Nokia launched the newest edition to it’s N Series lineup, the N95, for European 3G networks last year. A non 3G device also called the N95 was available in the US and much tauted during the iPhone launch as an answer to Apple’s ground breaking mobile device. Many Nokia fanboys and fangirls explained how the N95 was superior including it’s 3G speed. And similar statements were made by Nokian’s themselves. The truth is that the N95 as presented in the US also worked on the slower Edge data network. Now, the FCC has approved a variant of Nokia’s N95 which will work on ATT’s US 3G HSDPA network with a clever new name, N95-3. The launch party is set, but there will be no lines of eager enthusiasts as was witnessed with the iPhone, because the launch of this new US market device will occur in London.
It’s unclear why Nokia would not launch this device from a US city. They have Flagship stores in New York and Chicago where a launch event could be staged. Apparently, they feel that a launch in London will receive more attention. For that to be true, Nokia must also believe that their US marketing team (they do have one right?) isn’t up to the job. Ouch! Of course, Nokia doesn’t have much success to point to in the US market as they’ve missed every major trend for handsets here. Nokia has the growing reputation of not listening to the market, but who can argue with their 35% global market share?
History of Nokia Failures in the US Market
Clamshell Design
It has been very clear since the mid 1990s with the popularity of the Motorola StarTac that US consumers are in love with the clamshell form factor. I owned one. And who didn’t recognize the StarTac influence on Motorola’s more recent phenom phone, the Razr. Nokia’s response to the StarTac was belligerent with their CEO proclaiming that the candy bar form was superior and Nokia would never make clamshells. Their response to the Razr on the other hand was the N76. It comes very late as the Razr craze has ended and somehow Nokia known for utilitarian design managed to make a Razr look clunky.
Motorola StarTac Motorola Razr Nokia N73 mobile phone
QWERTY Keyboard
Another trend in the US market has been the desire for QWERTY thumb keyboards used to compose email, and driven in large part by the success of Blackberry. Nokia avoided QWERTY in favor of the phone dialpad keys despite the success of Blackberry and Treo which dominated the early US smartphone market. Only recently has Nokia acquiesced on this feature with the E62, a stripped down version of the E61i.
3G on US Frequencies
Nokia’s N95 debuted in Europe early 2007, and it looks as though they plan to make the US holiday season with a US 3G HSPDA model of the N95. The issue here is that 3G frequencies in the US and Europe are different. In Europe, 3G operates at 2100 MHz and in the US the frequenices are (ATT) 1900, 950 and (T-mobile) 1700 MHz. So a 3G phone isn’t a 3G phone everywhere. The fact that the promise of WCDMA was suppose to be global interoperability apparently died a cruel death on the sword of competitive advantage. But that’s a story for another time. The bottom line is that Nokia releases phones on European frequencies about a year before they appear in the US market.
Incoming CEO OPK declarations
Despite Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo’s declarations during his initial press conferences in 2006, as the new CEO of Nokia, results haven’t demonstrated Nokia’s focus on the US market. In fact, Nokia handset sales in North America from Q1 2006 to Q1 2007 fell by 50%. This also the period during which Nokia exited it’s CDMA handset business.
CDMA Devices
One reality of the US market is the coexistence of two network technologies, GSM and CDMA. CDMA networks used by Verizon Wireless and Sprint were the first to market with 3G speed and services. Nokia has an institutional dysfunction with the implications of serving CDMA carriers. First, their abhorrence with customizing devices per operator requirements, and second, their long-standing licensing war with Qualcomm. This dysfunction caused Nokia to exit the partnership they built with Sharp to deliver CDMA devices for the US
Some have suggested that Nokia’s abandoning the higher margin US CDMA market for low margin entry handsets in India and China was a serious miscalculation. But as I’ve said, the dysfunction on this point is institutional. A member of S60’s marketing team explained about two weeks ago that the narrative inside Nokia for the US market goes something like this: We have 800 million customers outside the US and only 4 customers inside the US.
Obviously, this isn’t a true statement. There are many European Nokia devices that are imported to the US, along with newly enabled direct sales, new channels forming like BestBuy.com, and of course, the 4 referenced by the narrative, the US wireless carriers. However, trapped inside their narrative, Nokia does not appear able to evaluate the US market objectively. Perhaps Nokia should just fold up tents and exit.
iPhone Launch
The iPhone is listed as a Nokia failure in the US market, because given the long advance notice and the media buildup to Apple’s iPhone launch, Nokia marketing in the US fell flat. There was no competitive response that has registered here from the company. The best competitive response has come from the Nokia enthusiast blogosphere. Even the blogosphere missed the mark.
A feature by feature comparison of the N95 to the iPhone is nonsense. There was much made of the iPhone’s lack of 3G support which - I love irony - is astonishing given the US version of the N95 was also not 3G. And contrary to many reports from Europe, the US has a number of 3G devices. It’s just that they aren’t made by Nokia.
Given all these failures in the US market, and the focus of Nokia on the N95 as their competitive response to the iPhone, why isn’t the US 3G HSDPA version launched from a US city?
Apparently, Nokia has scheduled it’s annual Launch Event, and it’s in London on August 29th. The Launch website is intentionally cryptic and game like - hint, hint. So whether it’s convenience or tradition or short-sightedness, check the tubes in two days for the story on what Nokia reveals. Even, a simul-launch, events in both London and New York, would have been a good idea. Nokia does have a US marketing team, don’t they? It’s truly difficult to tell.
