Five Nokia N-Series phones reviewed side by side

What do you do when you get your hands on five of Nokia's shiniest top-end N-Series phones all at once? Review them all, of course, and take tonnes of pics of the buggers! And that's just what the PhoneReport has done, lining up the Nokia N95 8GB, N78, N82, N81 8GB and (gasp!) the brand new Nokia N96.

Phew! As you can see from the pics (and they have dozens more on their site), it's quite an impressive line up, and the review makes for interesting reading if you're considering buying one of Nokia "multimedia computers". Frustratingly, the review isn't all that in-depth, covering only the dimensions and usability of the phones in terms of their form factors and a bit of the user interfaces, but a fuller review is promised sometime in the future.

More pics after the jump.

There are tonnes more pics over at the PhoneReport, so if you want see some more eye candy, go check out their review.

Nokia E71 and E66 - for business, pleasure, and being rude to people

Nokia have finally announced the Nokia E71 (above) and E66 (below), two business-oriented smartphones that have been talked about in the mobile phone world for what seems like an age. Replacing the Blackberry-like E70 and E65 respectively, the two phones are designed primarily for business use, and so come with such business-oriented features as one touch access to calendars, notes, todo lists, etc., plus email software that enables these phones to connect to any of over 1,600 email services provided by ISPs across the globe.

There's even built-in support for Microsoft Exchange, so your boss can get you no matter where you are at work.

The E71 is the more distinct of the two, featuring a full-QWERTY keyboard that makes text entry a breeze. In contrast, the E66 looks like a standard mobile phone, so data entry is going to be more difficult, but equally you have an arguably more stylish phone in your pocket. Other than the keyboard, the two phones are largely the same, except for one small feature: the E66 has an accelerometer, allowing you to block calls simply by turning the phone over onto its front. I like that - kind of like turning your back on the caller! Rude, but satisfying!

The E71 and E66 aren't just fusty old business phones, though. Nokia appreciate that your average smart-phone touting business-person doesn't just want a mobile email client, they want some multimedia fun too. So the new phones have been packed with enough multimedia features to make an N-Series blush. The E71, for example, comes with an MP3 player and 3.2 megapixel camera, as well as HSDPA, Wi-Fi, a-GPS and Nokia Maps. All this in a phone that's just 10mm thin - hugely impressive.

In other words, it's what a top-end phone came with last year, all packaged into a business phone that will cost around 350 Euros.

More details and pictures of the Nokia E71 and E66 after the jump.

The Nokia E71 and E66 business phones

From the press release:

Nokia introduced today the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 - the latest email-optimized devices from the Nokia Eseries product range. The sleek Nokia E71 with full QWERTY keyboard and the stylish, slide-to-open Nokia E66 easily mobilize a broad range of personal or professional messaging needs, including Microsoft Exchange, the world's most widely adopted corporate email solution. Both devices are expected to begin shipping in key markets in July. The Nokia E71 and the Nokia E66 are expected to retail at EUR 350, before applicable taxes and subsidies.

"The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 were designed for people who lead a mobile lifestyle and want quick and easy access to their personal and work email. With both of these devices, we have responded to consumer feedback by making calendar and contacts available at the touch of a button," said Søren Petersen, Senior Vice President, Devices, Nokia. "Equally important, people want well-crafted devices that are as beautiful to use as they are to behold. Stainless steel was chosen as the core material for these devices, giving them additional strength and a touch of class. Furthermore, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 offer all the latest multimedia features that people desire."

Easy, one-touch access to email

The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 come fully equipped for easy-to-install and easy-to-use professional and personal email. People who use Microsoft Exchange at work can access their email using the Mail for Exchange mobile email client, which comes pre-loaded with the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66. With these Nokia Eseries devices, people can get reliable real-time access to their email, calendar, contacts and tasks, as well as download attachments like Word, Excel, Powerpoint or PDF files directly to their devices.

