So what if it’s taken this long already, Nokia is getting ready to unleash a fistful of widgets on us and frankly, it isn’t a moment too soon! Widget action is ramping up with Forum Nokia rallying the troops to get brand new widgets written and ready for the first devices to support the next generation of S60 - possibly the N96 and N78. 

Today Forum Nokia announced that Widgets could be tested using the Forum Nokia Remote Device Service (RDA) and on Wednesday it’s holding the first of it’s series of global “code camps” for Widgets and Widsets. That’s not all, developers have been also been let loose on the Beta version of the new S60 3rd edition, feature pack 2 (how Microsoft!) which includes the Web Run Time (the bit of kit used to power Widgets).

Anyone with a bit of knowledge of HTML, javascript and CSS can create Widgets apparently. And, because it uses the same foundation as other Widgets (including Apple’s Dashboard and Yahoo! Widgets) porting micro-apps from either of those to S60 should be a cinch.

Now, all of this suggests two things. Firstly, the new devices announced last month will most likely be the first to run Feature Pack 2 and secondly, they’ll be heading our way sooner than we might imagine. Now there’s a thought!

Related stories:
The best mobile widgets and how to get them on your Nok
Nokia working on intelligent widgets