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Thursday, September 13, 2007
Orange rewrites the Nokia Narrative over Music Service
The Independent reported that Orange is at odds with Nokia over its new music service which is scheduled for launch today. The paper claims to have “seen” a memo from Orange to Nokia that threatens to derange an 8GB device to be debuted today. Orange insists that if Nokia doesn’t agree to a trial measuring the performance of Nokia’s music service against Orange’s own music service their handset business will go elsewhere. The operator set a deadline of 31 August for Nokia’s reply.
The memo said: “We are still to see a working demo of the music store; we would expect a significant level of customer confusion and increased calls to customer services as a result of housing both players on a device and our data tariffs would be negatively impacted as they were not designed to deal with such large individual music files. In short, if this was an Orange service, we would definitely not launch yet to protect our customer experience.”
As Nokia prepares to launch an iTunes competitor today, Orange wants to ensure that their handset provider doesn’t cannibalize the operator’s revenue from its own music service. One has to wonder if the “trial” will infact result in the trottling of Nokia’s service to ensure a better subscriber experience for Orange. So, perhaps when it comes to Nokia’s internal narrative, We have 800 million customers outside the US and only 4 customers inside the US, Orange seems to be rewriting that statement. The network owner is still in charge regardless of what Nokia think.
The memo said: “We are still to see a working demo of the music store; we would expect a significant level of customer confusion and increased calls to customer services as a result of housing both players on a device and our data tariffs would be negatively impacted as they were not designed to deal with such large individual music files. In short, if this was an Orange service, we would definitely not launch yet to protect our customer experience.”
As Nokia prepares to launch an iTunes competitor today, Orange wants to ensure that their handset provider doesn’t cannibalize the operator’s revenue from its own music service. One has to wonder if the “trial” will infact result in the trottling of Nokia’s service to ensure a better subscriber experience for Orange. So, perhaps when it comes to Nokia’s internal narrative, We have 800 million customers outside the US and only 4 customers inside the US, Orange seems to be rewriting that statement. The network owner is still in charge regardless of what Nokia think.
Hands On with the Moto Q music 9m
Targeting those who are looking for something more fun than a typical smart phone, the Moto Q music 9m ($249 after $50 rebate) isn’t just a refresh of the Q9. It features a completely retooled keyboard and Windows Mobile 6. It’s also the first Verizon Wireless smart phone that’s compatible with V CAST Music, enabling users to download tracks for $1.99 a pop. The most unique feature is the ability to change the standard Today screen view to a media-centric UI that provides quick access to your music, pictures, and videos.
So far we’ve only had a day to play with our just-activated Moto Q9m, but we can tell you that the voice quality is very good and the speaker is plenty loud. Here are the rest of our initial impressions.
What We Like
1. Darth Vader-Chic Design
Sure, it’s heavier than the original Q (4.8 versus 4.3 ounces)--most likely to accommodate a bigger battery--but we dig the glossy black and red treatment. When the area around the D-pad is backlit, it almost looks like a tiny Tie Fighter. The soft-touch finish on the back is another nice touch.
2. Fast Keyboard
The competition is pretty fierce out there, but the Q9m’s layout is among the best we’ve used. The keys are packed close together to enable quick text entry, and we like the matte finish, which gives the keyboard a rubbery, no-slip feel.
3. V CAST Music Support
Having access to 2 million tracks is a nice treat for a smart phone. Even better, unlike the HTC Mogul, you can access the songs you’ve downloaded even if the phone is in airplane mode. Plus, you can multitask while you’re rocking out, whether you’re surfing the Web or composing e-mails. Our only complaint: downloads were kind of slow at about a minute each.
4. Docs to Go
Usually Standard edition Windows Mobile 6 devices can only view and edit, not create, Office documents. So Motorola was generous by bundling Documents to Go, which covers PDFs, Word files, PowerPoints, and Excel docs. With this handy suite you can even zip files right on the Q9m.
5. In-Your-Face Media
Pressing the dedicated Home Screen Toggle key on the keyboard launches a slick skin that lets you access your content from a single interface. A center box that displays your music library, photos, and videos is flanked by icons on the left and right side. On the left there’s playback controls, a library icon, and a full screen icon for photos and videos. And on the left you’ll find icons for music, pictures, the camera, V CAST, and volume. This orientation is a little dizzying at first, but it’s better than WMP Mobile.
What We Don’t Like
1. No Dedicated Volume Controls; Bad Delete Key Placement
In order to change the volume when you’re not on a call or while using Windows Media Player Mobile, you have to press and hold the side scroll wheel and then move it up or down. We’d prefer to have dedicated volume keys on the left spine where the miniSD card slot is. (There may have been room if Motorola had opted for a smaller microSD card slot.) The fact that the Delete key is still above the keyboard is also annoying.
2. Sluggish Surfing
Surfing isn’t terribly slow, but we expect faster performance out of devices with EV-DO data capability. It took about 15 to 20 seconds for CNN.com’s homepage to pop up in IE Mobile on the Q9m, versus less than 10 seconds on the BlackBerry Curve’s browser using the EDGE network. Speed demons will probably want to wait for the HSDPA-enabled Q9h, which will also come with the superior Opera browser.
3. Lacks V CAST Video
Those who owned or considered Amp’d Mobile’s version of the Q (rest in peace, Amp’d) will be disappointed that the Q9m doesn’t stream video. On the other hand, streaming quality on the Amp’d version was mediocre at best; so maybe Verizon wisely left this feature off knowing that the videos wouldn’t look very good on the Q9m’s relatively large display. You’ll have to go with a third-party solution like SlingPlayer Mobile or MobiTV to get streaming goodness on this device. (Hey Verizon: Can we get a MediaFLO V CAST Mobile TV version next time?)
