Video: New Nokia N97 Firmware Preview

Together with the Nokia N97 Mini, Nokia is bringing a new firmware for the current Nokia N97 next month with many improvements and bug fixes. The new firmware will add-on more social network application, widgets and the useful kinetic scrolling. Check out a video from thenokiablog with some of the new features.

[via SlashPhone]

AT&T and Nokia Unveils Nokia Mural Clamshell

Nokia and AT&T has announced the Nokia Mural, a clamshell 3G phone with HSDPA connection supported. The Mural will be available from September 6, at a price tag of USD 49.99 with a two-year service agreement and USD 50 mail in rebate.

With a 2.2’’ QVGA screen, a 2-megapixel camera and up to 16 GB of expandable memory, Nokia Mural has the capacity for storing even the heftiest entertainment loads for your leisure time. Sleek external music keys mean you don’t need to open the device to enjoy your tunes.

Most expensive cellphones unveiled in 2008

After jewelry and modern gadgets, cellphones festooned with gold, platinum and diamonds are turning out to be the best assets to flaunt lavishness. The ubiquitous trend of encrusting crystals on gadgets has made it pretty clear that men love bling as much as women. If your wish list for this holiday season includes a luxurious, bejeweled phone, take a look at this list of the best luxury phones launched this year.

Tag Heuer Meridiist

With leather and metal embellishments complementing its angular design, the Tag Heuer Meridiist is an example of precision craftsmanship in the mobile space. The Meridiist boasts a Sapphire crystal display glass, 2 megapixel camera, 1.9-inch QVGA display, mp3 player and bluetooth wireless technology. Priced between $5300 and $6100. More here.

Apple iPhone 24ct Gold Edition by Goldstriker

Goldstriker has always been famous for its gold plated handsets. Their latest addition is the Apple iphone 3G 24ct Gold edition. Parts adorned are front bezel and all outer command buttons. Priced at £1,195. More here.

Mobiado Professional 105 ZAF

Claimed to be the thinnest luxury phone in the world, the 105 ZAF measures a mere 10.6mm thin. The entire front and back of the phone has been fabricated from large pieces of sapphire crystal, providing a modern minimalist look with a wear resistance second only to diamond. More here.

Motorola Aura

Boasting of outstanding craftsmanship, inspired by high-end watches, the AURA breaks convention and marks the return of artistry in the design of mobile phones. The luxury handset comes with a 1.55-inch circular LCD screen, and a 2-megapixel camera. Priced at £1400. More here.

Vertu Ascent Ti collection

The Vertu Ascent Ti collection is targeted straight at the affluent Ferrari fans. The three new models include the limited edition Nero (Black) and some special editions called the Rosso (Red) and Gaillo (Yellow). All three phones will bear a Ferrari logo on their back. More here.

Mobiado 105GMT Gold with dual mechanical Swiss watch

The 105GMT Gold will be limited to 50 masterpieces, with the limited edition number being machine engraved into the back of each phone. The entire front and back of the 105GMT Gold Luxury Mechanical Watch mobile phone has been crafted from large pieces of sapphire crystal. The 105GMT Gold incorporates a unique dual mechanical watch movement. More here.

Continental 3G iPhone with emeralds

This is the world’s first iPhone set with emeralds and VS1 quality diamonds. This masterpiece, with vivid green emeralds, is one of the most iconic and coveted phones ever conceived. Blending seamlessly with the 3G iPhone’s sleek curves, the handcrafted case emanates a sensual allure that is almost impossible to resist. Priced at £2999 and £3099 8GB and the 16GB version respectively. More here.

Solid gold Vertu Boucheron 150

With lots of planes and angles, the phone case has been crafted from a single piece of gold, and it took 1,000 hours to cut into shape, 700 hours to hand polish, and more than 500 hours to build. The phone is expected to sell for $30,000. More here.

Nokia 8800 Arte Pink

The Nokia 8800 Arte Pink by Peter Aloisson is the epitome of luxury. The handset touts 680 white and pink glistening diamonds in addition to coating the entire handset in gold. Priced at €85,000. More here.

Gresso White Diamonds Collection

The Gresso White Diamonds Collection features inherit hand-assembled body panels made out of 200-year old African blackwood, keyboards with base plate made of titanium and stainless steel battery cover with a magnetic lock plus leather and gold decoration. Priced at 9000 Euros. More here.

