Lookup a Word in the Dictionary using Snaptu

Snaptu

Both Merriam-Webster and Collins have excellent free web-based online dictionaries but using the web-browser on the E71x to look up a word is not very convenient. They also have S60 apps that are probably very good…but they are not free.

Snaptu comes with a free online dictionary!

In the main screen simply select the Dictionary.


Enter a word to search or select a recent definition.


The result appears right away.

I am not sure if the quality of the definitions is on par with Merriam-Webster or Collins but it is hard to beat free.

What is your opinion on the matter? Is paying for a dictionary app worth it?

Track a Flight with KAYAK

KAYAK

Headed to the airport to pick up somebody? You may want to take KAYAK with you to track his/her flight. It's free!


The user interface is far from perfect but it does the job.

Dilbert is Fun

Dilbert Mobile

If you’re a fan of Dilbert (and who isn’t?) you will enjoy Dilbert Mobile.

The speed at which the daily strip is loaded is impressive and it is presented in a very ingenious manner: you simply use the right/left key to move to the next/previous frame within a strip without the need to zoom to read the text.


The orange icon shows the selected frame.

It is also possible to browse through the entire Dilbert archive using the calendar view accessible using the soft keys.

Sadly keyword search is nowhere to be found at this time.

Read Ars Technica using Snaptu

Snaptu

As explained previously Snaptu is a free all-in-one application platform written in Java that gives a definitively iPhone-inspired look to your E71x

Once the Snaptu platform is installed you can browse for a list of Snaptu applications or web links and select the ones you want to see in the main screen.

One of the available applications is an Ars Technica reader. Ars Technica is a great technology news and information website but reading it on the small screen of the E71x using a web browser is somewhat cumbersome. The Snaptu app makes it much more efficient.


Ars Technica selected in the main screen.

Once Ars Technica is open you can select an article.


Note that you can scroll through the list of articles very quickly.


The font size is perfect and the pictures from the original articles are displayed along the text.

If you like Ars Technica, you will love this app... and if you are not familiar with Ars Technica yet you should check it out. It's certainly one of the best sources of information on computer technology.

Stay tuned for more Snaptu reviews...

Edit 18-OCT-2010: It seems that the version of Snaptu available in the Ovi Store works very well over Wi-Fi but not so well over 3G. You should launch it first over Wi-Fi and then select Upgrade from the menu to upgrade to the latest version 1.03(1)...

Watch the News on FRANCE24 LIVE

FRANCE 24 LIVE

You cannot watch Netflix movies on your E71x but you can watch the news thanks to FRANCE24 LIVE. France 24 is the French equivalent of CNN International and BBC World News and is available not only in French but also in English and Arabic.

The content is world-class and the picture quality is impressive. You may want to try the app just to see how nice video streaming can be on the E71x.

Launching the app will take you to the main menu.


There you can pick your language and move to the next menu.


In this menu you have the choice between the live content and prerecorded programs.


All videos start after a brief buffering delay.

Sadly the otherwise excellent Screenshot app from Antony Pranata does not support taking screenshot while the video is running so you will have to check the quality by yourself...

Relax and enjoy the show!

Qt Phone Demos on the E71x

Qt Phone Demos

You may have read elsewhere that Nokia is betting its future on Qt. Qt is widely used cross-platform application development framework which is preinstalled on new Nokia phones.

The important question for E71x owners is to know if Qt will be supported on their phone of choice.

If you want to check by yourself try downloading the qt-demos installation package from the above link. You should be able to install it (and uninstall it) without any problem.

Sadly most demos do not work very well but they were probably not made with the latest version of Qt. The latest version (4.7) might work better...


One of the rare demos that works fine.

Note: it is a very large download (over 12 MB).

Check the Weather with Snaptu

Snaptu

Snaptu is a free all-in-one application platform written in Java that gives a definitively iPhone-inspired look to your E71x

Once the Snaptu platform is installed you can select Snaptu applications or web links that you want to see on the main screen.

An application of particular interest in my opinion is the Weather Forecast. Being able to check the weather is important but I don't feel that paying for a weather app is worth it. Snaptu Weather Forecast is both free and very well designed.


Snaptu’s main screen with the Weather Forecast icon selected.

As in most weather app you first get a high level overview and can then drill down to a more detailed level.


The most detailed view. The ad banner is not very intrusive.

In conclusion if you are looking for a free and easy way to check the weather on your E71x Snaptu Weather Forecast is a very good option.

Note that other good options include WorldMate and World Traveler that Ben evaluated previously.

We will review other Snaptu applications soon so stay tuned.