4. Apps Could be Snappier
Like a lot of Windows Mobile 6 devices, the Q9m is a little slow when you’re opening or backing out of applications. And like all WM6 phones, you have to manually close programs to free up memory. The good news is that you can add speed dials to apps by simply clicking the right Menu soft key while the icon is highlighted. Our recommendation: make Task Manager No. 1.
So far we’ve only had a day to play with our just-activated Moto Q9m, but we can tell you that the voice quality is very good and the speaker is plenty loud. Here are the rest of our initial impressions.
What We Like
1. Darth Vader-Chic Design
Sure, it’s heavier than the original Q (4.8 versus 4.3 ounces)--most likely to accommodate a bigger battery--but we dig the glossy black and red treatment. When the area around the D-pad is backlit, it almost looks like a tiny Tie Fighter. The soft-touch finish on the back is another nice touch.
2. Fast Keyboard
The competition is pretty fierce out there, but the Q9m’s layout is among the best we’ve used. The keys are packed close together to enable quick text entry, and we like the matte finish, which gives the keyboard a rubbery, no-slip feel.
3. V CAST Music Support
Having access to 2 million tracks is a nice treat for a smart phone. Even better, unlike the HTC Mogul, you can access the songs you’ve downloaded even if the phone is in airplane mode. Plus, you can multitask while you’re rocking out, whether you’re surfing the Web or composing e-mails. Our only complaint: downloads were kind of slow at about a minute each.
4. Docs to Go
Usually Standard edition Windows Mobile 6 devices can only view and edit, not create, Office documents. So Motorola was generous by bundling Documents to Go, which covers PDFs, Word files, PowerPoints, and Excel docs. With this handy suite you can even zip files right on the Q9m.
5. In-Your-Face Media
Pressing the dedicated Home Screen Toggle key on the keyboard launches a slick skin that lets you access your content from a single interface. A center box that displays your music library, photos, and videos is flanked by icons on the left and right side. On the left there’s playback controls, a library icon, and a full screen icon for photos and videos. And on the left you’ll find icons for music, pictures, the camera, V CAST, and volume. This orientation is a little dizzying at first, but it’s better than WMP Mobile.
What We Don’t Like
1. No Dedicated Volume Controls; Bad Delete Key Placement
In order to change the volume when you’re not on a call or while using Windows Media Player Mobile, you have to press and hold the side scroll wheel and then move it up or down. We’d prefer to have dedicated volume keys on the left spine where the miniSD card slot is. (There may have been room if Motorola had opted for a smaller microSD card slot.) The fact that the Delete key is still above the keyboard is also annoying.
2. Sluggish Surfing
Surfing isn’t terribly slow, but we expect faster performance out of devices with EV-DO data capability. It took about 15 to 20 seconds for CNN.com’s homepage to pop up in IE Mobile on the Q9m, versus less than 10 seconds on the BlackBerry Curve’s browser using the EDGE network. Speed demons will probably want to wait for the HSDPA-enabled Q9h, which will also come with the superior Opera browser.
3. Lacks V CAST Video
Those who owned or considered Amp’d Mobile’s version of the Q (rest in peace, Amp’d) will be disappointed that the Q9m doesn’t stream video. On the other hand, streaming quality on the Amp’d version was mediocre at best; so maybe Verizon wisely left this feature off knowing that the videos wouldn’t look very good on the Q9m’s relatively large display. You’ll have to go with a third-party solution like SlingPlayer Mobile or MobiTV to get streaming goodness on this device. (Hey Verizon: Can we get a MediaFLO V CAST Mobile TV version next time?)
4. Apps Could be Snappier
Like a lot of Windows Mobile 6 devices, the Q9m is a little slow when you’re opening or backing out of applications. And like all WM6 phones, you have to manually close programs to free up memory. The good news is that you can add speed dials to apps by simply clicking the right Menu soft key while the icon is highlighted. Our recommendation: make Task Manager No. 1.
Nokia Announces Ovi Brand and Four New Phones
The big wireless carriers are usually the gatekeepers for services and applications, but Nokia is taking more control of the user experience with Ovi, the company's new Internet services brand name. Ovi will give users access to the new Nokia Music Store, which houses millions of high-quality (192 Kbps) WMA tracks, which are available for over-the-air or desktop downloads.
And then there's the return of N-Gage as a service, where gamers can try and buy games like FIFA 08, The Sims 2 Pets, Tetris, and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR, as well as battle it out in the N-Gage arena with other players. Also under the Ovi umbrella is Nokia Maps, a navigation service that offers maps, city guides, and more directly compatible mobile devices.
Nokia also announced four new handsets that will be optimized for Ovi. Although no carriers are attached to these phones, you should be able to purchase all of these models unlocked.
Nokia N95 8GB/North American Version
The Nokia N95 will get a North American launch version as well as an updated 8GB version. The North American version will sport the same specs as previous N95 models, including a five-megapixel camera, built-in GPS, and Wi-Fi, but it will now feature HSDPA data for true 3G speeds. The updated 8GB version will retain the original N95's key features and sport a larger 2.8-inch QVGA display and 8GB of internal memory.
N95 8GB; Available Q4; $750
N95 NAV; Available Fall; $699
The Nokia N95 will get a North American launch version as well as an updated 8GB version. The North American version will sport the same specs as previous N95 models, including a five-megapixel camera, built-in GPS, and Wi-Fi, but it will now feature HSDPA data for true 3G speeds. The updated 8GB version will retain the original N95's key features and sport a larger 2.8-inch QVGA display and 8GB of internal memory.
