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If you’ve not heard of SlickIM, well, then, you can thank me later. This freeware application from LonelyCatGames allows you to connect to a number of different instant messaging protocols, including MSN/Windows Live, AIM, Yahoo!, Gtalk, and Jabber-based. I use it for MSN, Gtalk, and Nokia Chat and it works awesome, and can use either cellular data or WiFi.

The last few updates brought support for themes, so that the application will match whatever theme you happen to be using on your phone. You can, of course, still select one of the default LonelyCatGames color schemes, though I’ve always found them a bit ugly, myself.

When you first install SlickIM, you’re presented with a screen listing out the various IM protocols. Simply click on each one you wish to use, and enter your details. It’s really just that easy. You can view your buddy list in any number of ways, such as grouped by protocol, or alphabetized. You can also opt to hide offline contacts, if you want.

When you have multiple chat windows open, they’re presented as a tabbed interface, allowing you to easily see all of the conversations that you have open, and switching between them is a breeze. Smilies are supported, as you might expect, and there’s even a handy notification that shows up on whatever screen you’re in. With this, even if you’re browsing the internet, if someone IM’s you, a little box appears in the top corner of your display, so that you can easily swap back to SlickIM to carry on the conversation.

You can download the latest version of SlickIM here. What’s even better is that, if a new version is released, the application can automatically check for you, and then download and install the updated version! It’s fantastic!

One of the things that annoys me about S60 is that the over-the-air Sync app (which uses SyncML) doesn’t allow you to schedule syncs. You have to manually go into the application and press options -> Synchronize to get anything to happen. Well, not anymore.

Introducing, Swim, for S60. This freeware basically lets you tell it how often the application should automatically open your Sync app, press options, and then press Synchronize. That’s all it does, and yet it’s so useful.

You still need to have your Sync profile setup in the Sync menu, for instance if you use Sync on Ovi or GooSync or any other SyncML-based service. Once you have the profile setup, you simply open Swim, and tell it how often you’d like it to synchronize your stuff. You can set it for a number of hours, once a day, or even once a week. Whatever you’d like, and then you’re done. This awesome little app does the rest, and beautifully.

Please note, that Swim is currently available only as an unsigned application. It *is*, however, compatible with OpenSigned, so if you’ve recently updated the firmware on your E71, or if you just don’t want to go through the hacking bit I told you about earlier, you can still easily use Swim, and for free.

Note also that Swim uses your phone’s data connection (unless of course you set it to use WiFi). I’m not responsible if you forget this and run up a huge data bill on your cell phone.

Download Swim here.

(via: Symbian-Guru)

One of the things that I wish about my E71 is that the volume keys could pull double-duty to scroll in the web browser. It would make browsing long webpages so much better! Well, I’m glad to let you know that, since we’ve learned how to install unsigned applications, this is now possible! Indeed, using an application called MagicKey, you can remap any button on your E71 (and other S60 phones) to behave like another button. Note that MagicKey can only duplicate buttons, it cannot remap a button to a new application.

You can download MagicKey here, and unfortunately, it doesn’t work with OpenSigned, so you’ll need to have performed the hack (detailed here) to be able to install it.

Once you’ve installed MagicKey, simply open the application. The first screen that you’re presented with is the App List. From this screen, you can either add a keymap to the ‘All Apps’ list, or you can specify a certain application, such as the web browser. To add, press Options, Add, and then scroll through the list to find the Web application. You should now see this screen:

Now, press ‘right’ on the d-pad to swap to the KeyMap List tab. This is where you’ll create a set of keymaps, and assign that set to the Web app that you just setup. Again, press Options, Add to create a new one, and you can name it whatever you like - I used ‘Webkeymap’. Now, click on your newly created Keymap, and then click ‘Add Key Pair’.

This is where it gets tricky, so pay attention. You should see a box asking for the original key. First, you need to press the ‘Send’ key, which will add ‘999′ to the box. Now you can click on whatever button you want to remap. To remap the volume keys to scroll, you need to press the Send key, followed by the volume up key. You should see ‘162′ in the box. Press OK, and you get another box asking for the Maps To: key. Again, press the Send button first, followed, this time, by the d-pad ‘up’, to get ‘16′ in the box. Now press OK.

Repeat the process again, this time with the volume down and d-pad down keys. If you really want to have the best experience, I recommend also mapping the voice memo button to the center d-pad, so you can scroll and click, all from the side there. To do this, follow the steps above, but press the voice memo/center d-pad buttons.

Once you’ve created your KeyMaps, your screen should look like the one below. If it doesn’t, erase them and do it again, making sure that you’ve got them in the right order. Now, click ‘back’ (right softkey) to get back to the first screen. With the ‘Web’ app highlighted, press options, and go to ‘Choose Map’. Pick your newly created ‘Webkeymap’. Now, again, click ‘Options, but this time, choose ‘Start on boot.’ This way, everytime you turn your phone on, the keymap will be reloaded.

That’s it! Now, you can easily open your web browser and scroll up and down using the volume keys on the side, and click on links using the voice memo key! How much better is that, and what’s more, your volume keys revert to their original function when you exit the web! It’s brilliant!

What other keymap combinations can you come up with?

