About Open Source Symbian OS
Symbian OS is the world's leading operating system for mobile phones developed by Symbian Ltd. In June 2008 the Symbian Foundation was formed for making Symbian an open-source OS platform and combining S60, UIQ and MOAP(S). Nokia acquired the Symbian Foundation in December 2008 thus giving a boost, and funds, to the free software movement. The S60 is the popular Symbian OS used in many popular mobile phones like the Nokia 6600. In the last ten years of Symbian's existence more than 14 mobile device manufacturers have adopted the Symbian OS, including the Symbian S60 OS, in more than 250 millions mobile devices world wide.
Symbian OS Features
Location Based Services (LBS):
Location Based Services (LBS) have become almost omnipresent today in all smartphones just like the ubiquitous camera, without which, a mobile phone is hard to find. LBS require smartphones with GPS functionality and are very useful to determine the exact location of self and others in real time.
FreeWay:
Previously, broadband or 3G speeds weren't possible on mobile phones but with today's motto of office on the go using your mobile, quick net access speeds with easy switching between different networks and connections has become an absolute must. FreeWay, which is a Symbian IP networking architecture, makes this possible and more. FreeWay delivers crystal clear and high quality audio/video streaming, VoiP calls, robust WiMax and Super 3G experience with its lightening quick download speeds. FreeWay can be easily integrated within the existing web browsers thus doing away with the need for additional development.
ScreenPlay:
ScreenPlay is the powerful new graphics architecture within the Symbian OS meant to deliver high-end graphics that have not been seen previously on any mobile phone and are life-like and crystal clear. ScreenPlay offers big canvass effects on your smartphone and is specially designed for mobile interfaces that integrate HD video with high-detail games and animations. ScreenPlay ensures that your visual mobile experience is enhanced manifold while the interface remains simple and versatile. ScreenPlay is mean for both, intermediate and high-end mobile devices with hardware acceleration. Symbian OS ScreenPlay delivers all these benefits without compromising your mobile's battery life in any way.
Symmetric Multi-Processing (SMP):
With increasing use of resource gulping applications like high-end games, high definition videos, GPS services and others, Symbian has introduced the SMP technology for its Symbian OS. The SMP divides a resource-heavy task among multiple processors on the same chip to finish it quickly and once the task is completed, the additional processors fall dormant, thus conserving your mobile's battery life. A technology to look out for in the near future.
Demand Paging:
Demand Paging is a technology developed by Symbian for use in its Symbian OS versions 9.3 onwards, which makes more efficient use of the mobile's RAM by selectively loading the data and read-only code only when demanded. Previously entire DLLs were copied into the RAM by the Symbian OS whenever required but with Demand Paging only the needed DLL page is copied onto the RAM, thus conserving the onboard RAM usage. Simply, only the code that is currently needed or demanded is loaded into the RAM and not the whole code or ?page' thus, it is a more efficient way of utilizing the RAM.