N95 8GB; Available Q4; $750
N95 NAV; Available Fall; $699
Nokia N81
The N81 is the multimedia maestro, complete with music and gaming keys, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3G data, and Wi-Fi. It sports a slick, polished surface and a 3D multimedia menu. With up to 8GB of memory, there's plenty of room to store purchased music and games from the Nokia Music Store and N-Gage service.
Available Q4; $600 (8GB), $500 (microSD)
The N81 is the multimedia maestro, complete with music and gaming keys, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3G data, and Wi-Fi. It sports a slick, polished surface and a 3D multimedia menu. With up to 8GB of memory, there's plenty of room to store purchased music and games from the Nokia Music Store and N-Gage service.
Available Q4; $600 (8GB), $500 (microSD)
Nokia 5310 XpressMusic
The Nokia 5310 XpressMusic phone blends features and looks in a compact package that includes a 4GB microSD Card slot for up to 3,000 songs. You'll also get dedicated music keys, a 2-MP camera, and a bright two-inch QVGA screen. The 18 hours of music playback isn't shabby, either.
Available before end of year; $300
The Nokia 5310 XpressMusic phone blends features and looks in a compact package that includes a 4GB microSD Card slot for up to 3,000 songs. You'll also get dedicated music keys, a 2-MP camera, and a bright two-inch QVGA screen. The 18 hours of music playback isn't shabby, either.
Available before end of year; $300
Nokia 5610 XpressMusic
The Nokia 5610 XpressMusic slider is beefier but offers a sharper 3.2-MP camera and a larger 2.2-inch display. This 3G handset sports aluminum side panels, a 4GB microSD slot for up to 3,000 songs, and a whopping 22 hours of music playback.
Available Q1 2008; $400
The Nokia 5610 XpressMusic slider is beefier but offers a sharper 3.2-MP camera and a larger 2.2-inch display. This 3G handset sports aluminum side panels, a 4GB microSD slot for up to 3,000 songs, and a whopping 22 hours of music playback.
Available Q1 2008; $400
Motorola ROKR U9 caught in the wild
A new Motorola clamshell, the Rokr U9 has had its look and specs released online and to be honest, it looks pretty neat. A nice reflective top gives you a stylish feel and even the keypad has that same look. Check out the specs below.
1.4″ 128×160 px 65K Color OLED display
Measures 90 × 48.6 × 16.4 mm
Weighs 87.5 grams
GSM850/900/1800/1900, GPRS/EDGE
2 megapixel camera (no autofocus, no flash)
1.8″ QVGA 240×320 px 262K color internal display
MicroSD memory card slot
MP3 player
USB and Bluetooth stereo connectivity
Touch-sensitive keys.
1.4″ 128×160 px 65K Color OLED display
Measures 90 × 48.6 × 16.4 mm
Weighs 87.5 grams
GSM850/900/1800/1900, GPRS/EDGE
2 megapixel camera (no autofocus, no flash)
1.8″ QVGA 240×320 px 262K color internal display
MicroSD memory card slot
MP3 player
USB and Bluetooth stereo connectivity
Touch-sensitive keys.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Check Out the Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot
Sony Ericsson has unveiled the thinnest Cyber-shot cameraphone you will find.
The Sony Ericsson K770i Cyber-shot is a 3.2-megapixel camera-equipped 3G-enabled cellie that measures a mere 14.5mm thin. The K770i sports a slider cover that activates the camera and uses the Sony Cyber-shot camera-style software and control icons that allow you to make adjustments appear over the phone's keypad while the camera is in use. Amazingly, the phone also offers blogging software so you can easily upload photos to a blog. And if you're unhappy with the picture, you can always edit it with the help of the included Photo-fix software the devices ships with.
The Sony Ericsson K770i Cyber-shot supports video shooting and video calling (using a secondary front-facing camera). Besides that, it offers video download and streaming with the help of 3G. Even better, it plays FM radio and supports Memory Stick Micro cards, while it comes with a 256MB card and 16MB of internal memory.
The device features a 1.9-inch display and offers an XHTML browser, stereo Bluetooth and USB 2.0.
Look for the Sony Ericsson K770i, which will be released in "Truffle Brown", this fall for an undisclosed price.
The Sony Ericsson K770i Cyber-shot is a 3.2-megapixel camera-equipped 3G-enabled cellie that measures a mere 14.5mm thin. The K770i sports a slider cover that activates the camera and uses the Sony Cyber-shot camera-style software and control icons that allow you to make adjustments appear over the phone's keypad while the camera is in use. Amazingly, the phone also offers blogging software so you can easily upload photos to a blog. And if you're unhappy with the picture, you can always edit it with the help of the included Photo-fix software the devices ships with.
The Sony Ericsson K770i Cyber-shot supports video shooting and video calling (using a secondary front-facing camera). Besides that, it offers video download and streaming with the help of 3G. Even better, it plays FM radio and supports Memory Stick Micro cards, while it comes with a 256MB card and 16MB of internal memory.
The device features a 1.9-inch display and offers an XHTML browser, stereo Bluetooth and USB 2.0.
Look for the Sony Ericsson K770i, which will be released in "Truffle Brown", this fall for an undisclosed price.
Do You Want A Video Phone From Samsung?
Samsung today unleashed its SMT-i8080 phone that lets you make a two-way video call. Designed for the home user in mind, the i8080 includes an Ethernet connection and a flip-up LCD with an embedded video camera to make it all work as planned. Besides the above, the device also includes navigation controls that allow you to buy from stores, reserve movie tickets, stream audio and even watch IPTV shows.