Knalihs Athem’s Nokia 8800 Sapphire

Only 20 units of the Knalihs Athem Diamond encrusted Nokia 8800 Saphire Arte were put into production. There are 1000 diamonds that weigh 6.75 carats placed on the Nokia 8800. Pricing starts from $20,000. More here.

Softbank 823SH Tiffany phone

The Softbank 823SH Tiffany phone comes encrusted with 537 (18.34 carat) diamonds. The glittering phone will retail for 12.98 million yen, which comes out to approximately US $132,140. More here.

Diamond-studded Nokia E90

The Nokia E90 by Peter Aloisson has been festooned with 408 diamonds and an 18 carat white gold shell. Moreover, a total of 9.86 carats of VVSI–IF (LC) diamonds have been used to beautify the rim of the phone. Youirs for 52,000 Euros. More here.

Peter Aloisson’s Princess Plus

The custom iPhone, called Princess Plus, has half of its 318 diamonds in the bedazzling square princess cut while the total weight of the stones came down to 17.75. There is an 18K white gold lining around the edge of the phone. Yours for a cool $176,400. More here.

Amosu Ultimo Diamond

Perfectly set with 1179 dazzling 16.18 carat diamonds, the Amosu Ultimo Diamond iPhone is handcrafted by skilled craftsmen using only the most exceptional materials. This exclusive Ultimo Diamond iPhone features 458 diamonds caked around the flat-front face. While the rear bottom case is made of 18 carat solid white gold encrusted with 660 diamonds. Priced at £89,000. More here.

[via CellPhoneBeat]

Nokia’s Arte series of luxury phones has a new member

While the new Nokia 8800 Gold Arte is nowhere close to Peter Aloisson’s Nokia 8800 Arte Pink, it still asks for attention. This new entrant to Nokia’s Arte series of luxury phones comes decorated with 18-carat gold and white leather. Other than the color and materials used, the rest of the features are similar to the other Arte phones. The tri-band GSM handset features a 2-inch OLED display with 240 x 320 pixels, 3.2-megapixel camera with autofocus, 4GB of internal storage, Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR support, and USB 2.0 connectivity. There is no word on the release date and pricing for now, but considering the $1,615 price tag for the earlier launched sports car-inspired 8800 Carbon Arte, we can expect the new Nokia 8800 Gold Arte to cost a bit more than that.

[via BornRich]

Nokia N86 8MP Data Sheet

(Click to Enlarge):

Video: Nokia 6710 Navigator

Video: Nokia N86 - Nokia 8 mega pixel camera phone

Video: Nokia E75 in detail

Nokia N86 8MP Hands On Photos From Singapore

We told you about an 8 megapixel Nokia Nseries to be announced at MWC and we were right! Nokia haven’t announced it at MWC yet, but Lester Chan from Singapore has taken close-up photos of the device from Showcase Nokia 2009. It is labeled as the Nokia N86 8MP.

From what I can see from the photos, it looks like the Nokia N86 8MP is an upgraded Nokia N85 with a desk stand swivel, 8 megapixel camera, and new button style.

Specifications Highlights:

• 3rd Edition FP2
• 1200 maH battery
• AM OLED 2.6in display 240×320 resolution
• 8mp camera with aperture f/2.4 (good for low light)
• Mechanical shutter goes up to 1/1000 sec (good for action shots)
• Video 640×480 resolution at 30 FPS
• Scratch Resistant hard-glass front
• 3rd gen dual LED flash and video light
• 8GB internal storage + microSD slot

[via NokiaBlog]

MWC 2009: Nokia's 8 Mega Pixel Camera Phone...Coming Soon??

Nokia is all tight lipped about its upcoming 8 mega pixel camera phone, which will be the Finnish giant'' flagship camera phone after the N82, which was one the best camera phones that Nokia ever came out with.

The phone's specs have leaked, which look something like this:

• 3rd Edition FP2
• 1200 maH battery
• AM OLED 2.6in display 240×320 resolution
• 8mp camera with aperture f/2.4 (good for low light)
• Mechanical shutter goes up to 1/1000 sec (good for action shots)
• Video 640×480 resolution at 30 FPS
• Scratch Resistant hard-glass front
• 3rd gen dual LED flash and video light
• 8GB internal storage + microSD slot

Lets wait and see what in store for all you Imaging Phone fans out there.

