Nokia 6500 classic and Nokia 6500 slide wrap

Espoo, Finland - Nokia today reaffirmed its leadership in driving the
benefits of third generation technology to the mid-range market with the
announcement of two new handsets, the Nokia 6500 classic and Nokia 6500
slide. Designed to be precisely balanced in the hand, with large keys and
ergonomically correct dimensions and surfaces, both phones have been
created with maximum usability in mind. Along with third generation WCDMA
technology and sleek, contemporary designs, these new devices feature
carefully engineered touches that help to ensure that the beauty
endures.

"Nokia is a recognized trailblazer of the 3G revolution and a pioneer in
the use of new and innovative materials for mobile phones. With the Nokia
6500 classic and Nokia 6500 slide, Nokia is skillfully combining these
areas of expertise to deliver a compelling blend of design and technology
at a mid-range price point," said Peter Ropke, Senior Vice President,
Broad Appeal Business Unit, Nokia. "While features like the aluminum
"loop" structure of the Nokia 6500 classic or the Carl Zeiss optics found
in the Nokia 6500 slide separate these devices from the pack, it is the
skillful balance of features and style that will make them irresistible
to customers."

Nokia 6500 classic

Instantly recognizable by its seamless case crafted from 360 degrees of
anodized aluminum, the Nokia 6500 classic is a 9.5mm thin statement of
unsurpassed attention to detail. As an expression of individuality, each
Nokia 6500 classic is individually polished, ensuring that no two phones
are exactly alike, while diamond polishing used on the beveled display
aperture and cold stamped logo demonstrate the highest levels of
craftsmanship.

However, the attention to detail found in the Nokia 6500 classic is much
more than skin deep. Featuring dual band 3G technology for fast and easy
downloads and browsing and quad-band GSM for worldwide roaming, the Nokia
6500 classic delivers state-of-the-art connectivity options for the most
demanding of customers. A full 1 GB of internal memory means that the
Nokia 6500 classic has capacity for far more pictures, videos, contacts,
songs, messages and other content than the vast majority of other mid-
tier mobile phones.

Nokia's dedication to usability is also evident in the Nokia 6500
classic. The Nokia Series 40 interface, familiar to millions of users
around the globe, provides easy access to the powerful feature set,
including a 2 megapixel camera with dual LED flash and an integrated
music player. Furthermore, a unified micro-USB connector simplifies
charging, audio and data connectivity by consolidating them into a single
compact port. This allows for the Nokia 6500 classic to be easily used as
a high-capacity flash drive or to be charged directly from a laptop
computer - all with one cable.

The Nokia 6500 classic is expected to be available during the 3rd quarter
of 2007 at an estimated retail price of €320 before taxes and subsidies.

Nokia 6500 slide

Featuring an enthusiast-quality 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss
optics and the ability to easily share pictures, videos and even video
calls on a television, the Nokia 6500 slide brings unsurpassed levels of
imaging and sharing to the mid-range market. Additionally, the Nokia 6500
slide delivers a refined tactile experience with its elegant brushed
stainless steel finish and smooth slide mechanism.

The 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics found in the Nokia 6500
slide marks the first time that mid-range camera phone consumers have
been able to experience the outstanding imaging capability of Carl Zeiss
optics. The addition of autofocus, a dual LED flash and 8x digital zoom
optimizes the Nokia 6500 slide for creating high-caliber images. Using
the speed of 3G technology, these images and videos can be quickly shared
with friends around the world, while the TV-out jack allows them to be
instantly viewed on any television with standard RCA inputs. The TV-out
feature can also be used to allow an entire group of people to
simultaneously enjoy the fun of video calling.

Fashioned to stand apart from the crowd, the Nokia 6500 slide
incorporates a number of design elements not often found in a mid-range
device. Ensuring that the sophisticated brushed stainless steel body
retains its timeless beauty, a unique hard coating helps to prevent
scuffs, scratches, and even fingerprints. Precision engineering of the
slide mechanism means that the Nokia 6500 slide feels solid in the hand,
yet moves with a smooth, fluid action to create a decidedly upscale user
impression.

The Nokia 6500 slide is expected to be available during the 3rd quarter
of 2007 at an estimated retail price of €370 before taxes and subsidies.

For more information, please visit www.nokia6500series.com
Press photos also available at www.nokia.com/press/photos
Fact sheet available at www.nokia.com/A4140021

About Nokia

Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and
growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia
makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences
in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business
mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment,
solutions and services for communications networks.

Media Enquiries:

Nokia, Mobile Phones
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 45753

Nokia Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34900
E-mail: press.office@nokia.com

www.nokia.com

Source

Nokia 8600 Luna

Espoo, Finland - Building upon a tradition of crafting its most unique and prestigious phones from trend-setting materials like chrome, stainless steel and titanium, Nokia today unveiled the Nokia 8600 Luna, which has been precision engineered from the same material that has inspired both artists and craftsmen for centuries- glass.