The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 support email accounts from more than a thousand internet service providers (ISPs) around the world, as well as Gmail, Yahoo! mail and Hotmail. Additionally, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 support the Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email solution as well as third party email solutions like System Seven and Visto Mobile. Both devices come with the new switch mode that allows people easily to switch between personal and work home screens.

"With mobile email penetration and access to wireless applications growing at a rapid rate, Nokia is well positioned with its extensive lineup of market leading handsets to address the needs of consumers, high-end users and mobile professionals alike," said Andrew Brown, Director, Wireless Enterprise Strategies Global Wireless Practice, Strategy Analytics.

Sophisticated tool, premium design inside and out

With a stainless steel case, etched graphics and available in two colors - grey steel or white steel - the Nokia E71 bears the hallmarks of Nokia quality and craftsmanship. The cool metallic finish is complemented by the bright colour display, which showcases the Nokia E71 device's brilliantly simple user interface. Designed for both one-handed and two-handed use, the Nokia E71 pays special attention to ergonomics, as evidenced by its narrow shape and specially designed keypad.

The Nokia E66 offers a premium look and feel with its stainless steel accents and smooth sliding design. Sharing the same key features as the Nokia E71, including an enhanced calendar, contacts and customizable home screen modes, the Nokia E66 offers unique additions, like an orientation sensor that automatically optimizes itself for full screen viewing or silences the ringer when the device is turned over. Available in grey steel or white steel version, the Nokia E66 leaves a lasting impression as a sophisticated business tool in a distinct design.

Always Entertaining

In addition to email and personal information management, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 support the latest Ovi services including maps, music and media sharing that power users expect from their device. This includes fast and seamless browsing with HSDPA, wireless LAN and 3G connectivity, Assisted GPS (A-GPS) and Nokia Maps for navigation, a music player with support for up to 8 GB expandable memory and a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera.

Built for Businesses of all sizes

In addition to serving entrepreneurs and smaller businesses, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 also come fully equipped with a robust suite of enterprise grade features, including a built-in encryption functionality for both the device memory and for the memory card. Both Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 also include integrated mobile VPN support that gives mobile professionals access to their company intranet, and device lock and wipe to protect corporate information. Incorporating underlying technologies that allow IT departments to effectively manage security settings, corporate applications, data and advanced voice features, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 expand the range of Nokia Eseries devices that support enterprise-specific deployment.

Accessorize with Style

Also announced today were a number of Nokia accessories that support the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66. The Nokia Car Kit CK-100 and Nokia Display Car Kit CK-600 offer convenient handling, simplified installation and software updatability. The Nokia Car Kit CK-100 features Nokia Talk voice guidance and a remote control, while the Nokia Display Car Kit CK-600 features a removable color display and a remote control with illuminated keys for active call management. For increased mobility, Nokia also announced the sleek Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-212, as well as the Nokia Mobile Holder CR-106 and Nokia Mobile Holder CR-105 designed to complement the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 respectively.

Mr Wong Soon Nam, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, SingTel, said: "Our customers will enjoy a superior, cost-effective wireless email solution with SingTel's Broadband on Mobile and the new Nokia Eseries devices. These will give them a competitive edge and the ability to effortlessly retrieve important information on the move, making their office truly mobile."

"The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 carry the promise of the Nokia brand, which revolves around quality, reliability and usability," said Mr Golinelli, Executive Vice President, Sales, Consumer Domestic Mobile Services, Telecom Italia. "Our wide range of customers is interested in funtionality but also in design and the Nokia E71 is the right and new concept for a new way of working."

"With the growth of corporate mobility adoption, the users' demands for new solutions and devices get stronger. The new Nokia Eseries devices, Nokia E71 and Nokia E66, attend to our consumers' different profiles and needs, due to their design and features, which fit both users' daily work and leisure moments in this connected society," said Paulo Cesar Teixeira, VP, Operations, Vivo.

Moody new Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism

Nokia have released their stunning Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism phone. The 7900 Crystal Prism was designed by graphic and fashion designer Frédérique Daubal, who's previously developed concepts for the likes of Paul Smith, Gas Tokyo, and the gloriously-named Bumble & Bumble.

