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Nokia opens doors to Download Store

Can't buy anything there though

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After 9 months of beta testing, and numerous software versions, Nokia has decided that what punters really want is a website where they can browse and buy software, though the latter part isn't possible as yet.

The PC Download Store was supposed to be the desktop equivalent of the "Download" application pre-installed on every S60 phone from Nokia. Download supposedly offers content from providers such as Amazon and Jamster, though the former only features an application that loads their mobile home page, while the latter flaunts a range of items, though they're all just the first step onto their subscription service.

In that context the Nokia Download Store is a comparable service. Originally envisaged as a PC application for downloading and managing applications and tightly integrated with Nokia's PC Suite synchronisation software, PC Download Store is now an online software emporium.

Or so it would appear, except that all the software on offer is marked as "Try For Free", with no pricing information on the site at all. Even that would be tolerable if the software offered really was available for trial, but try to download an application and as soon as it's installed you'll be asked to send a premium-rate text to pay for it.

So we now have N-Gage for games, Ovi for music and maps, for applications and maps PC Download and MOSH for community stuff: who says Nokia's on-line strategy is hopelessly confused? ®

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