The melding of nearly opaque smoked glass with unique, soft-touch stainless steel makes the Nokia 8600 Luna as enchanting to behold as it is a joy to touch. Adding to its mysterious allure, a gentle keypad illumination pulsates from beneath the glass case while the phone awaits a call. Combined with the warmth of its glass and stainless steel body, this "heartbeat" transforms the Nokia 8600 Luna from an inanimate object into a trusted companion with an organic, virtually alive form. When a call does beckon, the signature slide movement is carefully balanced to smoothly raise the ergonomic keypad from within its glass cocoon.

"An obsession to every detail marked each step in the development process of the Nokia 8600 Luna. We took painstaking effort to ensure that the experience delivered by every surface - from the smoothness of glass against the face to the warmth of stainless steel in the palm to the superior tactile feedback of the keypad - would surpass any and all expectations," said Heikki Norta, Senior Vice President, Mobile Phones, Nokia. "Even the name holds special significance. Much like the Nokia 8600 Luna that we named in her honor, Luna, the goddess of moonlight, was often represented by the Romans as a mysteriously captivating beauty encircled in a soft, yet radiant light."

The balance of aesthetics and ergonomics found in the design of the Nokia 8600 Luna continues in its well thought out feature set. Nokia's first use of a single micro-USB port not only allows for a streamlined design free of extraneous indentations, it allows owners to streamline common activities - like charging, audio and data connectivity - into a single connection. Quad-band GSM support also allows owners to easily stay connected while they are on the road, while the large, bright display is perfect for sharing images captured with the 2 megapixel camera.

The Nokia 8600 Luna is expected to be available during the 2nd quarter of 2007 at an estimated retail price of €700 before taxes and subsidies.

For more information, please visit www.nokia8600luna.com.
Press photos also available at www.nokia.com/press/photos.
Fact sheet available at www.nokia.com/A4140021.

About Nokia
Nokia is the world leader in mobility, driving the transformation and growth of the converging Internet and communications industries. Nokia makes a wide range of mobile devices and provides people with experiences in music, navigation, video, television, imaging, games and business mobility through these devices. Nokia also provides equipment, solutions and services for communications networks.

Media Enquiries:

Nokia, Mobile Phones
Communications
Tel. +358 7180 45753

Nokia Communications
Tel. +358 7180 34900
E-mail: press.office@nokia.com

www.nokia.com

Source

Nokia Siemens Networks wins Contract from Aircel to Build and Operate Greenfield GSM Network

The contract includes turnkey deployment of the latest multi radio flexi base station platform and managed services. The value of the contract is Rs. 300 crore and runs for two years.

Nokia Siemens Networks today announced that it has won its first contract from Maxis Group, India, which operates under brand name of Aircel, to build a greenfield GSM network in Kolkata. The Rs. 300 crore contract includes supply of GSM/EDGE equipment, implementation, project management and managed services, such as operating and maintaining the network infrastructure. Nokia Siemens Networks will deploy latest state-of–the-art equipment like Flexi base stations, mini-ultra base stations, 3GPP-based mobile softswitching solution including MSC Servers and Media Gateways PDH, SDH. The network will be supported by the multi-technology, multi-vendor NetAct network and service management system, and will be ready for commercial operations by December 2007.

Commenting on the partnership, Sandeep Das, CEO, Maxis, said: “Today’s announcement is another step in our efforts to build a strong GSM network footprint for Aircel across the world’s fastest growing mobile market. The roll-out of our network in Kolkata will further consolidate our position in East India.” He added “We chose Nokia Siemens Networks as they met our three key criteria – protecting our network investments against technology obsolescence, extensive managed service experience and speedy network deployment within our timelines.”

Added Rohit Chandra, CEO North & East, Aircel, “Our partnership with Nokia Siemens Networks will provide us with the latest GSM technologies such as the multi-radio Flexi Base Station Platform that will not only help us provide services today but will also makes our network ready for 3G and WIMAX services as and when the regulation permits.”

“This contract is special as it is our first contract with Aircel, and we’re very pleased about it,” said Mr. Ashish Chowdhary, Head India Sub-region, Nokia Siemens Networks. He added, ”We would also like to congratulate Aircel on its innovative approach to the provisioning of mobile services in a greenfield network by going for Managed Services right from the start. This will not only help them in achieving OPEX savings but also allow them to focus on their customers’ acquisition and service strategies from the first day of commercial operations.”

GSM radio access networks delivered by Nokia Siemens Networks are connecting more than 1 billion subscribers globally. Nokia Siemens Networks provides solutions for fast and cost-effective GSM network rollout and deployment, both critical success factors for operators building businesses on new growth markets. Nokia Siemens Networks is also the indisputable leader in EDGE today in terms of references and commercial deployments.

