Tag: Nokia

Are you too ditching non-touch phone, Nokia?

[tweetmeme source=”nkumar_” only_single=”false”]

Carry the battle to them. Don’t let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive and don’t ever apologize for anything. – Harry S Truman

This is probably the thumb rule of any kind of battle and if one misses it, then there should be no one else to blame for. We see the promises, we always seen, but is Nokia really set for a fight back?

battle_of_haditha_01

Do Nokia really needs to  leave non-touch phones miles behind or come up with Touch-n-type kinds only for competing with others? I am not saying that they new range of devices aren’t great, but do non-touch range is really worth to be left for cheaper phones only?

I am not thinking to write long over it, but I am again coming up with what I started once. The debate that was started with my post why not a non-touch smart phone?, then we seen excellent views from Steve Litchfield @aas mentioning himself as Devil’s advocate and finally official blog of Nokia agreed with the same sentiments in one way or another.

Non-Touch or Touch?

While once these posts and views were a light of hope for many like me, after two and half a month, this all seems to be dizzy again. With the announcements of Nokia N8, E7, C7, C6, C6-01, X3-02 and C3-01, it seems that Nokia already given up on the debate.

Do you know that what made Nokia such a big name and what were there best selling phones?

  1. With over 412 million units shipped, Nokia 1100 is the best-selling mobile phone of all time and the world’s top-selling consumer electronics product.
  2. Surprisingly, my Old Nokia XpressMusic 5310 is among the top selling ones with 10 million units sold.
  3. There was a time, when Nokia N95 and even Nokia 6300 were topping charts in UK (yes! we are not talking about Asia, its the same UK, where we hardly find presence now).
  4. Do you know, Nokia N73 was the best selling phone from Nokia N Series till recently?
  5. Nokia N82 been such a success that even after tempting devices , Nokia himself wasn’t able to beat the legacy and even those, who left the boat of Nokia, may be found keeping this one close to their heart.
  6. Nokia E71 still known as not only best selling but one of the best QWERTY in market for its kind of form factor.

money2

These are a just a few examples to state the fact that where Nokia been the best and for a coincidence, do you know what is the most common thing among these all? All of them were Non-Touch phones.

I know They will say ..

  • it proves nothing as they also sold Nokia 5800 in big numbers (over 8 millions) and even the wrongly famous Nokia N97 has sold over 2 million units.
  • Technology evolves and things which were great once, might not be considered that great later.
  • Even if older ring phones were such a huge hit, there was no reason to stick with those landlines only.

or many things like that, but …

  • Is it crime, if still there is a huge crowd buying Non-touch phones too?
  • Are you all really think that it was touch screen only that sold these many pieces of dubious Nokia N97?
  • Why all of sudden it brings a fire in conversations, if someone says that no, I cant stand a touch phone?

Everyone says that you should change with the time, but what if I still want some real successor of Nokia E72, that god battery, that superb keypad which might make you keep typing even with closed eyes for hours and for pages of text…. what if?

Have patience, they will show some love to non-touch as well

As per their product release schedules for the year 2010, only three devices remains to be announced this year that are Nokia X7-00, Nokia N9-00 and Nokia E6-00.

We have seen that Nokia N9-00 is probably a 4” touch screen + QWERTY and Nokia X7-00 again a Symbian^3 with capacitive touch, so all the bets are getting closed over Nokia E6-00 now, but have we really seen some breakthrough developments on S60 UI till now? Do we really have enough reasons to believe that there is something in shelf to tagged as real successor of Nokia E72/71?

They will say Nokia still in game with Nokia C3 and Nokia E5 like devices, but I really feel like so frustrated when someone says that Nokia E5 is a successor of Nokia E72… I already said it once, it is not.

NOOOO!! for god sake… don’t take the name of Nokia E7. A real successor of Nokia E72 needs one hand operated keypad (probably nothing better than that of Nokia E71/E72) and strictly an Auto-Focus camera.

We will keep on crying that why it’s late or why Nokia doesn’t come up with some Nokia E6-00 with same features as Nokia E72 without compromise, a better camera, 256 MB RAM at least, may be Bluetooth 3.0, USB OTG.

Honestly speaking, I am getting fed up of my own confusion of buying which one from Nokia E5 and Nokia E72 as Nokia E5 even if packing up much needed more 128 RAM and upgraded OS still its far far away from Nokia E72. As much I trying to be positive and hopeful for future of Non-touch phones like that I am really really loosing hopes now as it seems that non-touch is second hand thing for everyone include Nokia.

Well!! I really don’t know how to put it, but I just wish to ask a simple, helpless and desperate question from Nokia …

Are you too ditching non-touch phones like rest of the world seems to be doing?