So far, Samsung has only committed this phone to Hong Kong, but would like to see it in the US and Europe in the near future. Pricing is unknown at this time, but should depend on the service and a subscription price on the phone's Internet features.
So far, Samsung has only committed this phone to Hong Kong, but would like to see it in the US and Europe in the near future. Pricing is unknown at this time, but should depend on the service and a subscription price on the phone's Internet features.
iPhone for all! Buy a sim-free iPhone in Hong Kong
Just as I said! HK in Wanchai, SSP and others now propose iPhones that you can use with your good old SIM card....
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BUYING IT, WRITE TO MY E-MAIL: Vishtak (at) gmail.com
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN BUYING IT, WRITE TO MY E-MAIL: Vishtak (at) gmail.com
Say Aloha to the LG Aloha from Virgin Mobile
Virgin Mobile USA has officially launched the new Aloha from LG. Interestingly enough, the Aloha is the first cellie from LG to be featured on the pre-paid Virgin Mobile service in the US. With a slim design of just 3.5- x 1.9- x 0.9-inches and 2.7 ounces, it sounds like this may be an easy fit in your pocket.
The phone can store up to 199 personal contacts and five numbers, three email addys and one url per contact. The battery will offer about 180 minutes of talk time.
All in all, this phone is pretty standard for the average consumer. That said, it comes with two preloaded games: ZooZoo Club and Battle Reversi. The Aloha will debut in September for a nice low price of $34.99.
The phone can store up to 199 personal contacts and five numbers, three email addys and one url per contact. The battery will offer about 180 minutes of talk time.
All in all, this phone is pretty standard for the average consumer. That said, it comes with two preloaded games: ZooZoo Club and Battle Reversi. The Aloha will debut in September for a nice low price of $34.99.
Samsung's UFO phone!
Samsung's latest HSDPA phone, recently presented in Korea, is called the UFO (SCH-W300, SPH-W3000 or SGH-U700) but it is not what you're thinking! After the SolidAllianec UFO detector you might think that there is an important alien activity in Asia but this time UFO means Unimaginable Fast speed Oh. Please don't laugh, but enjoy the HSDPA @ 7.2MBps, 2MPx, BlueTooth, microSD, TV out...available soon and not only in Korea!!
LG iPhone-clone Set for Fall Release - NEWS UPDATE -
The new U990 "Viewty" from LG might look a little like the iPhone, but it actually sports some (more impressive) specs that are sure to get you excited.
First off, the phone sports a 5-megapixel, with Image Stabilizer, AF, camera with Schneider Kreuznach optics, a 120fps video camera, 3G HSDPA, 170MB internal memory, a 240 x 400 touchscreen and the obligatory music player.
And besides a nice touchscreen, the aforementioned camera sports a twisting collar around the lens, which doubles as a shuttle dial to get your way through high-speed video footage.
So far this phone is set for a UK release in the Fall and similar or the same product may hit US shelves next year, but there is currently no word on that -- just a hope!
First off, the phone sports a 5-megapixel, with Image Stabilizer, AF, camera with Schneider Kreuznach optics, a 120fps video camera, 3G HSDPA, 170MB internal memory, a 240 x 400 touchscreen and the obligatory music player.
And besides a nice touchscreen, the aforementioned camera sports a twisting collar around the lens, which doubles as a shuttle dial to get your way through high-speed video footage.
So far this phone is set for a UK release in the Fall and similar or the same product may hit US shelves next year, but there is currently no word on that -- just a hope!
Nokia Shows Off the New 6555
Nokia today, launched the 6555 that promises a slick design along with some impressive specs to boot.
The phone sports a recessed hinge that creates a seam between the top and bottom shells when the device is open. This helps to create the nice look, but also makes it more comfortable to hold and use.
According to the company, the phone can display 16-million colors on its 240x320 LCD and you can even watch videos that are stored on a microSD card. If you want stills, you can also capture images with the included camera.
The 6555 is capable of running on North American networks thanks to quad-band GSM and it supports 3G over HSDPA. The phone will come in black, gold and red accents when it ships next month for $269 in Europe and (hopefully) in the US soon after.
The phone sports a recessed hinge that creates a seam between the top and bottom shells when the device is open. This helps to create the nice look, but also makes it more comfortable to hold and use.
According to the company, the phone can display 16-million colors on its 240x320 LCD and you can even watch videos that are stored on a microSD card. If you want stills, you can also capture images with the included camera.
The 6555 is capable of running on North American networks thanks to quad-band GSM and it supports 3G over HSDPA. The phone will come in black, gold and red accents when it ships next month for $269 in Europe and (hopefully) in the US soon after.
Motorola Shows Off A Slick New Look for the Q
Motorola has unleashed a new smartphone that sports some serious specs and an ergonomic design to boot.
The Moto Q 9m sports the familiar QWERTY keyboard with a side-scroll thumbwheel and dedicated keys for some easy one-handed navigation. Even better, the device uses Verizon's V CAST 3G EV-DO network so it zips along at a respectable pace.
The phone supports over-the-air music downloads with the help of V CAST and comes in the pictured black and red design. What sets it apart from its predecessor is the phone's ergonomically optimized keyboard that allows for fast and accurate typing.
The phone will run Windows Mobile 6 and allows for voice-activiated dialing, smart contacts dialing and Bluetooth.
Look for the Moto Q music 9m to hit sheles for $299.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year agreement.
The Moto Q 9m sports the familiar QWERTY keyboard with a side-scroll thumbwheel and dedicated keys for some easy one-handed navigation. Even better, the device uses Verizon's V CAST 3G EV-DO network so it zips along at a respectable pace.
