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!

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)

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?

One of the more frustrating things about S60 currently is the Symbian Signed initiative. Designed to eliminate malware and viruses on our phones, Symbian Signed is a great idea that was executed poorly. Developers became frustrated with the various testing procedures and requirements, and thus, have simply begun releasing their applications as ‘unsigned’. This prevents a problem for users who wish to use these applications, but don’t know how to sign applications.

Quite honestly, there are very few applications that I’ve found I need which are only available unsigned. For some, you can simply use the OpenSigned option to get a legitimately signed version for your phone. However, this doesn’t work for all applications, and it also only ’signs’ the application for a single IMEI - meaning if you have multiple phones, you have repeat the process for each one.

The other option is to simply ‘hack’ your phone to eliminate the Symbian Signed requirement. Please note that if you hose your phone doing this, we’re not responsible. Also, it’s been found that Nokia often ‘fixes’ the hack with firmware updates, so this is not a permanent solution. However, it works great on my E71 NAM, and doesn’t cause any harm to the stability of the phone.

You’ll need three files, which I’ve uploaded here in a ZIP that you can open right on your phone.

Now, you’ll need to follow these steps *exactly*:

1. Transfer all 3 of the files to your phone’s memory card. You can simply put them in the root, or you can create a ‘Hack’ folder, if you wish.
2. Install X-Plore
3. Open X-Plore, press Menu -> Tools -> Configuration. Check the first four boxes in this list, then click Back, then the Home key to minimize X-Plore.
4. Install the hellocarbide app
5. Run the hellocarbide application
6. Press Options and chose Menu1
7. Answer Yes (the right soft key)
8. The app will close.
9. Navigate to X-Plore (you will not be able to use the task manager, so you will need to press the Home key to get to your main menu, then go into the Installations folder)
10. Navigate in X-Plore to the installserver.exe file, and press Menu, Edit, Copy. Now, navigate to C:\sys\bin, and press the center d-pad to copy.
11. Reboot your phone, and you’re good to go!

Now you can install *any* application, whether it’s signed or not. Be careful, however, that you know the origins of the file. Installing *any* file could mess up your phone. Only install applications from trusted sources, such as E71Blog.com.

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.

The firmware update is available through Nokia Software Updater, a Windows-only desktop application. You can download the latest version of NSU here.

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?

His best one, in my opinion, is called Alpha, and he’s just updated it to fix a few text input fields that weren’t working quite right. I’ve got the version with Flahorn icons loaded up on my E71, and as you can see, it even addresses those pesky GPS and Media folders! Brilliant!

You can download Alpha v1.1 for FP1 devices here (both default and Flahorn icon packs are included).

A reader recently tipped me off to this article at Mercury News, an interview with Nokia’s CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo. It’s really a rather light read, with only a few questions, and OPK mostly gives seemingly pre-canned responses to the various questions. However, the most exciting factor is revealed at the end of the interview, with a few short facts about the leader of the biggest mobile phone manufacturer in the world

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, of all the Nokias currently on the market, has chosen our device of choice - the Nokia E71! That’s awesome, that he has the pick of the litter, and obviously is the most satisfied with the E71! Fascinating!

You can read the whole interview here.

Unfortunately, Lithium doesn’t replace all of the system folders on the E71, such as the GPS, Communication, and Office folders, as well as the Download! app. Other than that, the theme looks great, and nearly completely rids us once again of those horrific default icons.

You can download Lithium for free from PiZero’s great looking new site here.