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Laymans Take on Nokia 5233 – The short review

[tweetmeme source=”nkumar_” only_single=”false”]

Since I wrote of Nokia C5, the leading shot of non-touch smartphones crop, some of the readers enquired me about the cheapest options about touch phones as well. The answer wasn’t that simple, but as their concern was price, so I suggested them of Nokia 5233 and Nokia 5235 and specially with a price tag of Rs. 6300/-, Nokia 5233 is sure a great deal for one kind of market.

Today I got my hands on Nokia 5233 finally via one of my colleague and I took the same chance to bring my first impressions about the device for readers.

04102010902

Why should one buy Nokia 5233?

We are not talking about the geeks here, who could argue on the specs sheet for hours. We are talking about the guys, who are much mean, when it comes to shed a few bucks from their pockets. I have seen people, who will buy some Chinese model in 5K saying it got all and will come behind you that yaar!! its not opening the sites very well or how to transfer all my contacts on this phone… bla bla.. Com’on .. who suggested you to go for a non-nokia? Even if its priced at 5k, do you really wanted to throw some phone in one year coz there will be no care center for that kind of phone?

People get a life.. Nokia is listening of you people too. Not just for sake of price, but for sake of engaging people in a better experience because only that can bring them in for the bigger things in next.

Have you lustfully taken a look on other people’s Nokia 5800 because of their bigger touch screens and the style with which their slide their fingers on that shiny thing? So what if you didn’t wished to spend Rs. 13, 000/-, you can get the same feel with Nokia 5233. This is a device made for people to have their hands on touch phones world in cheapest way without loosing an inch of the quality standards that Nokia maintains.

  1. ARM 434 MHz processor (Irony or proud! it has the same processor as ‘’lagship’ N97 had).
  2. 128 MB of RAM is more than enough for the target users in this price range.
  3. 70 MB user storage is not much but kind of super, if you remember 50 mb of C5 or E52
  4. A 3.2” resistive touch screen with a very good nice touch feedback.

  5. Proximity sensor, Accelerometer sensor and Handwriting recognition, while target users might not even know about worth of these features.

  6. Not only comes with Ovi Music service, but has 33 hours music playback with Li-Ion 1320 mAh (BL-5J).

  7. A stylus for precise touch input though you can do all kind of things with fingers as well.

Definitely, you can complaint a single line, when someone bring this much in just Rs. 6300/-.Though still I wish people a little more with Rs. 7500/- and buy Nokia 5235 with 3G and A-GPS added, but if you are too picky about the price, then sure Nokia 5233 fits the bill as I have seen with some people around me.

Some of my first impressions after taking it in my hands

If you have taken Nokia 5800 in your hands for some times, then it almost has the same feel like that one. Though you might start complaining only if you dig a little deeper, but that would be purely based on inner features, not the exterior, which is sure full plastic, but still its better than many I had seen. At least opening back battery cover didn’t scared me here.

04102010901

Well! as you can see, it wont be a great screen when come under sunlight, neither the build has features that could keep the dust particles away.

04102010903 04102010914

Though it doesn’t support the hot swap SIM feature, but sure you can insert the SIM without even opening the battery cover and same with Memory card that is hot swappable. Though disappointments are, you can not take the SIM out without opening battery cover and the package doesn’t include the MicroSD card.

But who cares, if you are looking for a cheap solution only, then in 1K you could get an 8GB card, while it supports up to 16GB and who takes out and in SIM daily, that could be managed for sure.

If you look more close in the first pics, then you could spot the mono speaker as well near my thumb. Well to say.. it wasn’t too loud, but not too low either. You can sure hear the calls on loudspeakers in normal scenarios, but don’t ask for the same in trains like noise.

04102010905

Well! I wont say that plastic buttons are all pretty, but still I would have loved more, if there was an always open miniUSB slot than the one covered with plastic on the top side.

What you love about Nokia is the fact, they still are the leaders when it comes to raise the level of common man. Here I am talking about the 3.5mm jack and 2mm charger that’s real democracy than some company running behind money only.

04102010906

I have got my hands on many of the devices, where the manufacturer decides that a dedicated camera key is kind of waste, like I seen in Nokia C5, but if you ask a user then nothing matches the feel of having a dedicated camera key on the side. Though the device doesn’t has a autofocus, so not like some half press to focus, but still you get a camera like feel.

With the volume rocker, you also got the lock button in the middle, quite handy and brings back the memories that how people were used to locking their phones by pressing Menu Key and * rather than waiting for the screen to get auto locked after a certain period.

