Mark/Space's Missing Sync -- an OS X lovers best friend -- has just loosed the Symbian Public Preview for all who dare to download. Currently, the build stands at v1.0.0 (028 Preview), which suggests that there are quite a few bugs just waiting to be discovered. Still, those handling S60 / UIQ-based mobiles can certainly give it a go and see just how effective it is at syncing information between your Mac and that beloved handset. Chime in below with any overly dramatic success / failure stories.

[Via AllAboutSymbian]

We've heard rumors about it and even seen some third party apps that bring Vista's SideShow tech to Windows Mobile devices, but Microsoft has finally made the obvious crossover an official reality with the release of the Windows SideShow for Windows Mobile Development Beta. It's still in early, early stages (the version number is 0.01), but if you're feeling particularly courageous you can install the beta on WinMo 5 and 6 devices that use the Microsoft Bluetooth stack and have the .NET Compact Framework installed and have them function as SideShow devices when in range of your machine, and access previously-sent data when you're away. Let us know how things go in comments, won't you?

[Via the::unwired]

It seems like just yesterday that Nokia's N800 and N810 internet tablets garnered HAVA support (not to mention those WinMo cellies), and lo and behold, Monsoon Multimedia is now announcing that S60-based handset owners will be able to enjoy the same luxuries. Hailed as a TV place-shifting, video-streaming solution for S60 3rd edition on Symbian OS, the HAVA Mobile Player gives HAVA adopters "the ability to watch and control all of their home television channels and services from anywhere in the world on a mobile device." Unfortunately, the free download (for HAVA owners) won't be available until Q3, but it's being shown off now at the S60 Summit 2008 and in the gallery below. Dig in, won't you?

Whoa now, hold up there -- yes, we know HTC's got some serious equipment in the works for Sprint this year, but we can't put that Mogul out to pasture just yet. Fortunately, Sprint and HTC both seem relatively committed to keeping the flagship Windows Mobile model up to date, and we now have an official beta firmware floating around that adds Sprint TV and the real prize, Windows Mobile 6.1. Naturally, due caution must be observed when dealing with prerelease wares, but let's be honest, Mogul owners: every single one of you are going to give this a shot, now aren't you?

Turning our attention away from the unobtainable iPhone version for a moment, let's take a look at something far more real that StyleTap has in the cards: Symbian support. The Palm OS emulator is already a well-worn member of the Windows Mobile community (pictured), and seeing how Symbian's got a huge installed base, it makes sense that they'd want to attack it next. There's no word on exactly what models and flavors will be supported, but it certainly seems like having a touchscreen would be a good idea -- sorry, N95 owners! The beta program kicks off May 12 and StyleTap's soliciting applications now, so head on over to the site if you have some insatiable desire to be the first kid on the block rocking all your favorite Garnet apps atop a P1i.

[Thanks, Jason]

Now that Nokia's Beta Labs has had some time to stew and develop, the fruits of its labor have started to ripen -- and, in some cases, over-ripen. So what exactly happens when the beta process is complete? The best-case scenario is "graduation," meaning that an app has gone through a full beta phase -- possibly comprised of multiple update and feedback cycles -- and go on to become production offerings. Otherwise, they're "archived," in which case they'll either be embalmed and offered as-is for posterity's sake or disappear quietly into the ether, never to be heard from again. Nokia says that it usually won't be able to disclose exactly why certain projects get archived, other than that they've served their official purpose to the company -- but for what it's worth, Beta Labs chief Tommi Vilkamo figures that roughly half of the Labs' apps will graduate and half will head to archival purgatory. Here's hoping Maps 2.0 doesn't head toward the latter category, eh?

Here's the good news: "select" registered Apple developers won't be the only ones with access to iPhone 2.0 beta software before the official June launch. The bad news? It still probably won't be you. Apple is courting enterprise IT departments to test out the 2.0 beta in a new "iPhone Enterprise Beta Program," but there are quite a few restrictions and caveats, with an extensive application form and no guarantee of success. If you get into the program, you'll get to test out all those new enterprise features announced today, and provide Apple with feedback on how awesome everything is.

Bless the hearts of the good folks at Nokia's Beta Labs, because they're really working overtime to make the Finnish devices in our lives do all sorts of things they were never exactly intended to do. Everything they've done so far has been absolutely brilliant at best and merely nifty at worst, and we think this latest effort falls more on the latter end of the scale. Beta Labs' PC Phone dropped a couple months back for controlling basic phone functions from the comfort of a lappie or desktop, and now we have this: Text Messenger is a Sidebar-dockable gadget for Windows Vista that simply displays your connected phone's text messages, and while we can't speak for others, SMS is enough of a time drain for us as it is -- the last thing we need is access to it when we're sitting at our PCs trying to get some work done, too. Now threaded SMS, on the other hand... yeah, we'll take us some o' that.