[via NAMP]

MWC 2009: Nokia Announces Nokia 6710 Navigator and Ovi Store

Apart from the E55 and the E75, Nokia announced the successor of its 6210 Navigator named Nokia 6710 Navigator. This phone focuses more on in-car navigation and pedestrian guidance. Maybe Nokia learnt some lesson from the poor in-car navigation of the Nokia 6210 and made this amendments. Nokia 6710 comes with the latest Nokia 3.0 maps applications with a 5 mega pixel snapper. You can also geo-tag your snaps, I guess this is becoming a must-have function for all phones equipped with Navigation capabilities.

Apart from the three phones, Nokia also announced its Ovi store that will offer users a lot of content, which will be based on their locations and preferences. The content that will be offered in the Ovi Store will range from rich applications, games to widgets fro smart phones. The store will be live from May and Nokia users with S40 and S60 devices can make use of various applications and products available on this store. This is Nokia's version of its App Store. Nokia has also opened up this store for developers so that they can showcase their applications on this store and earn 70% of the money, which comes from the sale of the applications they have developed. This strategy will encourage more and more developers to develop applications for Nokia phones and make their presence felt on the Ovi Store.

via NAMP

Phone Review: Nokia 7510

Short Review
Specs:

Keyboard/Buttons: Standard 12 button
Phone Design: Clamshell
Data: Edge,GPRS
Talk Time: 3 hours
Bluetooth: Yes
Features: Video capture QCIF 176x144 @ 15fps, 4x digital zoom
Operating System S40
Technology: GSM
Frequencies/Bands 850, 900, 1800, 1900
Antenna: Internal
Dimensions: 3.64" x 1.83" x .66"
Phone Design: Clamshell
Side Keys: Yes
Weight: 4.37 ounces
Battery Standby Time: 12 days
Battery Talk Time: 3 hours
Battery Type Lithium Ion
2nd Display: 128 x 160
Colors: 16 million
Resolution 240 x 320 2.2"
Type TFT

Camera and Video
Features Video capture QCIF 176x144 @ 15fps, 4x digital zoom
Flash LED
Megapixels 2.0

Data Messaging
Predictive Text Entry: Yes
Text Message Templates
Text Messaging

Music and Multimedia
FM Radio
Music Player: MP3,AAC,AAC+
Speaker Phone

Connectivity
Bluetooth
Java Applications
Memory Card Slot TransFlash,MicroSD
Operating System S40
USB Port
Web Browser Yes,XHTML,HTML

Organizer
Alarm
Calculator
Calendar

Phone Book
Capacity 1000
Multi Numbers per Name
Photo Caller ID
Ringer ID
Voice Dialing

Other Features
Flight Mode
Multiple Languages
Polyphonic Ringer
Vibrate Alert

Nokia E63 is all set to hit U.S. shelves

Nearly two months after a world wide release, Nokia is all geared up to introduce its Eseries-E63 to U.S. markets. Boasting of a definite edge over other sophisticated messaging devices, this ESERIES mobile is available with no contract required. Well, this phone has an assortment of fairly mind-boggling attributes; certainly deserves a CES exposure.

Technical Specifications: A full qwerty keyboard, two customizable home screens, one-touch keys, intelligent input (including auto-correction, auto-completion and learning ability), 320 x 240 screen resolution, Nokia Calendar & Contacts, Nokia Maps, a 2-megapixel camera, FM Radio, music player and e-mail support. To make it U.S. optimized, it features 3G network speeds and Symbian S60 3rd Edition.

Pricing & Availability: According to a rep, it may hit U.S. shelves in two weeks’ time. The suggested pricing is USD 279.00.

[via cellphonebeat]

Nokia XpressMusic 5800 hands on videos

MobileBurn has brought a few nice video demonstrations of the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic to those of us who are still waiting to get our hands on one. They are reporting that other than the two bugs that are believed to be worked out in the production model, the XpressMusic 5800 is a really solid device.

First impressions of this touchscreen phone were very grim; not very many people liked the phone when it was first introduced. Many of the people who did not like the handset at first are not eating their words. Scrolling with the touch interface is a bit different than with most other touchscreen phones such as the iPhone. Users must first tap the screen to select, and then tap again to activate the navigation style. This method not only works very well, but also is also very intuitive.