The phone supports over-the-air music downloads with the help of V CAST and comes in the pictured black and red design. What sets it apart from its predecessor is the phone's ergonomically optimized keyboard that allows for fast and accurate typing.
The phone will run Windows Mobile 6 and allows for voice-activiated dialing, smart contacts dialing and Bluetooth.
Look for the Moto Q music 9m to hit sheles for $299.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate with a two-year agreement.
The LG Shine Signature available in Korea!!
Presented at the 3GSM 2007, the LG Shine Signature aka LG-LC3600 is now available in Korea!
This very nice looking and thin telephone features a 1.3MPx camera, audio/video player, BlueTooth...as a new way of customization, it is possible to engrave anything you want on the back...poem, love message...whatever!
Last but not least, an international version is said to be in the works..wait and see!
This very nice looking and thin telephone features a 1.3MPx camera, audio/video player, BlueTooth...as a new way of customization, it is possible to engrave anything you want on the back...poem, love message...whatever!
Last but not least, an international version is said to be in the works..wait and see!
LG, once again and finally!!!
If you're a REAL Geek, you just can't get enough of all the LG goodies coming lately, this time, we're talking about their latest DAP-DMB and it's called the T54!
As you can see on the photos, the style is once again super sweet and light (in many ways) with just over 75 grams...the specifications include: 2.4 inches screen, DMB, FM radio, E-Book, MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV, ASF (audio) and AVI, WMV for the video.
This new baby is available in 4 colors (Jazz Blue, Reggae Orange, Funky Green and Techno Black) and 3 versions (2Gb, 4Gb and 8Gb). Can you believe how sweet this product is?? And once again, LG brought the right persons to show it...
As you can see on the photos, the style is once again super sweet and light (in many ways) with just over 75 grams...the specifications include: 2.4 inches screen, DMB, FM radio, E-Book, MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV, ASF (audio) and AVI, WMV for the video.
This new baby is available in 4 colors (Jazz Blue, Reggae Orange, Funky Green and Techno Black) and 3 versions (2Gb, 4Gb and 8Gb). Can you believe how sweet this product is?? And once again, LG brought the right persons to show it...
HTC HT1100 and Fujitsu F1100, the 2 New Windows Mobile 6 phones for DoCoMo
And “Voila” the press conference is now over and we can finally unleash our picture of the 2 new wonders for the Japanese Operator DoCoMo.
Let’s start with the HTC Nike (HT1100). Well not a lot to say on this one since we are aware of this product since several month now, but in a nutshell, the Nike is a HTC Touch with a retractable keyboard, it will run Windows Mobile 6 Professional, has a 2.6” touch screen with a QVGA resolution (yepp that sucks). Our phone is obviously 3G and HSDPA (since Japan does not support GSM) as well as GSM (for international roaming). Our device has a 2Mpix Digital camera as well as a 1Mpix one on top of the screen in order to let you enjoy the craziness of Video Call (Who uses this anyway?). Finally our Nike also features a FM radio tuner and bluetooth.
The Next device that I was expecting, is the F1100 from Fujitsu, which is a 3G only device (bummer) of a seize of 112x51x16.9mm for a weight of 130g, it will also receive a tiny QVGA screen of 2.6”, as a microSD card slot, a 1.3Mpix Camera module, Wifi A/B/G (yepp all of them), SIP, as well as Bluetooth. The other nice feature of this device is a fingerprint sensor which will let you easily protect your data.
Ok, nice guys, but when shall we get something more sexy like… an iPHONE ?
Let’s start with the HTC Nike (HT1100). Well not a lot to say on this one since we are aware of this product since several month now, but in a nutshell, the Nike is a HTC Touch with a retractable keyboard, it will run Windows Mobile 6 Professional, has a 2.6” touch screen with a QVGA resolution (yepp that sucks). Our phone is obviously 3G and HSDPA (since Japan does not support GSM) as well as GSM (for international roaming). Our device has a 2Mpix Digital camera as well as a 1Mpix one on top of the screen in order to let you enjoy the craziness of Video Call (Who uses this anyway?). Finally our Nike also features a FM radio tuner and bluetooth.
The Next device that I was expecting, is the F1100 from Fujitsu, which is a 3G only device (bummer) of a seize of 112x51x16.9mm for a weight of 130g, it will also receive a tiny QVGA screen of 2.6”, as a microSD card slot, a 1.3Mpix Camera module, Wifi A/B/G (yepp all of them), SIP, as well as Bluetooth. The other nice feature of this device is a fingerprint sensor which will let you easily protect your data.
Ok, nice guys, but when shall we get something more sexy like… an iPHONE ?
Nokia Finally Unveils the N81
In announcement made today, Nokia officially launched the Nokia N81 multimedia computer, which is expected to hit stores in the fourth quarter with an earlier European and Asian release and a US release after October.
There will be two versions of the Nokia N81: an 8GB model and one with a microSD expansion slot that can accept cards up to 4GB. Both iterations offer support music and gaming and sport a 3.5mm headphone jack and dedicated game keys. You can even download music from the new Nokia music store and games from the N-gage service. The N81 supports A2DP, sports an FM tuner, has side-mounted speakers and plays the following formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, and M4A. As part of the Nokia N series of multimedia computers, the N81 also has RealPlayer onboard for full-screen video playback and a 2-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities.
The Nokia N81 features quad-band world roaming and integrated Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g). The Symbian smart phone also includes e-mail support (Push, SMTP, IMAP4, POP3), Nokia Mobile search, and Nokia Maps.