04102010907

It got just 2MP camera full focus camera with focus range from 60 cm to infinity. It is very very ordinary and bigger disappointment is absence of even a single LED flash. I understand that it was a design decision to keep the cost at its lowest, but still it was better if they would not have compromised on this.

Probably for same reason that camera wasn’t the biggest attraction here, Nokia skipped the camera cover too.

04102010909

As I mentioned, due to a little easy slot there, it was not that hard to open the battery cover like others, where I always get scared that if opening battery cover may break it.

04102010915

Yup!! it got the stylus too though after using the phone for a while, I found that after sometime, you wont even need that. Having a resistive screen than a capacitive one, has some of profits too.

04102010913

Green, red and white; typical Nokia buttons, though reminds me of the Indian National flag as well in a way. Green one works as Call button, red as call End button and white one as Menu button. All these lights also serves as notification lights too in case of some incoming call or incoming message.

04102010911

Yes! there is no secondary camera, but that’s for a reason. It got no 3G support, so obviously no video calls, though you could spot the proximity sensors easily.

04102010926

Its the best thing Nokia does with such range of device, they don’t miss out the signal strength and battery, whatever low price might be. You are getting a 1320 mAh battery here and as no 3G, no A-GPS on board, nothing will stop this device from completing a day in normal usages.

In the same pics, you can also spot the mechanism to push the SIM out of it. The slider always go handy for that thing at least. And yes.. finally we see some metal here, the plates around the camera.

04102010927

If still some doubts, then sticker on back cover explains the basics.

So, while I will strongly recommend, a slightly higher priced Nokia 5235 over this, but sure if you gift this phone to your little sister or someone who is not much into tech, they sure gonna love it and you will be ensured that they wont bug you back that this is not working and that is not. Rs. 6300/- … what else you wish for?

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar
http://nitishkumar.net
http://scifireviews.wordpress.com
 
 
 

Should you Pre-order Nokia N8 from @NokiaIndia ?

[tweetmeme source=”mrnitishkumar” only_single=”false”]

Even if many might have pre-ordered Nokia N8 and its really getting hard to hold the temptation to buy the camera flagship device of the mobile world, but if you look closer then sure there are many doubts that raises the question that should you buy Nokia N8 right now?

It has nothing to do with the biased reviews coming from some leading blogs or from someone, whom with all due respect, I should only call “Bitch in heat”. No!!! I still very much buying Nokia N8 coz its the best out there to serve my needs, but question is about the time. Do you really need to get it before everyone?

Preorder 

Firstly, what is a Pre-order?

As per Nokia “Preordering a product means you’ll be one of the first to receive it after it’s released. As soon as the product is in stock, we will process and ship your order to you.”

Nokia N8 is available on Pre-order for Indian Customers since September 29, 2010 on the site given below

Pre-rder

While Nokia Priority dealers asking for Rs. 2000/- or Rs. 1000/-for the pre-order amount, I am not sure that if there is a proper process of dealing this systematically in India at least. At least most of the dealers are not providing you a proper receipt or order no. (their sites are providing one, but not the priority dealers in Delhi at least). The one I visited, is only offering a local receipt from their shop name only.

Yes! you can assume that the process is still reliable, but …

Nokia N8 price, Is it decent to buy?

Sure, a price of Rs. 25000/- is not much, if you are in a world, where Samsung Galaxy sells in Rs. 29000/- and ridiculously binding you in pricy app world Apple iPhone 3GS selling in like Rs. 35000/-, but still the price at which Nokia N8 is going to launched on week 1, is no where near what they promised in April. That was Rs. 21, 500/- without taxes for god sake. Are you saying that you are charging Rs. 4, 500/- as taxes?

It will sure hurt many to buy the device in like Rs. 26, 000/- or Rs. 25, 000/-, when they were expecting in much lesser. Nokia sure loosing the USV of Nokia N8 on price point at least. If you ask me, then price of Rs. 22, 500/- was kind of reasonable.

Specially when you know that within a month, it will sell on that price, then are you ready to pay extra 2-3k for just getting it before a month? Remember Nokia N900 was announced at a price Rs. 30, 600/- and now its selling on Rs. 24, 500/-

Some of the cruel facts about pre-order …

  1. You do not get any special discount or bundled accessories or anything. I asked @NokiaIndia and they just said this, nothing else.

    nokiaIndia

  2. Booking early means paying the highest price that the device can ever get and most of the time, you pay MRP. Remember recently they launched Nokia C6-00 in Rs. 15, 600/- and within a week other retailers selling it in Rs. 13, 300/-.
  3. Even if we talk about authenticity of the device or guarantees associated with the device, then Nokia priority dealers are nothing special but a bunch of money suckers. They only provide you whatever come standard from Nokia, while the other dealers not only offer you way better price, but bundled accessories, even greater maintenance cover for the device and a much dignified gesture as a customer.