I found a new game recently, and it happens to run great on the Nokia E71. It’s called Tankzors, and while it is a Java game, it’s incredibly cool, and really addictive. It’s pretty simply, really: you drive around (you’re a tank) and blow stuff up. You sometimes have to blow up other tanks, and other times you have to blow up walls or other obstacles. Along the way you can pick up powerups, which can give you better guns or strong shields, too.

The gameplay consists of a series of missions, each one adding something different to the mix. Since most of the game is played using only the d-pad and the left and right softkeys, it works pretty well playing on the E71. Of course, the regular number keys offer shortcuts to various actions, but overall, it’s a pretty easy game.

You can download Tankzors here for free, or you can just visit wap.tankzors.com from your phone. There’s also a map editing tool available, if you’re a bit more technical-minded and want to make your own maps.

Nokia Friend View

Earlier this week, Nokia launched a killer new service called Friend View through its Beta Labs site. Nokia Friend View consists of a desktop website and a mobile client and allows you to visualize yourself and your friends on a map, facilitating meetups quite nicely. Friend View also allows you to post status updates, which your friends can comment on, creating a mobile social location-based microblogging service that’s really fun to use!

You’ll need to have a Nokia Account, which is the same username and password you currently use for Nokia Chat, Sync on Ovi, and Files on Ovi. However, unfortunately, your buddy list from Nokia Chat is not carried over to FriendView, so you’re forced to re-find all of your contacts.You can check things out in ‘What’s Up’ view, which shows a little window with the latest status messages from you and your contacts.

Overall, I’m rather impressed with Nokia Friend View on my Nokia E71. I’ve not used the application enough to be able to comment on battery usage, but with Friend View maintaining an active data connection and using a combination of GPS and Network-based location, I can imagine you’ll notice a slight hit.

What do you think of this new service?

Most of you are probably rather disappointed with the gaming on your Nokia E71. Since it’s not supported by N-Gage, and the landscape screen orientation makes finding good java games slightly difficult, I thought you’d be rather excited to find out that Quake is now available for your Nokia E71!

That’s right, the age-old classic indeed runs on the Nokia E71, as you can see in this video below.

To install, you can follow the directions found here.

Mobbler

Mobbler has been updated, and now features the ability to both love and ban tracks, as well as the typical scrobbling and whatnot. The Symbian-Guru is a huge fan of Mobbler, and he’s converted me, as well. You will need a free Last.FM account, which you can get here.

Basically, Last.FM keeps track of what you listen to across various devices and places, and then uses that to recommend new music to you, and connect you with other people with similar music tastes. There’s also a great custom station option, which allows you to either type in an artist or a tag and get a streaming radio station customized around that artist/tag. Brilliant.

As you’re listening, you can mark a track as ‘loved’, in which Last.FM keeps it in a special station that you can access by paying a subscription (you get other benefits, too). You can also ‘ban’ a track, informing Last.FM that you dislike it, and not to play it ever again. If you simply aren’t into a track at that moment, you can just skip it, without having to mark it as banned.

The latest update to Mobbler allows you to use your phone’s volume keys to adjust the audio volume, and works great, even over EDGE.

You can download Mobbler here, and set yourself up with a Last.FM account here.

Also, if you’re into a specific station, the Nokia Internet Radio application has been updated with a special version for the E71, you can download that here.

Wow, this is truly some awesome news! Fring is now fully supported on the Nokia E71, bringing you not only great VOIP, but also multi-client IM/voice chat and file transfer! Another recent update to Fring introduced Fring Add-Ons. These are extra services that can provide quite a bit of functionality. Examples include a Gmail notifier, Facebook notifier, and even vTap video content!

Fring currently works with Skype (for chat and Skype-Out calls), MSN Messenger, ICQ, GoogleTalk, AIM, Yahoo! Messenger, and even Twitter! It’s tough to find fault with Fring, to be honest. You can get more info on Fring here, and get an installation link sent straight to your phone.

If you haven’t already setup Nokia Chat on your Nokia E71, you can follow the instructions here to get it. Nokia Chat is an XMPP/Jabber-based chat client that also uses the built-in GPS receiver in your phone to allow you to send your location to friends, making meetups quite easy.

Nokia Chat installs as a tab in the Nokia E71’s phonebook, though, and it can be slightly frustrating trying to access it, particularly with this new tab system in the E71’s enhanced Contacts application. Jonathan Greene, at Atmaspheric Endeavors, has picked up a handy setting that allows you to always open your phonebook with the Nokia Chat tab shown, instead of having to manually click to open.

Once you’ve got Nokia Chat installed, simply open your contacts and go to Options - Settings. There you should be able to swap things around.

This is a one-day 24-hour sale (sorry, I’m a few hours late to let you know) that QuickOffice is offering. QuickOffice Premier v5.0 is the latest version of the full office suite for your Nokia E71. The handset comes with the application preinstalled, but it’s only the viewer portion, and not the latest v5.0.

Typically priced around $70, QuickOffice Premier v5.0 is currently $1 today, July 22nd, only. This application allows you to view, edit, and create new Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents, directly on your Nokia E71. This version also fully supports the new Office document files (.docx, .xlsx, and .pptx). You can create a document on your PC, transfer it to your phone, edit it, and then re-open it on your PC without losing any formatting or graphics or anything.

It’s really the best solution for someone who uses Office documents constantly. Click here to get in on the deal, while it lasts.