With a 2.4-inch screen and the ability to display 16 million colors, it will come at a hefty price. The 8GB model will retail for $599 for an unlocked version, while the regular Nokia N81 will go for $499 unlocked.
There will be two versions of the Nokia N81: an 8GB model and one with a microSD expansion slot that can accept cards up to 4GB. Both iterations offer support music and gaming and sport a 3.5mm headphone jack and dedicated game keys. You can even download music from the new Nokia music store and games from the N-gage service. The N81 supports A2DP, sports an FM tuner, has side-mounted speakers and plays the following formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, and M4A. As part of the Nokia N series of multimedia computers, the N81 also has RealPlayer onboard for full-screen video playback and a 2-megapixel camera with video recording capabilities.
The Nokia N81 features quad-band world roaming and integrated Bluetooth 2.0 and Wi-Fi (802.11b/g). The Symbian smart phone also includes e-mail support (Push, SMTP, IMAP4, POP3), Nokia Mobile search, and Nokia Maps.
With a 2.4-inch screen and the ability to display 16 million colors, it will come at a hefty price. The 8GB model will retail for $599 for an unlocked version, while the regular Nokia N81 will go for $499 unlocked.
Another LG bomb!!!
Last week we showed you the sweet LG "Viewty", this time, the unstoppable LG is presenting the KS20!
This new HSDPA Smartphone will be officially presented at the IFA 2007 early September and as you can see on the pictures...it's gorgeous! Specs wise it's also rock solid with 2MPx camera, audio/video player, BlueTooth, Windows Mobile 6, 2.8 inches touchscreen...
And it will be available in Europe by the end of the year !!!! Thank you LG !!
This new HSDPA Smartphone will be officially presented at the IFA 2007 early September and as you can see on the pictures...it's gorgeous! Specs wise it's also rock solid with 2MPx camera, audio/video player, BlueTooth, Windows Mobile 6, 2.8 inches touchscreen...
And it will be available in Europe by the end of the year !!!! Thank you LG !!
New world records for Samsung!
Samsung recently announced (proudly) that three of their cellphones will be mentionned on the 2008 Guinness Book of Records!
The thinnest (slimest?) cellphone with the SGH-U100 or SCH-C210 (5.9mm) AND the SGH-Z370 which is a 3G phone (8.4mm) but also the highest number of MPx with 10 in the SCH-B600!
Back in 2001, Samsung already held the record of the first and smallest TV Cellphone with the SCH-M2200.
Congratulations to Samsung!!
The thinnest (slimest?) cellphone with the SGH-U100 or SCH-C210 (5.9mm) AND the SGH-Z370 which is a 3G phone (8.4mm) but also the highest number of MPx with 10 in the SCH-B600!
Back in 2001, Samsung already held the record of the first and smallest TV Cellphone with the SCH-M2200.
Congratulations to Samsung!!
Check out the Samsung iPhone
Although the F700 from Samsung looks an awfully lot like the iPhone, Samsung is saying that it has no intention of being the iPhone.
And just in case you weren't sure, the new F700 won't be called that forever. According to reports, the F700 is officially called the Croix. So far there is little on pricing, availability or specs, but with a new name, you might like it just a little more. Right?
And just in case you weren't sure, the new F700 won't be called that forever. According to reports, the F700 is officially called the Croix. So far there is little on pricing, availability or specs, but with a new name, you might like it just a little more. Right?
US to get Nokia N81 and N-Gage store later than expected?
Remember when I told you that the Nokia N81 is states-bound (link below)? Well, it looks like the N81 N-Gage is also coming to US shores too.
The N81 N-Gage is a gaming phone that, although available in Europe, that will operate on quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), with single-band WCDMA providing broadband.
So far, little else is known about the device, but we do know that the European version sold in two versions with or without 8GB of memory. Also coming is the N-Gage gaming store, which should be launching in November.
Originally, it was expected to be released in October.
The N81 N-Gage is a gaming phone that, although available in Europe, that will operate on quad-band GSM (850/900/1800/1900), with single-band WCDMA providing broadband.
So far, little else is known about the device, but we do know that the European version sold in two versions with or without 8GB of memory. Also coming is the N-Gage gaming store, which should be launching in November.
Originally, it was expected to be released in October.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
More Details Emerge About the Samsung SGH-P520
The Samsung SGH-P520 sports a touchscreen like that unnamed Apple phone and supports the EDGE network. The phone doesn't sport a keyboard and although the company has not come out and admitted it feature a touch screen, you can bet it will. And just like the LG Prada, the phone has only call answering buttons on the front.
What's nice about the phone is it comes in at just 8.9-mm thin while still supporting a 3-megapixel camera and 50MB of internal memory. Unlike the iPhone, the P520 also sports a micro SD slot so you can add more storage.
Look for a complete list of specs below.
* Network: Triband GSM with EDGE
* Size: 88 x 54 x 8.9 mm
* Weight: 102 grams
* Display Screen: QVGA touchscreen, 262k colors, around 2.6-inch
* 3 megapixel camera
* 50MB internal memory
* microSD card slot
* Bluetooth (A2DP capable)
* WiFi with UMA
* Document viewer
* 960mAh battery
* Up to 180 minutes talk time
* Up to 220 hours standby time
What's nice about the phone is it comes in at just 8.9-mm thin while still supporting a 3-megapixel camera and 50MB of internal memory. Unlike the iPhone, the P520 also sports a micro SD slot so you can add more storage.
Look for a complete list of specs below.
