A major new firmware, version 31.023, is now available for the Nokia E72. The update introduces several new pre-installed applications: Ovi Sync, Advance Communication Manager, Smart Connect, and Internet radio. Additionally, a number of the core applications have been updated including Ovi Maps (free navigation and location sharing version), Web (to version 7.2), and Ovi Store. There are also the usual bug (e.g. the spacebar bug) and performance fixes. Read on for further details and screenshots.

The firmware is currently only available via Nokia Software Updater. You will be alerted to its availability automatically via the Sw update application on the phone (if so configured), or when you connect the phone to Ovi Suite, but you can check for (and install) software updates at any time using Ovi Suite or Nokia Software Updater.

The E72 will preserve your data and applications when updating to a new firmware, but it is a good idea to do a backup anyway.

Nokia E72 version 31.023 firmware update. Note also the advert for Ovi Store in the top right hand corner.

New and updated applications in screenshots

The browser has been updated to version 7.2.3.1. This is a relatively small browser update; the version of WebKit, 525, is unchanged. A bug on the <object> tag has been fixed, which improves support for Microsoft Silverlight. The significant changes are in enabling technologies for Web Runtime (WRT), which is also updated to version 7.2. Version 7.2 of Web and WRT introduces full support for Flash Lite 3.1 in the web environment. Further information about WRT 7.2 is available on Forum Nokia.

As part of the firmware update, a number of extra applications are added to the phone (i.e. pre-installed). These include Ovi Sync, which provides an easy set up mechanism for Nokia's Ovi Sync service, including support for scheduled sync periods. We'll take a more detailed look at this application shortly.

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Also pre-installed is Advanced Communication Manager from Melon Mobile (previously WebGate), which gives you extra call functionality (e.g. black list to automatically reject numbers, action customised to individual incoming numbers, automatically reply by SMS and so on). Another application, SmartConnect, lets you simplify Internet access by using connection groups (i.e. gives Destinations [S60's built in access point groups]-like support for those application which do not support Destinations).

Internet radio has been (at last) added to the Radio application. This allows you to listen to Internet radio streams from all around the world. The application includes a catalogue of stations, listing thousands of different radio stations.

The E72 also gets the new version of Ovi Maps (3.3/3.03), which brings free car and pedestrian navigation to the device, as well as Facebook location sharing and travel guides. A number of other applications are updated, included Share online (v4.3.10.02), Ovi Store (v1.5.436), My Nokia (1.4) and the Start up and Email wizards (v2.1 and v2.05 respectively).

Rafe Blandford, AAS, 20 April 2010