Touchscreen Nokia N97 is the next step ahead with full QWERTY

The Nokia N97 is most definitely one of the most loaded N-series devices out there, but that’s not it’s all about. The N97 is the first high-end device powered by the latest touchscreen Symbian S60 OS. And if the 3.5-inch touchscreen display is not enough for you, you can always slide-and-tilt it up so the large full QWERTY keyboard gets revealed.

Nokia N97

Tri-band HSDPA and quad-band GSM ensure world wide roaming, but the new Nokia N97 also boasts 32GB of internal memory, a 5 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, touch-enabled Nokia Maps with a digital compass, an accelerometer for auto screen rotation and a proximity sensor for auto screen turn-off during calls.

The 16M color 3.5-inch touchscreen TFT display has a resolution of 360 x 640 pixels that should meet all your handheld widescreen multimedia needs. Of course all the basics are covered too - with stereo Bluetooth, 3.5mm audio jack, TV-out and FM radio with RDS.

Nokia N97

As you can imagine the loaded Nokia N97 is quite hefty - it weighs 150 g, but size-wise it’s not bigger than say, the Apple iPhone 3G (except in thickness, that is).

Nokia N97 lifestyle shots

You may remember that we published the leaked Nokia smartphone roadmap and as it seems, the Nokia N97 is quite close in its description to the handset codenamed IP08 in this table. Have a look around. The good news is that obviously the roadmap is legit and there are some quite interesting handsets under way.

The Nokia N97 will be available in Q2 2009, at an estimated price of 550 euro before subsidies and taxes.

Source: mob9.info

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Nokia Wahoo spotted, GPS and half QWERTY on board

After the promising leak of the Nokia smartphone roadmap, we have more hot news for you, this time with photos. Codenamed Wahoo, the new Nokia flip phone stands out with its half QWERTY keypad and built-in aGPS. The new Symbian smartphone looks similar to the BlackBerry Pearl Flip in terms of design and will be released exclusively for AT&T in US.

The quad-band Nokia Wahoo will support dual-band HSDPA, 2 MP camera with flash, Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP, 80 MB user memory and microSD card slot. Quite naturally for a flip phone, it will have two displays – an internal 16M QVGA 2.2″ TFT display and an external 256K TFT 1.36″ with a 128×160 resolution.

The Wahoo flip is not among the slimmest flip phones, as its dimensions are 100 x 52 x 17 mm and 115 grams weight. There is no information on the phone pricing or availability.

However judging on the full Nokia smartphone roadmap, that we reported recently, the Nokia Wahoo may just as well be already canceled.

We didn't include canceled phones in the table for conciseness and one of those that were left out is a handset described as "Version of 6650 with half-QWERTY keyboard added". This canceled handset is codenamed as Roxy in the table, so in the end of the day, we don't have a definitive answer to this rumor. But then again - unconfirmed information is what rumors are all about.

Source: GSM Arena

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Nokia 6220 classic review: Sharp-witted shooter

We can call the Nokia 6220 classic an attempt to regain some 5 megapixel ground. The compact smartphone carries some serious imaging power. Xenon flash, active lens cover, VGA video @ 30 fps and TV-out do sound exciting, don't they? It would've been all too easy but that's not all Nokia 6220 classic is about. One of the most compact bodies in the Symbian realm squeezes in GPS, HSDPA and Feature Pack 2 for a truly ornate UI. The new classic sure has a range of skills, now let's see if it has the guts for the job.

Nokia 6220 classic official photos

Key features

• 2.2" 16M-color display of QVGA resolution
• Symbian 9.3 OS, S60 3.2 UI
• ARM 11 369 MHz CPU and 128 MB of RAM
• 5 megapixel camera with active lens cover and xenon flash
• 3G with HSDPA support
• Quad-band GSM support
• Built-in GPS with A-GPS support
• Compact and lightweight body
• 120 MB user memory
• microSD card slot, up to 8GB cards supported
• FM radio with RDS
• TV-out
• Document viewer
• USB and Bluetooth v2.0
• More visual enhancements to the UI than any other S60 handset we've seen
• Nokia Maps comes with three months free turn-by-turn navigation license

Main disadvantages

• No Wi-Fi
• Xenon flash placed under the lens
• Uncomfortable shutter key
• Cheap-looking keypad, and we mean dirty cheap
• Display could have been bigger

Nokia 6220 classic is a Symbian all-rounder, which takes photography seriously. The xenon flash, the active lens cover and the best implementation of the S60 user interface are possibly its strongest selling points. The inexpensive price tag makes it really hard to compete with (around 260 euro or 380 US dollars at the time of writing).