Oops!! I already did the Pre-order, what’s the way to go from here?

Yup! I understand. Many might have done so. the way to go is to wait a little. Even if you have pre-ordered, you are not forced to buy right then on the day one. If I know right, then you have 60 days in hands till when your deposit wont be consumed by them.

You might even ask for refund citing a valid reason, though that chance would be limited as they already have given you their shot that price might be max 26k and if its even 25.9k, you wont be entitled to pull back on this particular cause.

You will get a call from Nokia Priority Dealer that device is available at the store. You sure can delay the visit to Nokia Priority store for like a week and could keep on confirming the prices from other retailers (though I doubt that at least N8 gonna be available with them real soon like one week). Sure, you will still pay higher, but after a week or two, it should be in few hundreds rather than thousands.

I don’t wanna to be mean with Nokia, but honestly, I tried hard to understand the point of pre-ordering a device that will be anyway available in much lower price with other retailers within half a month, even if I understand the restlessness of holding the temptation to touch best camera phone ever.

Please offer me your views, if you ever find any profit of buying a device from a Nokia Priority Dealer leave alone the pre-order thing.

Note that I am talking about India and specially New Delhi.  May be others find some pleasant experiences as well. Do tell me, if you think otherwise or in same ways as me.

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Digg This

A Visit to Nokia Priority Dealer in Delhi-N8, C1, C6 and E5

[tweetmeme source=”nkumar_” only_single=”false”]

Finally after so much hue and cry about Nokia N8 and even talking to few of local dealers, I decided to visit the nearest Nokia Priority center to know the real situation in hands and visited the nearest Nokia Priority Center in New Delhi.

Let me summarize all the info that I got today …

Nokia N8 Pre-Order, Availability and Price in India:

Not in the whole world, but there are huge confusions about the availability of Nokia N8 in India as well. Some saying 15 October, some saying 8 October and some even calling that it will come by November.

Let me make it a full stop here.

1. Nokia N8 is expected to be available on all Nokia Priority dealers by October 15, 2010.
2. Pre-order customers will receive the device by October 8, 2010 or October 10, 2010 max.
3. It wont be available over other stores than NPD’s before November due to huge demands.
4. Pre-orders have began by September 29, some asking 1000 INR, some 2000 INR as deposit.
5. Final price is not clear as of now, but max is 26k or if believe @gauravh1 then 25k.
6. Pre-order customers will receive call about availability and could purchase within 2 months.

 

Take a look over Nokia N8 dummies at S.D. Enterprises, Gita Colony, New Delhi, which I seen…

Nokia N8 Black (my personal favorite)

01102010895

Nokia N8 Orange (second favorite of many, I guess its a little darker than the expectations)

01102010897

Nokia N8 Green (Not one of my favorite, but I seen many loving it as well)

01102010896

The NPD I visited had no dummies of Silver or Blue and though same might raise the doubt that if they are launching with all the five colors or not, but there are official words from @NokiaIndia that they are actually launching it with all five possible colors. Obviously, they don’t want to be like Apple.

As of now, there is no word over additional accessories or bundled offers. But following are on offer …

1. Free navigation is coming for all with latest version of Ovi Maps that will be 3.06
2. Nokia Push mail will be available for lifetime free that too with default HTML support.
3. Nokia Music Services as of now, not coming for free, though some will be preloaded there.
4. There will many great apps pre-installed like Joikuspot and Gravity trial (free versions)
5. As Vox has been closed, Nokia as of now has opted out from Share Online feature. Disappointing.
6. No big game coming with the package, not even free ones.
7. As of now, no news if they will bundle Bluetooth Headset for even pre-order customers.
8. Nokia isn’t giving the stylus with Nokia N8, makes you think which countries then?

Well!! take it my personal opinion or something, but I found Nokia N8 a little smaller in shape than I was expecting it to be. I mean, I have spend full 15 days with Nokia N900 and that screen always looked huge. May be it the compact exteriors or something but pics always looked big. Should say, its completely pocket-able and Sorry folks, to whom I always said that 4” or 5” devices would be insane. Yes! we wont mind a 4” or 5”, if that keeps the same level of compactness as SGS or iPhone or Nokia N8 have.

Nokia E5 Availability and Price in India

Yes!! very much anticipated Nokia E5 already on Nokia Priority stores on a price 11, 800 INR. Though its disappointing to see that prices on NPDs are always much higher than the market price, but at the same time, its obvious too. Market works that way. but still.. As per info from other dealers, you can make a deal on 11, 200 INR minimum for Nokia E5.

