Okay friends, I have a lot of news to share with you guys this weekend, so get ready for some serious and at the same time fun reading. I have covered the update spree that guys at beta labs have been posting all week. Boy, they just post in spurts, not uncommon now as they for some reason have been doing this for a while. And we also have some cool contests for you to try out. Guess what, one of them has a cool Nokia N97 to giveaway , so stick tight as we share the news with you.

First Up, If you have been noticing some graphic tweaks on the site then don’t worry as the picture content which I store on Share Ovi is undergoing a system upgrade. Guys there are busy trying to unify the Share Ovi and Nokia Account which has rendered most of the pictures on my blog to have broken links. I had a chat with them on this and they said the upgrade is still on way. So please bear for the time being, but in case any other link is broken apart pictures then please let us know.

The Beta Labs On a Update Spree + New Apps

1. Nokia Image Exchange

The new beta with a main focus to share pictures. This is very welcoming as we are doing a series of tips and tricks on Phontography. Only concern is the data cost for which I guess guys at beta labs should put a re-size feature or something . Nokia Image Exchange is an experimental imaging service to make browsing and sharing images fun and easy. It aims to provide a seamless integration of a mobile image gallery and a corresponding web-service. Image Exchange explores user experience when the mobile phone is enabled with an always-on data connection and utilizes existing contact information as a basis for social networking. Check the above video by Davin Wong highlighting its basic use and function. To Download Click Here.

2. Enhanced Calculator For S60 Updated

A quick but important update for the Enhanced Calculator is available for download. Well as for now it has been tweaked for the N96 and Tommi also adds that it will be made a native part of the upcoming devices but it has been archieved for now. Good luck Guys for the final show down. Download it now!

3. Communication Center 2.0 beta Graduates

Yes, Communication Center 2.0 beta has been officially graduated to commercial offering as part of Nokia PC Suite. So download the latet PC Suite today. Good Job Nokia!

4. Nokia Email Now A Part Of Nokia Messaging

This is amazing as Nokia Email has evolved to a part of Nokia Messaging a venture focused on consumer messaging by Nokia.

Here are the highlights of this release:

• Support for Yahoo! Mail
• Support for more Nokia S60 phones
• Support for up to ten email addresses
• Support for subfolders for IMAP email accounts
• Support for Google Apps hosted email and other vanity domain email addresses
• Flagged messages will automatically become starred messages in Gmail
• More intuitive inbox navigation via a discoverable control bar
• Faster opening of inbox
• Sent email will be synced to your webmail’s sent folder for all email addresses

Please go to http://email.nokia.com to download the latest version.

5. Mobile Web Server Matures to its final

This not my cup of tea as I would love to use Dashwire for this. But still for those who do it’s still pretty rough, but as S60 Widget (= web runtime) development is very fast and easy, it can be tweaked quickly based on your feedback.

Read more, straight from the horse’s mouth, what Jukka Eklund has to say about the latest Mobile Web Server release, Group Calendar widget, enhanced Facebook application, and future plans of Mobile Web Server.

This release also has the Group Calender. Download Group Calendar widget.

6. Nokia Handwriting Calculator

I had a sense of it that we will sure see some touch beta apps from Beta Labs and we sure are.Ilkka Peltola gives us a walk-through to the cool touch application for Nokia Touch Devices and Windows PC called the Nokia Handwriting Calculator. This is really fun and I would be trying it on my tablet notebook this weekend. Give it a try! Download here.

7. Step Counter Updated

Ole Kirkeby has provided us with a new update as well as a lot of info on Step Counter. I guess it was about time as well. Here is a list of the new features.

• Support for the following S60 products: N95, N95 8GB, N82, N93i, 6210, N79, N85, N96
• Export of step data in CSV format (in Diary, select Options -> Export To File)
• Sound notifications (in Settings, General, Sound Notification. Use your own alert sounds by replacing alertsteps.aac and alerttarget.aac in E:/StepCounter/AlertSounds)

Furthermore, you can add text entries to workouts indirectly through the Nokia Wellness Diary which automatically imports summary data from the Step Counter (and Nokia Sports Tracker).

Still no soup for E66. Download Step Counter.

8. Nokia Audiobooks Are Still Alive

Janne Vainio has shared with us a long awaited word on the Nokia Audiobooks which for some had been dead for a while. Good to see the team bringing it back for us. This update brings practical improvement for new users of  audiobook client is the single SIS file. So, now you do not have to know whether you phone is 3.0, 3.1, 3.2 or 99.99 version or whatever. You only have one SIS-file to download. However, it does not work on all models yet (like very old or touch phones) but now you only have to try one SIS file to see whether it works on your device.

Download updated Nokia Audiobooks here.

9. Conversations Rolling out For All S60 3rd Edition Devices

One of my favourite beta is up and running now for all S60 3rd Edition Devices. Conversation is an add-on application that allows you to follow your communication with contacts as streams of conversations, which it organizes, based on individual contacts. The application also makes it very easy to reply to received messages and continue an ongoing conversation with the contact.

Download Here>> Conversation application

Note: due to technical complexities, there are several versions and installation packages. Choose wisely. And if you have earlier versions of Conversation, Gizmo and/or Nokia Chat installed, the installation procedure is a bit tricky. Please be patient and read the instructions first (before reporting incompatibilities). Apologies for the hassle, but otherwise this release wouldn’t have been possible.

The Contests Round Up

1. Journalist Wanted

Nokia has published a new contest in the Legends website called “Journalist Wanted”. Everybody will be able to create his/her own Legend, just unleash the creativity! The winner’s Legend will be published in this website along with its creator’s name / nick name. The winner will also receive a Nokia device as a prize!

The direct link to the Journalist Wanted contest is: www.legendstelegraph.com/journalistwanted (“Create and Publish Your Own Legend” banner is located close to the down righ corner in the website). Something to do during the long vacation…

2. Think Of A Widget Concept And Win A N97

Here’s your chance to be part of the Nokia Nseries innovation process by designing a homescreen widget for the forthcoming Nokia N97, which is available during the first half of 2009.

Click here to learn how to participate.