Virtually no device with similar features is able to beat the 6220 classic offer. There is one weak spot though, so the competition isn't utterly disheartened: the lack of Wi-Fi can break a deal or two even if everything else seems perfect.

Nokia 6220 classic views

If not a rival, Nokia N82 is surely an alternative, though obviously a pricey one. For the extra bucks you get a larger display and of course the precious WLAN we just mentioned. N82 however lacks the FP2, so you're short of the nice menu animations and transition effects in the 6220 classic.

Nokia N82

If you are into UIQ, Sony Ericsson G900 might be the one to look at. It brings WLAN and a 2.4" display but lacks xenon flash. The display of the Sony Ericsson may not be a match for the Nokia 6220 classic but the touchscreen opens the door to the unique camera touch focusing in exchange.

Sony Ericsson G900

Finally, Samsung G810 comes to mind. The 2008 EISA award winner for photography phone has 3x optical zoom and a larger screen. It does however cost quite a lot more and is incomparably bigger. Besides, it's limited to Feature Pack 1.

Samsung G810

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Nokia N85 and N79 official, no surprises

Nokia introduced officially two new members of the Nseries family - Nokia N79 and Nokia N85. The two devices come with rather different designs but both have quite extensive specs sheets to brag about.

Nokia N85

Nokia N85 is a quad-band GSM and tri-band UMTS dual slider, inspired by the controversial design of the Nokia N81. It’s also got HSDPA support to improve network data transfer speed even further. Undoubtedly, the most exiting feature about the N85 is the display - a 2.6″ 16M color AMOLED unit of QVGA resolution. There is a built-in accelerometer for automatic rotation of the UI and dedicated gaming keys for improving the N-gage gaming expirience.

Nokia N85

Some of the other features of the Nokia N85 include microUSB slot, 3.5mm standard audio jack and GPS. The handset running of the Symbian OS with S60 UI and Feature Pack 2 preinstalled will also have WLAN and Bluetooth among its connectivity options. A 5 megapixel camera with autofocus, dual-LED flash and autofocus assist light is mounted at the back of the device. It can manage the sweet VGA video recording at up to 30 fps. A secondary CIF camera is at the front to take care of the video calls.

The built-in memory of the Nokia N85 is 74MB and there is a microSD card slot to extend that. An 8GB card (the largest currently available on the market) will be included in the retail package. The final multimedia touches to the Nokia N85 are the FM radio and FM transmitter.

Nokia N85 will be available in Copper color in October for an estimated retail price of 450 euro (660 US dollars) before taxes or subsides.

Nokia N79

The bar-shaped Nokia N79 has a bit more modest feature list but has better (or so it seems to us) looks and a more compact boy. It still supports all the four GSM bands but the 3G works only on the 900 and 2100 MHz bands. The display on the N79 is a 2.4″ QVGA one, capable of showing up to 16M colors. Wi-Fi, GPS and a 5 megapixel camera are some of its other more important features.

Nokia N79 also sports FM radio and FM transmitter, allowing you to broadcast your favorite tracks within a short range over radio waves. Quite as expected, it too runs on the Symbian OS with S60 v3.2 UI. Nokia N79, much like the N85, features the interesting Navi wheel navigation solution which we first came to know in the Nokia N81. The 3.5mm standard audio jack, the Bluetooth connectivity and the microUSB slot are hardly a surprise to anyone. The internal memory of the N79 is 50MB and it will be expandable through the microSD card slot (a 4GB memory card will be included in the retail package).

Nokia N79

The other upgrade of the Nokia N79 over the N78 (in addition to the improved camera and video recording) is its easily customizable exterior. The handset will come with two extra Xpress-on covers in the retail package and additional ones can also be purchased.

Nokia N79 color version

Nokia N79 will hit the shelves in Canvas White and Seal Grey color versions in October and will cost 350 euro (515 US dollars) before taxes or subsides.