It should be clear by now that the 7900 is being pitched solely as a designer phone, and here it really scores. Its nearest competitor is the multi-million selling LG Shine range, but with its black and burgundy colourings and its laser-etched covers, it makes the Shine look, well, dull.

Of course, being a designer phone, it's not heavily laden with features - but then, that's not the point of designer phones is it? It's all about the eye candy, and the 7900 is pure optical Belgian truffle!

More details and pics of the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism after the jump.


The Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism comes with a 2 megapixel camera, 3G, 1 GB of internal memory and an MP3 player. The user can also personalize the colour of the light in the keymat, choosing from 49 different colours.

Like I say, not exactly brimming with features, but the 7900 is more for people who want to show off a bit when flopping their phone out onto a desk in a meeting.

To this end, Nokia have also released a range of colour-matched accessories, which really do the 7900 some justice.

I'm sure the 7900 Crystal Prism won't sell as many millions as the LG Shine, but with a phone that looks this good, surely it's just that level of exclusivity you want!

The Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism is available now, priced 375 Euros.

Nokia have released their stunning Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism phone. The 7900 Crystal Prism was designed by graphic and fashion designer Frédérique Daubal, who's previously developed concepts for the likes of Paul Smith, Gas Tokyo, and the gloriously-named Bumble & Bumble.

It should be clear by now that the 7900 is being pitched solely as a designer phone, and here it really scores. Its nearest competitor is the multi-million selling LG Shine range, but with its black and burgundy colourings and its laser-etched covers, it makes the Shine look, well, dull.

Of course, being a designer phone, it's not heavily laden with features - but then, that's not the point of designer phones is it? It's all about the eye candy, and the 7900 is pure optical Belgian truffle!

More details and pics of the Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism after the jump.


The Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism comes with a 2 megapixel camera, 3G, 1 GB of internal memory and an MP3 player. The user can also personalize the colour of the light in the keymat, choosing from 49 different colours.

Like I say, not exactly brimming with features, but the 7900 is more for people who want to show off a bit when flopping their phone out onto a desk in a meeting.

To this end, Nokia have also released a range of colour-matched accessories, which really do the 7900 some justice.

I'm sure the 7900 Crystal Prism won't sell as many millions as the LG Shine, but with a phone that looks this good, surely it's just that level of exclusivity you want!

The Nokia 7900 Crystal Prism is available now, priced 375 Euros.

Nokia N96 Review....

No Nokia N96 review worth its salt would be complete without referring to its spiritual daddy, the hugely popular Nokia N95. The Nokia N96 offers similar features and a similar form factor to the N95, but with a much more mature platform (in other words, unlike the N95, it actually works without crashing!). However, it's not, apparently, designed as the N95's successor (largely because the N95 is still on sale!) Rather, it's a video and mobile TV phone that just happens to include much of the N95's functionality!

However, whereas the N95 was a revolutionary phone, the N96 is more evolutionary. The features of the N96 aren't as world-shattering as they were when they first appeared a year earlier on the N95, leading some to question whether it was actually a boring phone.

Boring? GPS, 5 megapixel camera, mobile TV, video, HSDPA, WiFi, etc., etc., and we call that boring?! The N95 really did set the bar high!

Still, if you're going to buy a new mobile phone, you need to know whether it's going to be the phone for you. Only one way to find out - read on for our comprehensive Nokia N96 review!

The Nokia N96 can be thought of as a classic Nokia phone, with the call connect and disconnect buttons surrounding the touch pad at the bottom of the phone. Offering 16GB of storage, the phone looks sleek and elegant, with a large 2.8" QVGA screen capable of displaying over 16 million different colours dominating its front. It looks good. It looks classy in an understated way. But you get no hint of the power that lies underneath!

Personally, I think this is a good thing, as I'd much rather impress people with unexpectedly-glorious features than be all bling and shouty with chrome and dazzling lights and not much else going on underneath!

So what is this power that I'm going on about?

