as from January 1, 2010.

According to Juhani Hintikka who is head of Operations and Business software, “when you look at what is required to manage power grids, or to make full use of unpredictable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, as well as bringing greater transparency and flexibility to billing, the synergies with the core of our existing telecoms business is obvious”. She also went further to say “while our research and development remains focused on communication service providers, we will look to exploit opportunities where we can create clear value for our customers by entering new growing markets with our current product services.”

Nokia reveals that it was working in partnership with Servusnet, a software company to “help wind power operations optimize power generation and delivery.”  Servusnet uses the open element management system to (EMS) suit form Nokia Siemens Networks designed to for utility and telecommunications network management compatible with existing different technologies vendors.

Tags: Nokia

Well… would you take a look at the video below.

You just know that Nokia have a lot of faith in the Nokia Booklet 3G when you do a little bit of thinking about how much that nifty 90 seconds might have cost to make. Brand new phone? Some intern in London with a DV cam. Rehash of an old Classic phone? A secretary in Finland with a Polaroid camera and some sticky back plastic is about par for the course.

But this thing…. lordy. And, in all seriousness, we think the Nokia 3G Booklet deserves every bit of currency being thrown at it because it is a little cracker of a netbook. Really, truly, honestly… we’re not about to build up then knock down your expectations with some cuttingly, perfectly timed cynicism, or make you cry a little bit with some acerbic punchline that’d make a boxer wince. Nope, not this time. The Nokia Booklet 3G is a damn good netbook. One of the best out there. Simple as that.

The fact that it’s Nokia’s first foray into the computing world will attract a lot of attention of course. But to us it just makes plain sense. Mobile technology experts in shock transition into, erm, a slightly different type of mobile technology. It’s not exactly trading horse grooming for rocket science, is it?

There’s plenty that isn’t astonishing about this thing – screen size, RAM, processor – but this all disappears from thought when you consider what IS astonishing. 12 hour battery life. Check. A-GPS + Ovi Maps. Check. WiFi + 3G. Check… How cool is that?! Especially the GPS bit…

So there we have it. We told you, didn’t we: not an ounce of cynicism; not a sniff of negativity. How the times they have a-changed.

Check out this Nokia Booklet 3G review, or have a look at the official page for even more cynicism-free ramblings.

Now, we’re off to neck a load of rum and start ranting in the pub to relieve this sarcasm-blockage that’s making us choke…

Tags: booklet-3g-contract, booklet-3g-contracts, booklet-3g-deal, booklet-3g-deals, booklet-3g-offer, booklet-3g-offers, booklet-contract, booklet-contracts, booklet-deal, booklet-deals, booklet-offer, booklet-offers, mobile, mobile-contract, mobile-contracts, mobile-phone, mobile-phone-contract, mobile-phone-contracts, mobile-phone-deal, mobile-phone-deals, mobile-phones, mobilephone, mobilephones, mobiles, netbook-3G, netbook-phone-contract, netbooks, Nokia, Nokia-booklet, Nokia-booklet-3g, nokia-booklet-3g-deals, nokia-booklet-contracts, nokia-booklet-deals, nokia-booklet-laptop, Nokia-laptop, Nokia-mobile, nokia-mobile-phones, nokia-netbook, Nokia-netbook-phones, Nokia-phone, Nokia-phones, Nokia-review, nokia-reviews, Nokiabooklet, Nokiabooklet-3g, Nokiamobile, Nokianetbook, Nokiaphones, phone, phones

Stereotypes can be a terrible, terrible thing. Wars are started, friends fall out, communities are torn apart…

However, stereotypes can also be incredibly useful in helping us navigate the daily world and, used in the right way, can help us overcome certain problems.

The video below, for example, is an intriguing example of how, using one particular batch stereotypes, we can overcome another group of stereotypes, and so reach a better and more fulfilling place.

Stereotypes group 1 – Middle-aged men with funny hair that looks like it’s made of plastic and Stussy t-shirts that are too tight and make their beer bellies stick out should not be trusted in any way, shape, or form. And, in fact, the police should be informed of said man’s whereabouts, just, you know, in case.

However, before you turn off said video in agreement with all of the above, consider that name, and that funny accent a little harder. Then you’ll realise, golly gosh: he’s not a dangerous weirdo, he’s simply Finnish. Finnish! A man of Finland. Land of, erm, reindeer?

But also, land of Nokia. And that’s where stereotypes group 2 comes into play, because, thanks to Nokia, we all know that all of the Finnish people have very tiny fingers and are taught to solder from the age of four and so therefore make the very best mobile phones the world has ever seen. And to think, we though this gentleman kidnapped children for a living! How rash we were.

