The WiFi-equipped 3G smartphone in your pocket could soon be serving double-duty as a mobile hotspot, if carriers are swayed by TapRoot Systems' new WalkingHotSpot software.  Currently available for Windows Mobile and Symbian S60 devices, the system consists of a client app installed on the handset itself - which bridges the phone's 3G data connection to a number of WiFi-linked clients, ... continued »

With a Bang & Olufsen ICEpower amplifier, microSD slot supporting up to 4GB cards and built-in speaker, Samsung's i458 certainly is trying to present a good alternative to existing music phones.  And running Symbian S60 v3.1 with a 2.4-inch display and HSDPA connectivity, the i458 stands a good chance of being a decent phone, too.  The dual-slide is similar to ... continued »

Now right off the top of my head I'm having difficulty thinking of a situation by which controlling your S60 or UIQ cellphone via a Wiimote would be especially useful - surely gaming, the function most associated with the controller, would be tough on the eyes if you got far away from the handset to swing the Wiimote? - but ... continued »

Perhaps recognising that it's faintly ridiculous to licence a rival's media streaming technology when you have your own sitting back at the lab, Microsoft have finally got around to announcing an availability date for the Windows Mobile version of Silverlight.  From Q2 this year, developers will be able to get their coding hands on Silverlight 1.0 for Mobile, supporting animation, ... continued »

Samsung have obviously been watching the N-series competition from Nokia and have sent their i550 smartphone back to the lab for an all important 802.11 tweak: renamed the i550w, the S60 cellphone now has WiFi in addition to the existing HSDPA.  All other specs for the smartphone remain the same, which means you get a 2.6-inch QVGA display, 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera ... continued »

Sony Ericsson's TrackID system is clever, but it's not much use if you're being plagued by a tune in your head and you're desperate to figure out who it's by; the SE app only recognises actual music playing.  Melodis have another solution: their midomi mobile software has a growing user-submitted database of music that can be searched by simply humming ... continued »

Google have announced a plugin for cellphones that use the Symbian S60 OS, which puts a search box directly onto the homescreen. Hitting the pencil or 'Ctrl' key calls up a text entry box; enter a term, hit search and it automatically opens up a browser page with the results. Options include presetting a default zip or postal ... continued »

Not one for the home users among us, perhaps, but anyone looking to make a more significant investment in VoIP might be interested in Agito Networks' RoamAnywhere Mobility Router.  Consisting of a 1U server unit running Agito's custom version of Linux 2.6, together with a software client compatible with Windows Mobile and Symbian phones and which can be installed over-the-air, ... continued »

One of the most disappointing announcements at the Mobile World Congress, to my mind, was Nokia's S60 Touch platform.  Having seen the preview videos from several months ago, suggesting an iPhone-rival handset, I was expecting a strong showing intended to cement S60's position as the most implemented smartphone OS.  What Nokia actually demonstrated was a generic touchscreen tablet device attached ... continued »

Samsung have featured in excess of a dozen new and tweaked handsets at the Mobile World Congress - including the U900 Soul, KF700, KF600 and KF510 sliders and the i900 smartphone - which is pretty much their line-up for the next six months, and frankly I'm losing the will to live trawling through them.  Still, there's the occasional diamond among ... continued »