One drawback that was found is the lack of the ability to customize the Active Standby screen. With how much space the screen has, users may come to expect more options and better use of the screen. As with many touchscreen devices there is a T9 mode when the handset is held in portrait mode and a full Qwerty keyboard for landscape mode. One feature that makes the XpressMusic 5800 feel very solid is the haptic feedback when using the touchscreen.

Just as it appears the XpressMusic 5800 feels a bit “hollow and plasticky.” The web browser is a pleasure to deal with and the Wi-Fi is reportedly easier to use than with previous S60 models. One thing we are disappointed to hear is the music player does not do anything to wow users. This phone is based around a music device after all.

[Via MobileBurn]

Review: Nokia E71

The time a business mobile phone was simple and boring is in the past. Business and private are being united. The genuine corporate mobile companies such as the BlackBerry creators, aim more and more at the private user, whilst Samsung and Nokia in turn serve the business user Business cell phones of Samsung are found in the i-series. Nokia serves the business user with their E-series. In addition to a compact slider, the E66, Nokia has introduced the E71. Nokia business phones have a neat design and feature many functionalities. That's the reason more and more private phone users end up going for a mobile phone from the corporate segment.

First impression of the Nokia E71 handset
The Nokia E71 cell phone stands out for its efficient design. The package is carried out in red and white, and the handset is displayed. It's easy to recognize the Nokia E71 by its full QWERTY keyboard, the metal/aluminum coating and the slim design. Standard included together with the Nokia E71 are a battery charger, a headset, a pouch, a software CD and the users guide. The sleek back of the cell phone looks somewhat scratch-prone, however, it doesn't seem too bad, although sticky fingerprints are left behind on it constantly. Other than that, the cell phone has an attractive appearance.

QWERTY keyboard of the Nokia E71
The full keyboard the Nokia E-71 features, is rather small, yet operation is quite easy thanks to the round buttons. It does take time getting used to them, although with a bit of practice you should soon be able to type fast using two fingers. This facilitates sending text messages and e-mails with this phone and makes it more appealing. Thanks to the compact design of the keyboard, the Nokia E71's width has been kept nicely in proportion.

Nokia E71 with Symbian OS software
Nokia also chose Symbian as the operating system for the Nokia E71. Usually, this is the standard for the corporate E-series and the popular N-series of Nokia. The version used on the E71 is Symbian S60 3.1 Edition. The disadvantage of Symbian software is that it unfortunately tends to slow down the cell phone, which is what we experienced with the Nokia N96 for example. Surprisingly, the Nokia E71 doesn't suffer from any delay, the mobile phone works fast and smooth.

Nokia E71 Symbian smartphone

The menu has become more straightforward and simple when it comes down to graphics, which might be why it is faster. The structure and use of the E71 menu is similar to other Symbian mobile phones. The menu works via clear icons. In addition, installing external software is also enabled. New is the dual desktop; one for business use and one for private use. Backgrounds and shortcuts can be adjusted and added. Pressing the button on the main screen once changes the desktop. A nice addition!

Nokia E71 voice aid

The Nokia E71 supports voice aid. Not only voice dial, as we know from many mobile phones; the E71 offers a fully spoken menu. Recent calls, contacts and, for example, the time are read out loud. This menu is available at instruments and is very convenient for someone that is visually disabled. At the same time however, I doubt whether the Nokia E71 mobile would be a convenient phone for this person.

Nokia E71 3.2 Megapixel digital camera

The Nokia E71 phone features an integrated 3.2 Megapixel digital camera. Furthermore, the mobile phone also has a LED flash at its disposal, to enable shooting pictures in badly lit circumstances. The monitor is quite large and entirely used as viewfinder. The camera is quick in capturing a picture and the application start-up time is fast too. After capturing the picture it is not reproduced completely sharply on the screen which is rather annoying since it makes you think that you failed in capturing the object.

Taking pictures with the Nokia E71

In some cases the pictures turn out well, although certainly not always. If there is insufficient environmental light, the pictures become blurred very fast and they show a lot of digital noise. It is almost impossible, even in close-up mode, to capture an object from close-by. The camera does respond extremely fast, however, it seems like it skips focusing. In case of correct exposure and a larger distance, like a building in broad daylight, the pictures turn out reasonable. The camera leaves a lot to be desired and it is clear the camera did not have priority on this phone.