All that being in place, you can now carry on watching the video and come to realise, as well you should, that the N900 that they’re yapping on about with their funny Finnish mouths is in fact one of the best phones released for a very long time. That the Nokia N900 is, in fact, a work of genius.

Still can’t get over that slight mistrust of the video-Finns? Then read this Nokia N900 review, or have a look at the official stats this-a-way instead.

Tags: mobile, mobile-contract, mobile-contracts, mobile-phone, mobile-phone-contract, mobile-phone-contracts, mobile-phone-deal, mobile-phone-deals, mobile-phones, mobilephone, mobilephones, mobiles, n900, n900-3, n900-contract, n900-contracts, n900-deal, n900-deals, n900-o2, n900-offer, n900-offers, n900-on-contract, n900-orange, n900-tmobile, n900-vodafone, Nokia, Nokia-mobile, nokia-mobile-phones, Nokia-n900, Nokia-phone, Nokia-phones, Nokia-review, nokia-reviews, nokia-reviews Nokian900, Nokiamobile, Nokiaphones, phone, phones

Oh, how times change, dear reader, how times change.

It wasn’t long ago that all 149 Euros before subsidies got you was a can, a string and an instruction manual informing you to shout very loudly into your new talky-can device. Then it was even less time ago that 149 Euros before subsidies would just about get you a mobile phone communication device that could – hold your breaths now – send these things called SMS messages, or “text” messages as the crazy kids of the day called them.

Now? Now look, now would you look at what you can get for 149 Euros before locally applicable surcharges and taxes: the Nokia 5230 no less! Why, the future is, at least briefly, very much here, dear reader. Rejoice and hold hands.

3.2” inch resistive touchscreen? Ovi Maps working with on-board GPS? Music playing for up to 33 hours? Facebooking? Emailing? Loud music on the bus playing? Bright shiny eye hurting cover swapping? Yes, yes, yes and yes again, all on the Nokia 5230.

Have a look at this Nokia 5230 review, or venture towards the official page if you don’t believe us.

And just imagine, just imagine what the future holds for us if this trend continues. Why, in 2011, we can’t but think we’ll all be travelling through time and exploring the deep, cold canyons of the moon thanks to the new teleportational features of whatever-random-4-digit-coded Nokia gets released that year, all for, well, about 149 of your Euros, before, that is, any of those locally applicable taxes and regional surcharges.

What exciting times these are indeed. My goodness.

Tags: 5230, 5230-3, 5230-contract, 5230-contracts, 5230-deal, 5230-deals, 5230-o2, 5230-offer, 5230-offers, 5230-on-contract, 5230-orange, 5230-tmobile, 5230-vodafone, mobile, mobile-contract, mobile-contracts, mobile-phone, mobile-phone-contract, mobile-phone-contracts, mobile-phone-deal, mobile-phone-deals, mobile-phones, mobilephone, mobilephones, mobiles, Nokia, Nokia-5230, Nokia-mobile, nokia-mobile-phones, Nokia-phone, Nokia-phones, Nokia-review, nokia-reviews, nokia-reviews Nokia5230, Nokiamobile, Nokiaphones, phone, phones

In these cynical times when every brand and his Pedigree Chum dog has realised that music is da place to be (innit) in order to attract chunks of obscenely large wedges of pocket money the yoof of today get, it’s refreshing to see the Nokia 5800 Navigation edition turn its back on this trend and set off on, well, on its own voice-guided, turn-by-turn directed path.

Because while you’ll find Carling sponsoring tramps on the Underground, Brahma sponsoring athletic hippies to dance your faces off with some kind of Brazillian dancing, Smirnoff sponsoring, oh, we don’t know, getting ****ed and throwing vodka bottles at Oasis, Nokia have decided to re-brand their biggest XpressMusic phone seller as, well, as a phone for old people.

Because no one under 25 is seriously going to be interested in the Nokia 5800 Navigator edition, are they? Or are we so out of touch that we’re missing a trick here? Are all the youths in our neighbourhood repeatedly wheel-spinning and doing handbrake turns on our road because they’re lost and would just die for some directions and a little voice-guided help finding their way to the services on the ring road? Are all the little spotty folk buzzing up and down the car park of the recreation centre simply looking for the nearest Waterstones? Clearly that must be what Nokia have noticed! Those smart little Finns.

So, you noisy rascals with your stolen vehicles! Have a little look at this Nokjia 5800 navigation review to convince you more. Or at this official page to, erm, well, convince you of nothing. Or even look at the video below to show you how tranquil and peaceful Finland is without the likes of you making everyone’s life a misery. In fact, why don’t you plot yourselves a route their you little tykes. Ah, go on, no one will miss you. Not even your single mums.

