Nokia World 2009 set the stage for a handful of new cellphones from the world's biggest handset maker. 
The N97 mini is a smaller version of the original N97, while the X6 and X3 are designed with music in mind. Nokia also named a price for its Booklet 3G and announced new smartphone integration features with social networking site Facebook.
Nokia on Wednesday unveiled three new smartphones at Nokia World 2009 in Stuttgart, Germany.
Nokia N97 Mini
It also announced a partnership with Facebook through its Lifecasting With Ovi application.One smartphone, the N97 mini, is targeted at women, IDC analyst Ramon T. Llamas told TechNewsWorld.
The other two, the X6 and X3, are aimed at maintaining Nokia's position in the mid-range smartphone market.
Lifecasting With Ovi will be available on the N97 mini.
Going for Girl Power
The N97 mini was designed with the social and style-conscious consumer in mind, Nokia said. It has a tilting 3.2 inch display; a QWERTY keyboard and a customizable home screen.A Facebook widget on the home screen will detect the user's location and let users update their status or profile on the social networking site and do other things through Lifecasting With Ovi.
The N97 mini comes with Ovi Maps. It supports most POP3/IMAP mail clients. Instant messaging clients supported include those from Nokia, Yahoo, Microsoft and Google.
Other features include a built-in Flash player for Internet access, a 5 MP (megapixel) built-in camera with dual LED flashes and, for music, a built-in equalizer and Bluetooth access. The N97 mini has 8 GB of on-board memory, expandable to 24 GB with a microSD card.
The N97 mini is smaller than the N97, and IDC's Llamas says this is a thinly veiled attempt to target a female demographic. "When you market a product to women, you pink it or shrink it," he said. However, "the original N97 wasn't too big or clunky."
The Nokia N97 mini is scheduled to ship in October. Its suggested retail price will be just over 450 euros (US$642).
The X-Phones Have Arrived
Nokia also unveiled the X6 smartphone and announced the X3. Both focus heavily on music.The X6 can play up to 35 hours of music and four hours of video. It has 32 GB of on-board memory and a 3.2-inch touchscreen. Other features include a built-in FM radio, Bluetooth stereo capabilities, a 5 MP camera and video editing and sharing.
The X6 supports access to social networking sites including Facebook and Ovi. It also offers instant messaging. It ships with three games -- "Asphalt4" and "DJ Mix Tour" from Gameloft, and "Spore" from Electronic Arts.
Nokia X6 hands on
The X6 is scheduled to ship in the fourth quarter. It will have a suggested retail price tag of 459 euros ($655)
The X3, designed for music lovers, comes with stereo speakers, a built-in FM radio and a 3.2 MP camera. It supports Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging.
Nokia X3 Revealed
Users can manage music through the Ovi Player PC client or Windows Media Player 11. The X3 is the first Series 40 Ovi Store-enabled device.
Facebook Features
Offering Facebook connectivity may help Nokia change its image, IDC's Llamas said. "Nokia's known for being a great device provider, but they're not known for bringing all the services to users," he explained. "By waving the Facebook flag, Nokia's giving users what they want, and one of those things they want is Facebook."On the other hand, it could open up a can of worms for Nokia. "Tying into social networks is an interesting idea, but different people have different networks," Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, told TechNewsWorld. "Not everyone is on Facebook or MySpace or Twitter."
The Facebook partnership is fine, but Nokia might have been better served by partnering with Twitter instead, Enderle suggested. "Facebook is more along the lines of a destination, whereas Twitter is more of a messaging platform," he said. "If you use a phone, you would probably want to stay closer to messaging and not tie in to a social networking tool."
>
Post a Comment