When the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic hit the shelves, it was the first S60 5th Edition handset, and as expected, presented a few issues for developers. Most S60 3rd Edition applications are compatible with S60 5th Edition, and run just fine, but there are also a handful that do not. Luckily, it doesn’t seem to be a major undertaking to make these applications compatible, and we’re seeing the major 3rd party developers taking action quickly.
First on the roster is Epocware, who’s entire catalog has been updated for S60 5th Edition, which includes the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, and will also include the N97, when it is launched. Everything from Handy Shell to Handy Calendar and Handy Weather. Handy Taskman, my personal favorite, is also updated, to give you full control over the multitasking capabilities of your new phone. Props to Epocware for being the first major developer to keep their applications up to date! You can check out the full catalog here.
Smartphoneware has also begun updating its catalog, starting with Best Screensnap, which is freeware that allows you to take a picture of your phone’s display. It’s very useful for troubleshooting, but also, obviously, we bloggers use screenshots to help illustrate reviews and other posts. I had actually never used Best Screensnap, opting instead for Antony Pranata’s Screenshot application. Both are free, but I like that with Best Screensnap, I can assign nearly any button to capture the screen, including the slide-lock on the side of the 5800 XpressMusic. The rest of the Smartphoneware catalog is being updated currently, and should be available soon.
If you’ve already got your 5800 XpressMusic, as I have, you can also keep up with this thread over at HowardForums.com, where they’re keeping track of various applications that are and are not working on the new platform. We’ll also keep you posted here at Symbian-Guru, and if you’re a developer who has just released an S60 5th Edition-compatible version of your application, please use the Contact Form to let us know, so that we can pass that information along to our readers. You could also simply post in our forum, and we’ll make sure it gets highlighted.
Keep an eye on the Symbian-Guru Store, too, as we’re working to make it easy for you to find compatible applications there.