Tags: 5800, 5800-contract, 5800-contracts, 5800-deal, 5800-deals, 5800-navigation-edition, 5800-navigation-edition-contract, 5800-navigation-edition-contracts, 5800-navigation-edition-deal, 5800-navigation-edition-deals, 5800-navigation-edition-offer, 5800-navigation-edition-offers, 5800-offer, 5800-offers, mobile, mobile-contract, mobile-contracts, mobile-phone, mobile-phone-contract, mobile-phone-contracts, mobile-phone-deal, mobile-phone-deals, mobile-phones, mobilephone, mobilephones, mobiles, Nokia, Nokia-5800, Nokia-5800-Contract, Nokia-5800-deals, Nokia-5800-navigation-edition, Nokia-5800-navigation-edition-deals, Nokia-mobile, nokia-mobile-phones, NokiaN97, phone, phones

Fishing is not a sport we have ever been interested in. Fishing is not a sport we will ever be interested in. Fishing is not a sport. Fishing isn’t at all interesting in any way, shape or form. Fishing… okay, well, you get the point. We don’t fish. But despite this aversion, we still have to say that we appreciated the – probably unintentional – humour in calling the Nokia N97 Mini’s new Facebook application / link-up / whatever it is ‘Lifecasting’. Basically, Lifecasting allows you to update your status from the homepage of your Nokia N97, without even having to log in to the Facebook page or anything so terribly painful as that.

Great, we think. People now will have the opportunity to update their status on an even more regular basis. Fantastic. Really, really, great.

Then, after we’d finished weeping into out mid-morning beer, we found ourselves chuckling at the fact that some chump somewhere had decided that this feature should be called Lifecasting. Because what better image for the constant-status-updater than that: a solitary fisherman of life. No, not Jesus, the other kind of fisherman. Yeah, the sad one, on the canal bank on a Saturday afternoon. Spearing helpless maggots onto his hook, then casting them off into the trollery-strewn “depths” of the water. Jiggling his rod around occasionally as nothing happens apart from a cow farting in the field opposite. Casting and jiggling, casting and jiggling. Staring out across the water, casting away, jiggling away. Staring and asking himself, how did it come to this. How did I end up here?

So. There we have it. Are you a Lifecaster? Do you cast and jiggle, cast and jiggle? Then check out this Nokia N97 mini review, or these Nokia N97 Mini deals. Or even let your canal-tired eyes play over the surface of this video instead. Then get back to your casting and jiggling, casting and jiggling…

Tags: mobile, mobile-contract, mobile-contracts, mobile-phone, mobile-phone-contract, mobile-phone-contracts, mobile-phone-deal, mobile-phone-deals, mobile-phones, mobilephone, mobilephones, mobiles, N97, N97-contract, N97-contracts, N97-deal, N97-deals, n97-mini, n97-mini-contract, n97-mini-contracts, n97-mini-deal, n97-mini-deals, n97-mini-offer, n97-mini-offers, N97-offer, N97-offers, Nokia, Nokia-mobile, nokia-mobile-phones, nokia-n97, Nokia-N97-Contract, Nokia-N97-deals, Nokia-n97-mini, Nokia-n97-mini-deals, NokiaN97, phone, phones

You know when someone’s got something special they want to share, some secret or power or prize or gadget or something that they know that you know that they know how intriguing and downright attractive/dangerous/fun/mesmerising that thing is?

You know?

No?

Well… imagine that someone – let’s call them Nokia – released a new phone called the Nokia X6. Then imagine you went to a press conference and they started to talk about the X6’s 5MP camera and its Carl Zeiss lens. Then about it newest of the new version of the S60 operating system. Then about how down with the kids it was because it Facebook-blah and Myspace-wang and Twitter-this and Gmail-that… okay, so we switched off for that bit. But then we tuned back in and said suit was now talking about this particular Nokia X6’s internet browsing capabilities, and suddenly we heard someone screaming ‘SHUT THE **** UP YOU FACELESS GHOUL, YOU SOULLESS CORPORTATE *****, JUST TELL US ABOUT THE MUSIC. WON’T SOMEONE PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE MUSIC.’

Then, say, security come in, disperse the room, there’s a bit of tear gas, you wake up in prison, trumped up charges, something about assault with a complimentary sausage roll. Just imagine, right that, you know, this might be true. How annoying would that be? That someone would go through all the trouble of pointing you towards all the cool things this phone did, showed you a cool Nokia X6 review of it, told you about all the cool Nokia X6 deals out there, pasted a (not quite as) cool video to what they were saying. Imagine they did all that, then didn’t tell you about the music?! How annoying would tha

Tags: compare-nokia-phones, gadgets, mobile, mobile-phone, mobile-phone-deals, mobile-phones, mobilephone, mobilephones, mobiles, Nokia, nokia-x6, nokia-x6-deals, nokia-x6-offers, nokia-x6-tmobile, phone, phones, tech, x6, x6-contracts, x6-deals, x6-o2, x6-offer, x6-offers, x6-orange, x6-vodafone

Naming your phone after a car made by an extremely prestigious German car manufacturer might seem a little, well, naïve (if not outright cheeky, wrong, slanderous, obscene, etc.), but we think Nokia have gotten away with it on the Nokia X3. Whether they’ve done that by being very, very smart or, more like, just kind of lucky in a weirdly coincidental way, we’re not sure. Well, we’re almost sure but, you know, you have give the Finns the benefit of the doubt, don’t you… special little folk that they are.

