As smartphone platforms go, UIQ is a pretty underserved one; it just doesn't command enough of a following (by either manufacturers or end users) to justify boatloads of serious third-party development. That's why we're especially delighted to see that Digia's @Web, a Webkit-based browser with touch control and desktop-grade rendering capabilities, has emerged from beta and gone live. The full version's not a free download -- you'll pay 8 (about $11) for the privilege, in fact -- but for diehard UIQers looking for a way to rock the interwebs, this is probably the ticket.

[Thanks, All About Symbian]

The Symbian Foundation has definitely managed to quickly reach a quorum in the few months since its inception, and the group has just announced yet another round of heavyweights to have thrown their support behind the effort. This time around, Sharp, Opera Software, South Korea's KTF, and UIQ are among nine new firms to throw their hats into the ring (in other words, if the Windows Mobile and Android camps aren't paying attention yet, they probably ought to be). UIQ might be the surprise here, considering that S60's perpetual second fiddle had already made moves to get ready for the Foundation's activities -- but whatever, good to hear that they're officially on board now.

Just over a month after surfacing in Preview form, Mark/Space has loosed the finalized version of The Missing Sync for Symbian on the world. Yes, Mac lovers, this means you can now get your beloved computer to play nice with your Sony Ericsson, Motorola or Nokia-based S60 / UIQ handset. There's even a swank Proximity Syncing feature that enables your mobile and Mac to exchange hellos (and sync, obviously) whenever they are within Bluetooth (around 30-feet) range. The download is available now for $39.95, while packs with more licenses are available for $169.79 and up. Who's game to give it a go and confess whether or not it was worth the coin?

[Via TUAW]

Get your browsin' finger in championship condition, because it's about that time -- if UIQ's your weapon of choice, anyhow. The first beta of Digia's @Web finger-controlled browser for UIQ handsets has now been delivered as promised, though free registration is required on the company's site to get hooked up. If you have a chance to check it, do let us know how it goes, won't you?

[Via All About Symbian]

Though the creation of the Symbian Foundation will likely ultimately come to benefit and unify the platform's various flavors, one terribly unpleasant side effect of the action in the short term is the positional redundancy created as S60, UIQ, and other units become virtual roommates. Some of the first casualties of the merger come from UIQ, which has announced a total of 200 layoffs -- over half of its 375-strong staff. UIQ has never garnered quite the attention of its S60 sibling, and we wouldn't be surprised if the group were to end up being hardest-hit of the Foundation's puzzle pieces. Ironically, beleaguered Motorola is a stakeholder in UIQ at the moment; as the parent goes, so goes the child, it seems.

[Via All About Symbian]

Yeah, the just-announced C905 plugs a gaping hole in the high end, but Sony Ericsson's in desperate need of as many smartphones as it can get its hands on right now -- and a smartphone is one thing the C905 is not. The flagship P1i isn't getting any younger, neither the G700 nor G900 are inspiring a lot of emotion, and the M610i (which wasn't particularly fascinating to begin with) was canceled before it ever hit the market. Could the Paris -- or P5, or P10, or whatever it's called -- and the G702 BeiBei have met the same fate? That's what the Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog is claiming, suggesting that intense criticism from sites that got early peeks at the devices let to their untimely demise while leaving the window open for a possible limited release in Asia (not unlike the Motorola MPx, if our memories serve us correctly). The way we see it, Sony Ericsson's just a little too oblivious to be that responsive to the user community (case in point: M2 cards), so we're more keen to chalk it up to technical glitches or a homegrown realization that the devices just weren't what the market needed. By the same token, it seems like they can't afford to throw these efforts out the door altogether; it'd put them hopelessly far behind the competition in the smartphone arena, so hopefully they're just retooling and learning some lessons as they go.

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]

If there are two words that are music to the ears of anyone looking to browse websites effectively on their phone, they've gotta be "WebKit" and "finger control." S60 Touch is moving Nokia squarely in that direction, and the other half of the Symbian puzzle, UIQ, is getting some love now as well. Digia is preparing its @Web browser, which claims to allow effective finger-based control of its WebKit-based browser -- though we're not lighting the fireworks and popping the champagne just yet since the effectiveness of finger control varies widely from implementation to implementation, and @Web's public beta won't be ready until some time later this month. Stay tuned, G900 owners (and G702 hopefuls).

[Via PHONE Magazine]

If you just can't get enough news about Sony Ericsson's forthcoming Symbian UIQ touchscreen phone -- currently known as Paris -- perhaps this promo video of the thing in action can help. Sure, these appears to be pre-renders, but it does whet the appetite for things to come with the device, and who can complain about that pop-up weather app and confirmation that this will have a flash for its camera? Also, the dude in the clip sports a totally stylish cardigan. Watch the whole thing after the break and see for yourself.

[Via PHONE Magazine]

Sony Ericsson's leaky enough so that we've had no problem believing that the BeiBei is dead real, but as we've seen with the M610i, a very real and very well-developed Sony Ericsson prototype by no means guarantees a release. That being said, we're starting to get pumped that this one might live long enough to see a store shelf or two -- particularly considering that it's said to rock UIQ 3.3 and looks a heck of a lot better now in its dark, handsome color scheme that the last time we saw it. So, anyone want to get a launch date pool going? This quarter? Next? 2009?

[Via Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog]

Ahead of CTIA -- and ahead of a possible Windows Mobile 6.1 announcement -- UIQ Technology has announced that UIQ 3.3, based on a Symbian 9.3 foundation, is now available to manufacturers. It's not a revolutionary build by any stretch of the imagination; in fact, the firm itself says that it includes "incremental enhancements" designed to keep up with changing requirements in the marketplace. Headlining features include Opera 9.5, support for Opera Widgets (widgets do seem to be the rage in mobile these days), and a dedicated widget "dashboard" for managing the little bits and pieces of content the user is tracking. The 3.3 SDK is already available, so with any luck, we should see devices in the marketplace before the century's out.

The Unofficial Sony Ericsson Blog is reporting that Sony Ericsson's rather stellar showing at Mobile World Congress isn't quite over yet. As you might recall, the joint venture owns UIQ, so it would make some good sense that it'd save a couple surprises for UIQ's MWC press conference, which doesn't go down until the tail end of the show on Wednesday. One of those surprises might just be this, a UIQ-powered candybar going by the codename "BeiBei" that features a dizzying (and frankly, nonsensical) array of navigation buttons and a fairly buttoned-up appearance that should appeal to businessfolk. Another possible UIQ debut is said to be "Paris," a higher end device. If this all pans out, it was rather brilliant of Sony Ericsson to let the X1 fervor calm down before launching another volley, wasn't it?

The Z10's fresh out of the gate, but it probably serves Motorola well to be thinking well, well ahead -- like 5 megapixels worth of ahead, for example. The so-called Z12 "Skarven" has been rumored for a few months now, and this fairly legit looking shot claims to have a wide swath of the Z series lined up for a family portrait: Z8, Z10, and Z12, from left to right. It allegedly runs UIQ (much like the two kick sliders before it) appears to feature some touch sensitive controls up front, and should feature the aforementioned high-end cam, integrated GPS, and a two-bedroom, one-bathroom flat for all we know. With any luck, we might find out a thing or two at MWC in a few days.