Nokia has recently released the Symbian Anna update for its symbian^3 devices such as the C6-01, C7, N8 and the E7. The update can be downloaded OTA by using the software update app in the phone or by using the OVI suite. Anna update is a very essential one as it significantly transforms the UI from the old boring s60 interface to a refreshed one. The icons are now transformed and look fresh and lively. Fonts have been enhanced greatly and most importantly, the default browser has been given the much required facelift and a portrait QWERTY keyboard has been added to make touch typing easier.
According to Nokia, the browser is much faster compared to previous versions but I could find a little improvement in the page rendering. The controls of the browser have been neatly placed which makes web browsing enjoyable. Flash content is available in the browser. Next big improvement is the portrait mode QWERTY which enhances messaging speeds by a great extent. Symbian Anna provides better business class security and easy integration with company VPN and Intranet networks. Another business class feature is the inclusion of Microsoft Communicator mobile. Navigation was very good in Symbian^3 and is now even better with the launch of Anna. GPS lock is very fast and is comparable to a standalone GPS receiver. During adverse weather conditions amidst rains, it took my C7 around 6 seconds to get the GPS lock which is pretty fast compared to other devices of this range.
A new concept NFC(Near Field Communications) has been introduced by Nokia recently. This allows users with an NFC enabled device to connect to other capable devices just by touching both the devices. Symbian Anna update activates the NFC chip present in the next generation devices. Currently Nokia C7 is the only device to support an NFC chip available in India. Nokia isvery keen on developing this technology and says that all next generation of smartphones will be enabled with this technology.At the end, I find Symbain Anna to be very interesting and would say that its a good attempt made by Nokia to take the old boring Symbian OS to the next level and compete with other young players such as Android, Windows Phone and the iOS.
