Symbian OS phones gain Notes client

CommonTime last week announced a Symbian OS version of mNotes, its mobile client for Lotus Notes, allowing staff to access email, calendar, contacts and task information from Symbian-based smartphones.

MNotes for Symbian OS, available immediately, is designed for the UIQ user interface used on handsets such as Sony Ericsson's P900 and P910. Other versions of mNotes already support devices running Windows Mobile and Palm OS.

The client has been designed to give a full Notes groupware experience to mobile users, according to the firm.

"MNotes for Symbian OS has been constructed for Notes/ Domino from the ground up," said CommonTime chief executive Nigel Mackrill.

Users can access only their email and groupware data at present, but the ability to access other Notes databases will be added later this year. However, users can store multiple mail files on a single device.

MNotes supports a disconnected model ? which allows mail to be sent and received whenever a connection to the server is available. The connection could be via desktop cradle, Bluetooth or a GPRS carrier network.

The client supports replication of a user's folder structure, allowing mail to be filed while mobile. Any filing operations are replicated back to the Notes mail database once connected.

MNotes for Symbian OS costs £42 + VAT for a single licence, including maintenance and support for one year. Users can also switch between Symbian, Windows Mobile and Palm OS versions of the client at no extra cost.