Source: Mob9

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Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte revealed, looks the price

Nokia introduced today a new addition to its premium Arte-series. The new Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte stays faithful to the family tradition, and the exquisite finish is yet again tinged with a touch of distinctive personality.

Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte is cast in the same mold as the Arte and the Sapphire Arte. The materials used are different this time, carbon fiber with etched 3D patterns dominating the exterior. And yes, it does remind us of the LG KF750 Secret's battery cover too.

Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte

The new Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte will feature the turn-to-mute and tap-for time features that we got to know in the original Arte. Those use the built-in accelerometer to show the time by simply taping twice on the case or mute calls by turning it over. In fact, the only difference in functionality is the internal memory, which has grown to 4GB now.

Some of the other features of the Carbon Arte include a 3 megapixel auto focus camera, 2" OLED screen with scratch resistant coating. There is also 3G support, as well as Bluetooth and microUSB on-board.

Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte

Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte will become available in the 3rd quarter of the year (meaning it's got a month or so) at an estimated retail price of 1100 euro before subsidies or taxes. A wide range of exquisite accessories will ship with the handset. Well, with a price-tag like that they'd better do.

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Nokia E66 review: Clean-cut business tool

It's been a while since mobile phones became an essential business tool and a huge number of devices are being specially designed for the purpose (not even mentioning the camera-free versions of some handsets). Nokia Eseries is almost a default name that comes to mind. Following a comprehensive review of Nokia E71, we are set to explore the other hot Eseries gadget. It's Nokia E66 with a priority appointment in our office. Refreshments served upon conclusion.

Nokia E66 official photos

Key features:

• Quad-band GSM support
• 3G with HSDPA 3.6Mbps
• 2.4" 16M-color display of QVGA resolution
• Shortcut keys mean business
• Symbian 9.2 OS, S60 UI with FP1 (topped with some FP2 goodies)
• Accelerometer sensor for screen auto-rotation
• 369 MHz ARM 11 CPU and 128 MB of SDRAM
• Wi-Fi
• Built-in GPS receiver, A-GPS
• 3 megapixel auto focus camera with LED flash
• 110 MB of internal memory, microSD expansion, ships with a 2GB card
• Comfortable keypad
• Compact body (62.6cc only)
• Stainless steel casing
• Standard 2.5mm audio jack
• Bluetooth v2.0 with A2DP
• microUSB v2.0
• FM radio
• Infrared port
• Great battery life
• Good retail package
• Nokia Maps comes with three months free turn-by-turn navigation license

Main disadvantages:

• Average camera performance
• Video recording maxes out at QVGA@15fps
• No camera geotagging
• Cheap-looking power key
• Office document editing not available
• No RDS in radio

We're obviously on a streak here, dealing with phones that are, above all, tools. All right, after a bit of blue collar comic relief with the Sonim XP1, we're back to the corporate floor with Eseries.

Nokia E66 lacks the full QWERTY keypad of its sibling- the E71 but still packs some serious business power. The great looks and the more than decent multimedia capabilities are also a welcome bonus. Those working in camera-restricted areas are probably the only ones to frown at the business slider but who knows - a camera-free version might be lurking out there.

Nokia E66 in our office

Screening the market for a worthy alternative of Nokia E66, we almost instantly stumble upon Samsung i550w. It has almost the same specs as the Nokia, comes with a larger screen and costs less. Now, all that doesn't make your choice any easier. Nokia E66 has much better build quality and looks so much hotter.

That said, Samsung seem to have a sub warming up to run against Nokia E66. The Symbian-based Samsung L870 is no lesser looker with that brushed steel hull, though quite trimmed down on specs.

The software goodies are also noteworthy: E66 has some extras that are normally only available to Feature pack 2 (and even some that are Eseries exclusive like the dual homescreen modes).

BlackBerry and their Pearl series are also trying to pressure Nokia E66 but at this stage they don't seem to have the ultimate challenger. It's either 3G or GPS, or some other important feature missing, to relegate RIM's devices to a lower league.

Finally, without the full QWERTY keypad of E71, Nokia E66 is exposed to quite some pressure within the Nokia's very own Nseries too. With the same OS and Feature Pack 2, the Nseries devices can cover almost all the business applications of E66 and be powerful business tools in their own right.

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