01102010894

There was no dummy of the same thing there, so I asked them for the box itself. Of course, I wasn’t allowed to open up the same. The green area on the front is highlighting the social integration here, like once Nokia was highlighting free lifetime navigation.

Definitely having a hard to hold my urge to buy one, though disappointing that like Nokia E72, this one also not coming with default HTML support.

Nokia E5 Availability and Price in India

While touch has gotten another name now days; Symbian^3, Nokia has also putting devices like Nokia C6-00 on offer. I wonder what effect this one would have caused, if would have arrived a little earlier. While there are still many reasons to discuss on paper about Nokia E5, for convincing someone to buy Nokia C6-00, you will be needed to focus on price point mostly.

01102010893

While @NokiaIndia mentioning the price as 15,600 INR, I found that its actually selling on 13, 800 INR from NPDs and even lower from the other dealers, probably 13, 400 INR minimum. Not a bad buy for newly smart phone users interested in touch and type.

The dummy I got to see was of the color white, though I would have liked to see Black one specially, but still what I see from the dummy only, at such a price point and build, its sure ready to take on over Nokia 5800.

Two more new handset spotted there were Nokia C3-00 and Nokia C1-00. Last time, I seen a light colored C3-00 and this time, it was my favorite black one here. Must say, that is the best thing you could gift someone, who don’t care about high end things like Maps or Internet and for later on..  it got wi-fi on it.

01102010892

Nokia C1-00 was the phone, the NPD guy was actually selling to someone right then, when I reached. I didn’t asked the price, though took the dummy of same in hands once to take a feel of it. Felt something like Nokia 2600 from past.

By the way, the journey to that Nokia Priority dealer was completely guided by Ovi Maps.

Ovi Maps

Though at a moment, I was completely frustrated by the fact that why Nokia India chosen to provide dealership to such an interiorly location shop than the earlier bigger shop that was located in Laxmi Nagar Main Market.

I must say, even if you are in around 50 meters away from the place, it might happen that stupid people out there will say that they never heard of the address I am talking about. You need maps in your phone, take your preference, go Nokia, go Ovi or go Android and go Google…. but have a GPS enabled phone for sure.

 

So, this was the story of my visit to a Nokia Priority dealer today. Hope it will solve many of the queries from you people and will save a visit on your behalf. Have a nice time waiting for Nokia N8. Keep tuned in.

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Nokia X7-00, Full QWERY coming?

[tweetmeme source=”nkumar_” only_single=”false”]

So my laziness took the crown of talking about Nokia X7-00 first and MobileGeekInc spotted the same in Ovi Store today. So, like I was already talking about rest of the devices coming from Nokia this year, after Nokia E6-00 and Tablet S, now I am back again to talk over Nokia X7-00.

X-Series was dedicated to Music as per new naming convention by Nokia but you must have spotted something else as well…. Sharp edges and rectangular builds, while C-Series seems to has curves on border, that’s a signature for X-Series.

Nokia XSeries 

So, that’s the start to build up the profile that what we have in our hands for certain, when we talk about Nokia X7-00. Oh Yes! like the last two posts, its again a calculated guess on what Nokia X7-00 would be rather than what it is or some leak… no its not a leak or insider info.

If you check the link, then you see that Angry Bird Lite is available for Nokia X7-00 that confirms Symbian^3 as operating system, means almost certain 3.5” multi-touch capacitive and may be CBD display (if we believe the pattern).

And by the way, before you get started on me, let me tell you.. the pics shown is actually Sony Xperia X1 and I have placed that here only for the purpose to show that how it would look like.

Why a Keypad?

Because, X-Series has not any till now and sure with touch-n-type devices, they know that people still shout for keypad. While looking at XPERIA X1, I really thought that if something has to become X7-00, then that would be like that. It makes perfect sense.

So, as a list, following are the things that one should expect from Nokia X7-00

  • 3.5” (may be 4”) Capacitive with CBD Display packed into rectangular build like other X-Series

  • 4 row QWERTY Sliding keypad without hinge like Nokia N97 mini .. flat only

  • Symbian^3 OS packed with some standard goodies

  • An 8MP EDOF camera with HD Recording support

  • Scratch-proof ionized Aluminum build like we seen on Nokia N8, E7 and C7.

  • A fully mature multi-touch capacitive screen (may be even a stylus) protected by Gorilla Glass.

  • ARM 11 600 MHz (Nokia getting generous, but not that to provide Cortex). No GPU

  • 256 MB RAM, 512 MB NAND, 350 MB user storage, 8 GB internal memory and support for 32Gb MicroSD.