The Nokia N96's camera

Let's start with the camera. It's a 5 megapixeller with Carl Zeiss optics, and comes complete with both auto-focus (which is essential in a camera phone) and auto-exposure. You also get a flash, but not just any old flash. The N96 comes equipped with a dual LED flash that can actually light up a room, just like normal camera flashes do (unheard fo for a camera phone!). Although not as bright as a Xenon flash, the dual flash enables continuous illumination, which can be used not just for still photography, but also for shooting video, too.

Video recording with the Nokia N96

The Nokia N96 comes with 30fps DVD-quality video recording, just like the N95. Being a video-oriented phone, though, it adds support for more video formats, including H.264, Flash video, ensuring you can watch YouTube clips on the phone, and Windows Media Video (WMV) version 9. More importantly, the N96 also includes dedicated DSPs and video acceleration chips, which ensures the video performance of both playback and video capture are much improved over the N95.

Another advantage of the video acceleration chip is the improvement in performance of 3D games that can be played on the N96, courtesy of Nokia's new N-Gage platform.

You can also adjust the flash, colour tone, white balance, and self-timer settings, and there's even anti-shake technology built-in. Not bad for a camera phone. Better still, though, is the combination of the camera and the on-board GPS unit, which will automatically GeoTag your photos with the exact co-ordinates of where they were taken. This seems such an obvious thing to do with photos, it's amazing that the digital camera manufacturers didn't routinely equip their cameras with GPS units years ago!

Perhaps the biggest differentiator between the N96 and the N95 is the inclusion of DVB-H mobile TV. DVB-H is a broadcast technology, meaning that the phone picks up the TV signal from the airwaves in the same way that your old pre-digital TV used to. As such, there's no need for TV programmes to be sent via the mobile phone network, and so such annoyances as delay and jitter that could cause your TV picture to break up are not an issue.

Better still, with a 2.8" QVGA screen capable of displaying 16 million colours, the picture quality is superb (although small, obviously!). Nokia also add an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG), and Tivo-like time slicing for rewinding live TV programmes (up to 30 seconds' worth).

GPS on the Nokia N96

It's interesting to see that the Nokia N96 has the same aGPS functionality as the N95, but whereas the N95 was pitched as a Sat-Nav phone, the N96 is being pitched as a multimedia phone that just happens to have GPS! Another example of how revolutionary the N95 was when it first came out, I guess, and how we've all now got used to have such advanced features as GPS on our phones.

The N96 does improve on the N95's GPS functionality, though, as it includes Nokia's new Maps 2.0 application, which adds a new pedestrian mode, improved mapping and satellite imagery to the mix, along with improved city guides.

Connectivity

Of course, high-end mobile phones need to come fully loaded with al manner of connectivity options, and the N96 is no exception. You get quad-band GSM, dual-band WCDMA, HSPDA and Wi-Fi, plus Blutooth 2.0, USB (which is now five times faster than on previous Nokia devices), and UPnP, for connecting to all manner of other UPnP equipped home media devices, such as TVs and Hi-Fi. The only omission is infra-red, but that shouldn't really be a problem.

Nokia N96 Reviews across the Web

So that's the Nokia N96 in a nutshell. Time to see what other reviewers are saying about this great looking multimedia phone.

AllAboutSymbian have a comprehenisve review of the Nokia N96, and they love it. "It is easy to get blasé about the N96 as it is an evolutionary, not a revolutionary device - it is not going to have quite the same impact as the N95. But the fact remains that the N96 is, from a technical standpoint, an amazing device. In particular, the PVR in your pocket functionality means that the N96 stands out from the crowd. As with its Nseries predecessors, it takes us further down the road of convergence than ever before. With a GPS, 5 megapixel camera, multiple connectivity options, comprehensive software suite and now a mobile TV receiver built into a single phone, you'll be hard pressed to find anything that competes with it."

UnwiredView checked out a prototype at the MWC 2008 conference back in February, and they were excited by it too. "All- in-all, Nokia N96 is a great, feature packed mobile handset." They've got some extensive video coverage of the N96 as well, which is worth checking out.