Nokia E71 Multimedia
Besides being a smooth business mobile phone, the Nokia E71 also features various multimedia applications. Media contains Realplayer, the camera, Musicstore, picture gallery, voice recorder and a Flash player. Music and video are perfectly reproduced on the E71. The media player looks fine and neat. The monitor is not that large, but is instead quite wide and this is very convenient for video files, since nowadays many wide screen films are available. The built-in speaker delivers a nice sound however, to fully enjoy your music, you ought to use the included stereo headset.

Nokia E71 memory

The internal memory of the Nokia E71 counts 110MB. The memory is expandable with the use of a microSD/SDHC memory card. Standard included is a 2GB memory card offering more room to multimedia files. If 2GB is insufficient, you can purchase a memory card with a larger capacity, since the Nokia E71 supports memory cards up to 8GB. Memory cards are placed on the side of the Nokia E71 which makes it possible to switch the card without having to turn the mobile phone off.

Microsoft Office support
Standard support for Microsoft Office files is not a superfluous luxury on a corporate mobile phone. Quickoffice is found in the menu, with which all Microsoft Office files can be opened or even created. The latter is not the case for all supporting Microsoft Office phones. In addition to Microsoft Office files, the Nokia E71 is also able to display Adobe PDF files. Viewing Excel files actually was the easiest to do. The monitor seems a tad too small for the other documents, which makes you have to scroll the whole time. However, opening and editing your files on the move has been made possible.

HSDPA internet on the Nokia E71
The Nokia E71 supports HSDPA and Wi-Fi. This makes Internet available for the user at all times. Thanks to the HSDPA support, exploring the Internet is appealing too whilst on the road, since it offers a reasonable speed providing the network is actually able to handle the speed. The built-in Internet browser works fine, although the wide screen monitor is not always convenient for reproduction of the Internet pages.

Nokia E71 GPS receiver

The built-in GPS receiver in combination with the Nokia Maps application can be used as navigation system. However, this does require purchasing a license beforehand. Finding the required satellites to stipulate the position takes a tad too long at times. Installing a different software program such as TomTom is also possible.

Nokia E71 battery

The included 3.7V 1500mAh Lithium Polymer battery is able to last for a maximum of 410 hours standby and a talk-time of 10.5 hours. The standby time exceeded the expectation; I was able to keep the E71 standby for 5 days with average use. This battery is definitely stronger than I am used to from other Nokia mobile phones.

Nokia E71 software

Nokia has included the well-known PC Suite software with the E71. This software offers copying files to and fro the Nokia E71, managing contacts, synchronizing the agenda and making back-ups, thus reducing chances of data loss. It is easy-to-use software, however, nothing new under the sun.

[Source]

Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte Premium Mobile Phone: Timeless Design

Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte, a new premium mobile phone that marries the timeless design of the Nokia 8800 Arte range with materials that reflect a new exclusivity based on refinement and authenticity. Engineered from carbon fibre, titanium, polished glass and stainless steel, the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte is for individuals who appreciate uncompromised high performance.

Carbon fibre is an ultra light and strong material that expresses a woven pattern that is both high-tech and sensuous. Custom built to ensure the precision engineering that these materials require, the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte features 3D patterns that express the inherent performance and lustre of carbon fibre.

Combining timeless style with superb functionality, the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte offers the unique tap-for-time feature - consumers can tap the steel surface below the display twice and a clock appears on the screen. Background images organically change during the day, giving a unique appearance to the display. The turn-to-mute silencing mechanism allows individuals to silence incoming calls in a discrete manner by turning the phone over, screen-side down.

In addition to the 3G capabilities and 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera and high quality audio, the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte boasts a stunning OLED display and built-in memory that has been expanded from previous offerings in the range to 4 GB. Meanwhile, Nokia's anti-fingerprint coating reduces smudges on metal and glass and unsightly outer seams are hidden by a unique all-in-one microUSB connector.

Enhancing the experience, the Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte is delivered with an exclusive range of accessories. These include a Bluetooth touch-sensitive volume control headset, a stylish desk stand and a beautiful leather carrying case.

The Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte will be available in the 3rd quarter of 2008 with an estimated retail price of EUR 1,100 exclusive of subsidies and taxes.

[Source]