  • Full fledge A-GPS making use of Ovi Maps services, 3G and WiFi on it from the very first version.

  • Full fledge Bluetooth 3.0 capable of connecting Keyboard and mouse in it

  • No HDMI, though Dolby sound still on board

Just this? Then why didn’t they released this till now?

Good point!!

At least three or four devices pending and as per the tradition and the bulk launches always had some common connection between them. Like launch of C3, C6 and E5 had new Nokia Messaging solutions as theme, while Symbian^3 was the theme, when they announced N8, C7, E7, C6-01 (Early N8 launch was mistimed due to provoke).

So, there must be some common connection between all the upcoming devices. MeeGo?? Might be, but Angry Bird is available for Symbian^3 only and its open for X7-00, so that shouldn’t be the possibility. Then what it would be?

If you ask me, then as their tag line saying now days, “Its not the technology, but its what we do with it”, very likely it has to do something with the services offering. Might be, we haven’t seen some bigger fruit of Yahoo-Nokia partnership yet and it has to do something with that. Yahoo coming with some Music Service? May be. That indoor navigation? No!! that was a experiment stuff, not very practical to arrive soon..

But it has to be bigger than this… something such bigger that Nokia is thinking of tuning all the tables. You should have reasons to get excited.

Once we get to know that common link, many things will be revealed about upcoming Nokia E6-00 and Nokia N9-00. So, offer me your best guesses please.

What you say? …..

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Nokia S tablet to showcase MeeGo?

[tweetmeme source=”nkumar_” only_single=”false”]

Continuing from last very calculated guess Nokia E6-00, I am pushing a step more with some words and thoughts over an unannounced Nokia tablet code name S.

The year started the new era with Apple’s announcement of a complete multi-touch tablet, something which many were gearing for since long, but the credit was to go for the company that really shaped the touch screens in the way they are today and now we are hearing every next company coming up with their own version of ‘iPad’ish tablet. Are we missing anything in all this? Where is Nokia?

You may call it adding 2 and 2, but there are pretty big reasons that the last quarter of this very year might see the real deal of tablet from Nokia featuring MeeGo OS on it.

Why Nokia S?

Remember the second week of June this year and there was a leak all around the web, being discussed among all Nokia lovers ….

series

French: La nomenclature des produits Nokia se base sur une repartition par series et par niveaux, generant ainsi 17 categoes de produits differents

English:The nomenclature of Nokia products based on a breakdown by series and level, thus generating 17 different categories of products

17 Categories and with Nokia World 2010 closed in now, we are already with C1, C2, C3, C5, C6, C7, E5, E7, X2, X3, X5, X6 and N8. So, it leaves the room for the next announcements scheduled for the last quarter to be Nokia E6-00, Nokia X7-00, much awaited Nokia N9-00 and mysterious S Series. After all now, no one can deny that it was the roadmap of Nokia for year 2010.

What it says on S?

French: La serie S est reservee a un nombre limited de mobiles qui ne rentrent dans aucune des autres series de produits

English: The S series is reserved to a limited number of phones that do not fit into any other series of products.

The wild guess of calling S Series representing a tablet seems not fit as they called it “limited number of phones”, but as they already have said on their Nokia Conversations post that C, X, E and N complete the circle of phone models, it leaves the bet open for mysterious S being a tablet only. We can’t even remotely assume that in this fight back roadmap, Nokia could have dared to miss tablet phenomenon, when there own words were already speaking of confirmation for a tablet to coming …..

Due to the spread of cloud computing and new advances in electronics and network technology, mobile devices will increasingly move beyond smart phones to include other computer-like gadgets such as tablets, and the MeeGo platform will be an important asset for Nokia.

Overwhelmed by the amazing price point of Nokia N8, people might missing the point that why Nokia seems to be out for kill with Nokia N8 with less margins on their side. Obviously, Its just not about making a best selling phone, but it’s about placing such a huge selling beast that makes developers craving for making a fortune out of it and thus making the way for biggest mobile platform ever (as Qt will be bridging the Gap between always live Linux and biggest mobile platform Symbian).

Nokia definitely holding the temptation of bringing the tablet game on somehow, because they first want Nokia N8 to embrace the world all over first and then developers will already be developing apps for it, Apps, which will be running on Symbian, MeeGo and all touch range of devices.

Apple was able to bring iPad in, only when iPhone was getting such a success and developers were making apps for it day and night. HP Slate been hard for HP because of the only fact that WebOS isn’t a big name yet. Definitely Nokia just waiting for some successful device like iPhone to bring its own platform on the top of everything, otherwise making a device like tablet is just a piece of cake for Nokia.