Finally, we have a hugely comprehensive review from Mobile-Review.com, who also tested an early prototype. They don't offer a conclusion, as apparently mobile TV is not an option in Russia, so they somewhat petulantly say that "This phone is heavy both on video and television, that's why its feats won't be particularly craved here, in Russia. And given that there are other offerings to come that will offer similar specs under their hoods (USB speed, memory structure), there is no point in paying a premium for the Nokia N96 and getting a bunch of pretty much useless abilities for good measure." Fortunately, their review is extremely comprehensive, so if you can ignore the sulking, it's well worth reading!

Nokia N96 Specifications

The Nokia N96 specs are as follows:

• WCDMA2100/900 (HSDPA) / EGSM900, GSM850/1800/1900 MHz (EGPRS) connectivity
• DVB-H Class C, 470-750 MHz
• S60 3rd edition, FP2 UI
• 2.8” QVGA (240 x 320 pixels) LCD TFT display with up to 16 million colors
• 5 megapixel camera with auto-focus and auto-exposure
• Dual-LED camera flash, video light, recording indicator, auto-focus assist light
• Secondary VGA (640 x 480 px) camera for video calls
• Video capture in MPEG-4 up to VGA at 30 fps
• Digital Video Stabilization
• Built-in GPS/A-GPS
• WLAN - IEEE802.11 g/b
• Stereo FM radio (87.5-108MHz, 76-90MHz) with RDS
• Hi-Speed USB 2.0 with Micro USB type B interface
• 3.5mm stereo headset plug , TV-out support (PAL/NTSC)
• Bluetooth 2.0 A2DP stereo/EDR
• 950 mAh battery with up to 220 min talk, 220 hrs standby time, 5 hrs video, 14 hrs music or 4 hrs TV playback
• Dimensions: 103×55x18 mm
• Weight: 125 g

Mmmm, tasty!

Conclusion

The Nokia N96 is set to be yet another super high-end mobile phone from Nokia's famed N-Series. More a sister to the N95 than a successor, the N96 focuses strongly on multimedia, and yet does all the things the N95 did so much better. It'll be expensive, of course, when it debuts - around 550 Euros is the current estimate, with a release date of August/September - but as a high-end do-everything phone with unrivalled features, the Nokia N96 is going to be a hard phone to beat.

Nokia 6210 Navigator.

Nokia have been showing off their Nokia 6210 Navigator at the O'Reilly Where 2.0 Conference, and we've compiled some great video reviews of it. The 6210 Navigator, as you can probably guess, is a GPS phone, but as the videos show, it's not just any GPS phone - it's so advanced and the detail of its maps is so precise, you couldn't actually get lost anywhere on earth with it! No, seriously. Even if the maps of your present vicinity aren't so hot, you'll at least know which way the nearest town or road is. How? Because the 6210 Navigator comes with a built-in compass and accelerometer, as well as GPS.

This means that not only does the phone know exactly where you are, it also knows the direction in which you're pointing. This last step is hugely significant, as it means that the map is constantly oriented in the direction in which you're travelling, rather than always pointing up to North. You no longer have to work out whether to turn left or right when facing south; nor will you get confused with which way you're pointing on a featureless map.

Better still, it's not just abstract lines of maps that the 6210 displays. You even get the option of viewing full satellite photos of your surroundings, which also turn as you do. Like I said, you really can never get lost with this thing!

How does the following sound:

• 2.4" display with 16 million colors
• quad-band GSM
• dual-band UMTS
• dual-band HSDPA
• geotagging
• Media player
• FM radio
• Bluetooth 2.0
• 3.2 Megapixel camera with auto focus, flash and video
• USB 2.0
• internal memory of 120MB
• microSD card support up to 8GB
• weight: 117 grams
• size: 103 x 49 x 14.9 millimeters.