Anyway, our theory is that the Nokia X3 is an aptly named phone because, like it’s car-cousin the BMW X3, it’s a kind of hybrid / crossover / average phone that doesn’t have all the razzmatazz and glamour of it’s bigger brother the Nokia X6. And like the car, you could point out a bunch of things wrong with the phone: kind of plasticky in parts. Some specs less than average. But, all-in-all, it’s a long, long way from being a bad phone / car. In fact, after you spend some time with it, it’s a very decent car / phone indeed…

Dammit, we’re confusing ourselves now, no more car analogies. Point being: the X3 might not have everything that the X6 does. But then the X6 costs at least three times as much, meaning you’re going to find nothing in the same league as the amazingly cheap Nokia X3 deals as you will by clicking on the aforeunderlined link.

It’s music playing is amazing. It’s web browsing faster than you’d expect. It’s camera better than the stat of it’s being 3.2MP belies. The feel of the thing in your hand just downright reassuring. (Check out this Nokia X3 review for a full shakedown of everything on offer).

So, what more can we say… Strap yourself in, turn the engine on, wind down the window and… oh, right, yeah: the analogy thing. Oopsie.

Tags: compare-nokia-phones, gadgets, mobile, mobile-phone, mobile-phone-deals, mobile-phones, mobilephone, mobilephones, mobiles, Nokia, nokia-x3, nokia-x3-deals, nokia-x3-offers, nokia-x3-tmobile, phone, phones, tech, x3, x3-contracts, x3-deals, x3-o2, x3-offer, x3-offers, x3-orange, x3-vodafone

We have been doing a bit of soul searching this month at Best Rated Phones and have decided to compile a quick list of the best 8 phones out there and the best contracts to go with them. After all you don’t need to spend the earth to get these top class handsets, just so long as you shop around and compare deals. Anyhow, here is our list of the best phones and their respective contracts.
1. Nokia N97 deals – We reckon that this handset is a couple of firmware updates from being the best all round handset out there. You can pick it up for £40.00 per month on T-Mobile and for that you get 800 minutes and unlimited texts.
2. HTC Touch diamond 2 deals – A much improved handset on the original Diamond. The user Interface is great and at just under £30.00 per month for 400 minutes and 500 texts, you can’t go wrong. It’s also on O2, the largest UK network.
3. Nokia 5530 deals – The little sister of the Nokia 5800 just has to be included because it is so damn cheap. £20.00 per month gets you 600 minutes and unlimited texts on Vodafone. You also get Xpressmusic, meaning sweet music to your ears.
4. Blackberry 8520 deals – The best Blackberry yet has been working hard to improve its apps offering, the buttons are better and the screen is brighter, all for £25.00 per month on O2 with 600 minutes and 500 texts. This is an absolute bargain in our opinion.
5. Samsung Jet deals – Samsung’s first Android phone has perhaps been overshadowed by the HTC Hero, but we really like it. It’s definitely worth looking at if you are a facebook addict and let’s face it, who isn’t these days?
6. HTC Hero deals – We put it at number 6 because we felt sorry for the Samsung Jet in all honesty. It is a seriously good phone, although no touch screen left us slightly disappointed. You can expect the number of apps available to rocket this year and so expect a bump up the list in the near future. You can get the Hero on Orange for £26.00 per month with 400 minutes and 3000 texts at the time of writing.
7. Samsung pixon 12 deals – great for big users of their mobile phone, you get a massive 900 minutes and unlimited texts for £40.00 per month. Now that’s some serious minute and text action and the phone isn’t half bad either.
8. Sony W995 deals – The best that Sony Ericsson has to offer at the moment and it really should be higher on the list. The only thing is, we are so excited about the Aino and the Satio that we reckon it’s worth waiting for these to arrive. Having said that, the price is cheap. You can get it on T-Mobile for £21.20 with 700 minutes and 3000 texts, quite unbelievable.
Think we are missing out any handsets? Seen any better deals? Then let us know in the comments section.

Tags: Blackberry, blackberry-8520, HTC, HTC-hero, mobile-phone, Nokia, Nokia-N86, nokia-n97, Samsung, Samsung-pixon-12, Sony Ericsson, sony-ericsson-w995