What the possible specs of Nokia S Tablet might be?price

Their price roadmap also places a mark on what price one should expect on Nokia N9-00 and Nokia Tablet running MeeGo. Moreover, with Nokia Booklet 3G, we already know that what Nokia already has in its bag.

There are something that you can expect from a Nokia tablet ..

  • A size of possibly 9” with 10mm thicker build.
  • Scratch-proof Ionised Aluminium build like we seen on Nokia N8, E7 and C7.
  • A fully mature multi-touch capacitive screen (may be even a stylus) protected by Gorilla Glass.
  • ARM Cortex 9 as processor even if Intel might be pushing for its Moorestown.
  • 512 MB RAM, 1GB NAND, 2 GB user storage, 16 GB internal memory and support for 32Gb MicroSD.
  • Full fledge A-GPS making use of Ovi Maps services, 3G and WiFi on it from the very first version.
  • Full fledge Bluetooth 3.0 capable of connecting Keyboard and mouse in it
  • An HDMI port, , USB 3.0, USB on the go and Dolby.. even writing about it is exciting.
  • A 3.5mm jack for media and also two microphones for noise cancellation.
  • Loud enough speakers serving good enough for the Dolby output.
  • An 5MP EDOF camera on the front side with dual LED.

The last one might seem pushing for a little bit more, but it makes good sense for having better camera and LED on the front aiding the better video calling experience than ever and that too with a night light on (via LED).

Still have to see that what more Nokia could bring on it, being MeeGo targeted to be a Cloud platform and backing Chrome Browser as of now. Even if such a possible tablet get the always trustable name Nokia on it, it will still be just another tablet in town. So, Nokia has to bring some magic from software side as well.

Nokia already said that it will be services that will distinguish Nokia E7 from Nokia N8 and so I am already looking for some big services coming from Nokia very soon.

So, these are my thoughts on something that might make its big appearance once Nokia N8 gets settled and brings developers on the Nokia board, probably after Q4, 2011.  What you think about it?

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar

 
 
 

Nokia E6-00? A Revamped S60?

[tweetmeme source=”nkumar_” service=”wp.me” only_single=”false”]

If you just jumped from your chair thinking that its a leak, then sorry its not, you may choose to leave from here. Here you will get what Nokia E6 should be or what possibly it could be.

No, I am not some hacker, who might have sneaked into some Nokia Server and would have found some XML, neither do I am someone, who might have hands on some proto device, nor I am any important guy that Nokia mind to send prototype devices to understand the demands (my own country Nokia might not even know a word about me).

Who I am then and what this is all about? Just a Layman, who might not be some kind of geek or not that much into mobile developments, still he uses the phones or what we call them now days … the smart phones. Someone, who doesn’t know that his words will affect the multi-billionaire venture or not, but he dreams, he write to tell that what’s better to be included into lives of Laymans just like him.

Another Nokia world ended and reminded us that we live in a real world and nothing changes here like fairy tales. Be it Apple, be it Android or Microsoft, all are companies and follows a same systematic process for constructing things. Why were people expected MeeGo phones, when even lead developers have no clue of things around that? Why a business will release another showstopper, when one of their own still have to reach in consumer’s hand?

Expectations should have been real and then it was a great show indeed marking a superb design language in their new line of products.

Even if we kept on hearing about all these devices and watching videos of Symbian^3 in all recent days, now all of sudden, the logical mind senses a fear. A fear that its all about Symbian^3, Qt and touch screens now and S60 & non-touch might be dead now or just cheap category like C3 or E5.

So, no more those wonderful E-Series devices that had a compact screen, near perfect keypad either you use with one hand or two and those insane battery lives, which were kind of guarantee that you wont be running out of juice for whole day and even at another day, if you forgot to insert the charger pin at end of night. Really?

Nokia E6-00: A revamped S60?

While all of the future development is moving toward Qt  and as per current Qt development status, it’s very likely to get a revamped S60 now, high time to be so.

Nokia C5 and E5 OS design elements suggest that like touch phones got Symbian^3, something big must and must be on its way for non-touch phones too.

There might be much noises from many sides, but Nokia can’t afford to abandon their forte that’s been non-touch phones always and even now. Remember its the touch phone they messed up, otherwise have you heard any Android, Bada, iOS or anything else that could have compete with Symbian?

Yes!! to match the standards set by Symbian^3, its likely that Nokia coming up with a revamped S60 very soon. Question is “Are they going to mix it up with touch support like they did with S40 touch and type? Or they will concentrate more on core stuff like smooth social contacts, social messaging, much more efficient and intuitive Nokia Messaging, a proper blogging app and the updated map with features like Check-ins”.