Now bear in mind that this isn't a top-end N-Series phone - nope, it's just a mid-range phone with high end features! The expected retail price of the Nokia 6210 is just 300 Euros, which makes it extremely affordable. If Nokia can cram all of this into a device fro just 300 Euros, what on earth will they manage to crowbar into their N-Series phones late rin the year?!

Being tempted by the Nokia Compass Phone

I must admit, I have my eye on the Navigator as maybe a new phone to get. Sure I've got my E90 Communicator, which is great for relieving the tedium of queues, as I can simply use its superb Web browsing abilities whenever my mind has nothing to do. But the E90 has two faults that stop me from using it anywhere and everywhere. Firstly, it's a bit on the large size. It's no problem during winter, as I can put it in one of my voluminous coat pockets, but it doesn't really fit inside a trouser pocket. You end up putting it in your back pocket, which not only looks like you have a major case of piles, it also screams to the nearest thief "come and steal me now!!"

Which brings me onto the second problem with it - it's so expensive, I'm terrified of it being pinched! Honestly, laptops cost less than this, and I never take a laptop out with me! So I need a new less expensive, less intrusive phone to take out with me in the evenings. One that won't cause an unsightly bulge, and which won't cause me to take out a second mortgage if it gets pinched. And I think the Nokia 6210 navigator might just be that phone!

The Nokia 6210 Navigator's release date is this July, so watch this space as I decide what to do.

Apple all set to unveil 3G iPhone

Apple all set to unveil 3G iPhone

NEW DELHI: Gizmo freaks have never had it so good. They will soon be spoiled for choice, with Apple set to launch its long awaited 3G iPhone worldwide on July 11. With this, Apple has succeeded in redefining what mobile phones can do yet again.

What is now widely acknowledged as the world's best phone was initially scheduled for a Christmas launch. However, the company has decided to move up the date by 5 months to July.

The best news about this amazing phone is its price tag. In the US, AT&T is set to announce a launch price of just Rs 8,800 ($199) for its existing and new customers. A standalone phone could cost as much as Rs 25,000 or over $500. However, sources in Apple caution that the 3G iPhone launch will no longer be at a fixed price point in every geography.

In some countries, the launch will be accompanied by new promotion policies that will likely be determined by the service operators who launch these phones. Cancelling a plan is also likely to cost, depending on the plan and the length of time the phone has been held. However, Apple fans are likely to view this as a small price for owning a spectacular device with such high data capabilities.

In the US, Apple and AT&T are expecting to witness a second round of iPhone mania, with indications that buyers have already started queuing up at Apple's Fifth Avenue store in New York, even sleeping outside stores to book phones ahead of the Friday launch. In New Zealand, consumer frenzy over the launch helped crash Vodafone's website on 8 July.

The 3G iPhone is set to further entrench Apple's position in a cutthroat cellphone market. According to a recent study by technology think-tank, Gartner, the Apple iPhone rose to No 3 position globally in the smart-phone category in terms of market share, selling over 1.7 million handsets in just nine months.

3G iPhone is designed to take on both Blackberry and handheld Palmtops.

iPhone frenzy on, India debut in Aug

iPhone frenzy on, India debut in Aug

iPhone frenzy on, India debut in Aug
Even as a big frenzy has built up for Apple's second-generation iPhone 3G across 22 countries, buyers in India are unlikely to be able to lay their hands upon iPhone before August end.

And that is not all. While the 8GB model is to be priced at $199 in the US, the same could carry a tag close to Rs 14,000 to 15,000 in India, according to sources. While the iconic cell phone goes on sale from Friday in most nations, India will at best see a soft launch of the two 8GB and 16GB models.

Vodafone will be the first operator to launch iPhone in India, followed by Bharti Airtel. A soft launch would mean displaying, booking and seeding of a limited number of handsets and announcement of pricing and availability schedule.

As iPhone Version 2.0 readies for rollout, fans across Tokyo to Sydney are queuing up in front of Apple stores to be among the first to acquire the coveted new cell phone.

courtesy : http://infotech.indiatimes.com/quickiearticleshow/msid-3214405.cms