[Via All About Symbian]

Previously available only to a select group, Nokia is turning the beta version of its Maps 2.0 navigation app onto the masses. In addition to the car mode existing users will be familiar with, 2.0 adds "Walk," a new mode tailored to pedestrian use. Another new feature is the ability to purchase "multimedia guides" for destinations that hook you up with photo, video, and audio streams that detail places to go and things to see on your magical journey. As we'd previously mentioned, 2.0 also adds real-time traffic information and hybrid satellite views, both features that help to bring Maps in line with Google Maps for Mobile. The beta is available immediately, while a final cut is expected to be available in the second quarter of the year.

Separately, Nokia has announced that it'll be bringing its Maps franchise to Series 40, swinging open the door to high-function navigation on the company's mass-market, non-smartphone handsets. It'll be ready in the first half of 2008, though no plans have yet been outed regarding availability on specific Series 40 devices.

Despite a well-supported, open smartphone platform, plenty of 3G devices running said platform, and a large, vibrant community of developers, options for streaming radio on S60-based Nokias are disappointingly few and far between. Don't get us wrong, they exist -- trust us, we've tried them -- but it's an obvious use of HSDPA's generous bandwidth that seems largely (and strangely) underserviced. Nokia's finally taken matters into its own hands and released its Internet Radio beta, featuring a library of streaming stations from across the globe that automatically adjust bitrate based on your connection (audiophiles might not be too happy with what they get over EDGE, but hey, beggars can't be choosers). Grab the beta now for your N82, N91, N95, or N95 8GB -- oh, and don't be fooled by Nokia's graphic here, Internet Radio sure as heck isn't working on an XpressMusic 5200.

Nokia's Sports Tracker app for S60 devices certainly isn't new; it's been kicking around since the early months of the year, in fact. So why is it back in beta? Turns out the service has been significantly expanded and retooled to give it all more of a cooperative, social, webby feel by allowing folks to upload and share their personal workouts (pictured). It'll work with S60 3rd Edition handsets using both internal and external GPS modules, making a wide array of phones compatible -- though it's unclear exactly how a runner would attach a phone and a GPS module to their person securely and unobtrusively enough to work out. The service is still in beta, and Nokia's promising more features (like real-time data uploads) down the road -- but if you simply must try it out now, by all means, don't let us stop you.

[Thanks, Antti V.]

Entrenching its Nseries devices just a little deeper in the wide world of multimedia, Nokia's Beta Labs group has released its Audiobooks application which -- you guessed it -- plays audio books. The phone app itself works on pretty much any S60 3rd Edition device and reads books encoded using AMR-WB (read: optimized for the spoken word and very well compressed). A matching Windows-based app comes with the setup, too, enabling users to convert files to the AMR-WB format and compile 'em all into individual chapters. It's available now from the Beta Labs site; of course, you'll want to be careful on account of the whole "beta" thing, but it looks pretty solid so far.

Hot on the heels of its last release, Nokia's Beta Labs has wasted no time in releasing its latest software, Device Status 1.1 for S60 devices. The app is intended to help during the troubleshooting process by providing extra details such as IMEI, software version, and device memory. Once the application collects the information, it can be analyzed by the end-user or it can be sent to Nokia Customer Care to determine the issue. Anyone brave enough to install beta software on your latest N95, drop us a line and let us know how its workin' out.

[Via All About Symbian]

We know, this whole Vista-friendly Palm Desktop software was supposed to be launched, you know, about the same time as Vista itself, but we suppose late is better than never in this scenario. Without further ado, users yearning for a Vista-compatible flavor of Palm Desktop can finally claim their prize -- if you're down with betas, that is. Thankfully, Palm has made sure you're well aware of the limitations found in the software's current state (at least the ones it knew of), so be sure and give those instructions a once over while the 59.2MB file transfers over to make sure you don't fudge anything up.

[Via The Official Palm Blog]

Those hankering for more streamlined file access on the iPhone will still have to test their patience a bit longer, but here's something to tide you over. The Telekinesis application enables users to "remotely access their Mac through a collection of mini web apps on their phone," essentially allowing any iPhone user to tunnel into their home Mac and take control. More specifically, it enables screen capturing, iTunes control, Home directory browsing, iSight image captures, and even the ability to run AppleScripts remotely. Just a heads-up, however, that this software is still listed as Alpha, which means that things are more likely to go wrong than right when trying it out. If you're courageous enough to give it a whirl, though, be sure to let the gunshy know how things went in comments.

[Via TUAW]