Same about the battery consumption, as we are already hearing that despite of having 1200 mAh battery in place of 1500 mAh, Nokia E5 working as same good as Nokia E72 was, the credit sure goes to underlying tweaks to the OS and app ecosystems itself. Definitely, Nokia wont be stopping the same with cheaper and compromised devices like E5 only.

Like many around the globe, even I don’t know that what we exactly want from Nokia, but its high time that S60 should also get some love as obviously Qt has to make its way there too. The requirement of a revamped S60 might be the core reason, we have not seen a successor of almighty E72 yet, what’s say?

Nokia E6-00: What will be the shape and hardware?

e72__e71I am sure, if someone set up a poll that what shape an E-Series should take then many would think beyond E72 shape and form factor. A little things here and there, but everyone believes that the keypad shape which E71/E72 enjoyed was best of its class. A perfect device that go marry with each of your typing needs , no matter you are using one hand or two.

After announcement of E7, while it found many attracted towards it, the social web is also buzzing with opinions like its hard to survive with a ‘business’ device that might be draining battery like multimedia ones.

“Many still quoting that they are still happy with their Nokia E72 and will wait till Nokia understand that they exists.”

I find no reasons that Nokia can’t sense that.

They need to keep the same QWERTY with minor modifications like larger space bar or may be nothing.

What else you see from the design language of N8, E7, C7 etc? Mono block. Single piece of metal, which may be even ended in sacking the flexibility of changing the battery here as well as they will push for keeping the device even slimmer than Nokia E72.

The tougher part is Battery and Camera.

Battery

Nokia does not seems to be settled for any better slimmer battery than that 1200 mAh one that we are seeing in every next device of theirs now days. Though whoever had their hands on upcoming Nokia E5 had promised that its not a single bit lesser than Nokia E72, when it comes to battery. While fans around the globe wishing for come back of 1500 mAh only, which has been imprint of E-Series lately, there are strong reasons that Nokia will be settling for the same 1200 mAh one. Like they bring the concept of universal charger for devices ranging from $30 – $500, why not they might be talking on same battery among their new line of devices?

Camera

That’s the most toughest part and what compromises we expect here, are already heartening. They way, for keeping slim profile of design, Carl Zeiss and Auto Focus has been sacked from E7 and C7, its likely that Nokia ready to the same again with same 8MP camera.

Only hope is that constant buzzes of disappointment over Nokia E7 camera, which can’t scan Business cards or Barcodes, Nokia will come out of their official line that 8MP full focus is bringing not so bad results. CRAP.. CRAP … CRAP.. Nokia needs to hear this out in loud.

The success of Nokia E72 was also from the factor that it was the first business series with a top of the class camera and multi-media experience. I bet users didn’t liked nor will like the experience without Macro shots like C7 and E7 gonna give to them. 8 MP without macro shot capability is like some Ferrari,which can’t cross speed of 50kmph. Does it matter that what exterior or interior that Ferrari got?

We like our devices be slimmer like Apple, but in any case don’t want to see Nokia’s camera like Apple’s ones or like those Samsung ones coz a proper camera unit can’t fit into a slim body. Hell with the slimmer build then, we can’t accept anything lower than E72 camera. I mean what this CRAP 8 MP, should we put a big sticker of 8MP on the back of camera to show it off? We need something real.

I think Nokia need to hear it loud before its too late that its Nokia and here we expect cameras like Nokia only.

Connectivity

Nokia E-Series been always known for their top class connectivity options, so nothing spectacular when we find Pentaband frequency obvious here. Questions are after that.

Nokia has three more connectivity options now:

1. USB OTG
2. Bluetooth 3.0
3. HDMI
4. Terminal mode

Usually Nokia been providing their best of connectivity options to their E-Setries, so people will sure be expecting all of these, though last two options seem not that reasonable for something that has just 2.4”-2.6” screen size, but still no wonder if Nokia manages to include at least terminal mode in their successor of Nokia E71/E72 as that would be pure blessing when it comes to presentations in company meetings.

So, these were a few of my own quick thoughts that what Nokia E6, the successor of Nokia E72 might be look like or feel like as even Nokia admitting that Nokia E7 is not the successor of E72, but it matches like of Communicator only.

Definitely there are many other aspects that to be weighted before formalizing a design that will rival Nokia E72 likes. I might have just started the debate … but I know many wanna finish it off.. lets hear your views in loud.

Update:

I thought to update it with a formal specs sheet as well… check out and suggest me more spread the words, if you wished the same.

specs1Specs2 Specs3 Specs4

photo of Nitish KumarNitish Kumar