* Network: Triband GSM with EDGE
* Size: 88 x 54 x 8.9 mm
* Weight: 102 grams
* Display Screen: QVGA touchscreen, 262k colors, around 2.6-inch
* 3 megapixel camera
* 50MB internal memory
* microSD card slot
* Bluetooth (A2DP capable)
* WiFi with UMA
* Document viewer
* 960mAh battery
* Up to 180 minutes talk time
* Up to 220 hours standby time
An iPhone in Japan...Microsoft, WHAT ARE YOU DOING ?!!?
A good friend of mine came to pay me a visit yesterday and guess what he had in his pocket? Yep, an iPhone, and that gave me the opportunity to fool around a bit with it...the result is WOW! But I mean WOW! This thing is a KILLER, ok there still are a couple flaws (keyboard) but the overall feel that I had was really positive!
The thing is that I'm a big fan of the Windows Mobile Solutions and a member of Mobius, I can see nice things shaping up in the Microsoft Mobile future but the iPhone simply blew me away, I can't wait for a 3G version in Japan, the internet browser is superb!
Microsoft!! Where is your iPhone??
The thing is that I'm a big fan of the Windows Mobile Solutions and a member of Mobius, I can see nice things shaping up in the Microsoft Mobile future but the iPhone simply blew me away, I can't wait for a 3G version in Japan, the internet browser is superb!
Microsoft!! Where is your iPhone??
iPhone Codes Leaked
Although the iPhone is still being unlocked, there's still some cool hacks for you to try on your own.
The thoroughly-awesome Erica Sadun over at The Unofficial Apple Weblog discovered that certain Nokia phone codes were effective on an iPhone. She then Googled some other Nokia codes and found them to work as well.
So, for your edification:
"*3001#12345#* and tap Call. Enter Field Mode.
Field mode reveals many of the inner settings of your iPhone, specifically up-to-date network and cell information.
*#06# Displays your IMEI. No need to tap Call.
IMEI is the unique identifier for your cell phone hardware. Together with your SIM information it identifies you to the provider network.
*777# and tap Call. Account balance for prepaid iPhone.
*225# and tap Call. Bill Balance. (Postpaid only)
*646# and tap Call. Check minutes. (Postpaid only)
These three are pretty self explanatory.
*#21# and tap Call. Setting interrogation for call forwards.
Discover the settings for your call forwarding. You'll see whether you have voice, data, fax, sms, sync, async, packet access, and pad access call forwarding enabled or disabled.
*#30# and tap Call. Calling line presentation check.
This displays whether you have enabled or disabled the presentation of the calling line, presumably the number of the party placing the call.
*#76# and tap Call. Check whether the connected line presentation is enabled or not.
State whether the connected line presentation is enabled or disabled. Presumably similar to the calling line presentation.
*#43# and tap Call. Determine if call waiting is enabled.
Displays call waiting status for voice, data, fax, sms, sync data, async data, packet access and pad access. Each item is either enabled or disabled.
*#61# and tap Call. Check the number for unanswered calls.
Show the number for voice call forwarding when a call is unanswered. Also show the options for data, fax, sms, sync, async, packet access and pad access.
*#62# and tap Call. Check the number for call forwarding if no service is available.
Just like the previous, except for no-service rather than no-answer situations.
*#67# and tap Call. Check the number for call forwarding when the iPhone is busy.
And again, but for when the iPhone is busy.
*#33# and tap Call. Check for call control bars."
The thoroughly-awesome Erica Sadun over at The Unofficial Apple Weblog discovered that certain Nokia phone codes were effective on an iPhone. She then Googled some other Nokia codes and found them to work as well.
So, for your edification:
"*3001#12345#* and tap Call. Enter Field Mode.
Field mode reveals many of the inner settings of your iPhone, specifically up-to-date network and cell information.
*#06# Displays your IMEI. No need to tap Call.
IMEI is the unique identifier for your cell phone hardware. Together with your SIM information it identifies you to the provider network.
*777# and tap Call. Account balance for prepaid iPhone.
*225# and tap Call. Bill Balance. (Postpaid only)
*646# and tap Call. Check minutes. (Postpaid only)
These three are pretty self explanatory.
*#21# and tap Call. Setting interrogation for call forwards.
Discover the settings for your call forwarding. You'll see whether you have voice, data, fax, sms, sync, async, packet access, and pad access call forwarding enabled or disabled.
*#30# and tap Call. Calling line presentation check.
This displays whether you have enabled or disabled the presentation of the calling line, presumably the number of the party placing the call.
*#76# and tap Call. Check whether the connected line presentation is enabled or not.
State whether the connected line presentation is enabled or disabled. Presumably similar to the calling line presentation.
*#43# and tap Call. Determine if call waiting is enabled.
Displays call waiting status for voice, data, fax, sms, sync data, async data, packet access and pad access. Each item is either enabled or disabled.
*#61# and tap Call. Check the number for unanswered calls.
Show the number for voice call forwarding when a call is unanswered. Also show the options for data, fax, sms, sync, async, packet access and pad access.
*#62# and tap Call. Check the number for call forwarding if no service is available.
Just like the previous, except for no-service rather than no-answer situations.
*#67# and tap Call. Check the number for call forwarding when the iPhone is busy.
And again, but for when the iPhone is busy.
*#33# and tap Call. Check for call control bars."
Skype finally on the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet
Nokia has finally released a software update for the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet that lets you use Skype. For some reason, Nokia didn't include this functionality into the N800 until now, even though Skype was on the list of features when they first announced it at CES 2007 in January.
Beside the Skype, Nokia's Nseries widescreen device comes equipped with a pretty nice set of features: 800x480 pixel display, QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0 and a built-in webcam.
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