About Aircel
Aircel, now part of Maxis Communications Berhad, Malaysia, is among the leading mobile service providers in the Telecom Circles of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, North East and Assam with a GSM subscriber base of approx. 6 million. Aircel operates its services in 9 Telecom Circles of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Assam, North East, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh & Bihar. Aircel has 14 new licenses to rollout its GSM cellular services across India besides getting the license to provide International Long Distance (ILD) and National Long Distance (NLD) telephony services. For more information, please log on to www.aircel.com

About Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is a leading global enabler of communications services. The company provides a complete, well-balanced product portfolio of mobile and fixed network infrastructure solutions and addresses the growing demand for services with 20,000 service professionals worldwide. The combined pro-forma net sales of €17.1 billion Euro in fiscal year 2006 make Nokia Siemens Networks one of the largest telecommunications infrastructure companies. Nokia Siemens Networks has operations in some 150 countries and is headquartered in Espoo, Finland. It combines Nokia’s Networks Business Group and the carrier related businesses of Siemens Communications.

In India, Nokia Siemens Networks' operations include Sales & Marketing, Research & Development, Manufacturing and Global Networks Operations Centre. Headquartered at Gurgaon, the company has presence in over 170 locations across the country.

Source

VOIP support for the Nokia N95 from WiFiMobile

LONDON, May 3 -- Mobile VOIP provider WiFiMobile have announced the release of their latest software Version 751 which provides complete support for the Nokia flagship handset, the Nokia N95.

With the much awaited Nokia N95 device now widely available on the market, users will be able to make VOIP calls either over Wi-Fi or through a 3G network. WiFiMobile's OneFone software is fully supported on any Nokia N95, whether it be unlocked or network branded due to the inclusion of a full SIP stack in the application. In addition the software provides presence information in the form of a buddy list.

The Nokia N95 and indeed other select Nokia S60 devices can also be used as an extension to a corporate IP PBX system. This allows IT/Telecom Managers to carefully control their company's continuously escalating mobile phone costs. IT Managers can re-program VOIP parameters for all of their employee's mobiles at the touch of a button.

CEO and Telecoms expert Gerry O'Prey says "This is good news for customers of all mobile network operators. Mobile VOIP is rapidly becoming a must have feature in top end cellular phones."

About WiFiMobile
WiFiMobile was formed in 2002 in Santa Monica, California and has recently opened a European office in the UK. Founder and CEO Gerry O'Prey was instrumental in the nineties by helping to liberalise the European land line telecoms market. Since then his main focus has been developing software for Nokia S60 smartphones to facilitate calls over a WLAN network and over 3G networks. The company is poised to achieve phenomenal growth in the next year as a pioneer in the rapidly evolving mobile VOIP market.

Source

Carphonewarehouse releases the Nokia 8600

The new Nokia 8600 mobile phone is available to pre-order on the Carphonewarehouse's website. With no official announcement from Nokia the 'Black. Beauty.' has snuck onto the handset scene with little fanfare. A more affordable little brother to Nokia's 8800 (and certainly more affordable that the gold-smothered Sirocco version), the 8600 has certainly got the looks – all smooth edges and rounded corners boasts a stainless steel body, and a "unique smoked glass sliding cover".

Specs for the quad-band phone include a 2-megapixel camera on the back, video recorder, 128MB of built-in memory for storage, a multimedia player for a wide variety of music formats, FM tuner, stereo Bluetooth compatibility, email software, Java games and a mobile internet browser.

Carphonewarehouse's pre-order service is promising delivery of the phone for next week…

Source

Carphone Warehouse has added the Nokia 8600 to its handset range this week. Available on an O2 750 Leisure contract priced at £329 the 8600 is aimed at the fashion phone market and has an unremarkable feature set including 2 megapixel camera and 128MB memory with MP3 player.

This is what CW had to say in the pre-release anouncement:

The Nokia 8600 mobile phone isn't merely fashionable: it's elegant as well. The rounded corners and smooth features give it an almost-futuristic appearance - as does the easy-to-read high-resolution display screen. And the whole thing is wrapped in a stainless steel body with a unique smoked glass sliding cover that protects the keypad but still enables you to access the phone's main functions.

Best of all, inside this sleek device you'll discover all the familiarity and quality of a Nokia handset. It starts by putting a 2 megapixel camera on the back, which lets you capture photos that are good enough to print. There's also a video recorder, along with 128MB of built-in memory for storage.

When it's time for more entertainment, the Nokia 8600 offers a multimedia player for a wide variety of music formats (and an FM radio, too). Plus there's stereo Bluetooth compatibility, email software, Java games and a mobile internet browser.

So if you're looking for the latest fashion icon, ignore the catwalk and take a look at mobile phone design instead. With quad-band coverage and its distinctive styling, the Nokia 8600 is going to turn heads… because it's an international supermodel!

Source

The Nokia 8600 Luna Preview...

Although not yet announced by Nokia, details of the sliding Nokia 8600 phone have now been released by the Carphone Warehouse group who say the the 8600 will be available from 30th May onwards, exclusively to CPW and its companies throughout Europe such as the Phonehouse, OneStopPhoneShop and e2save.

Clearly closely modelled on the Nokia 8800 Sirocco, the 8600 is a stylish slider phone aimed at fashion conscious consumers and executives. Featuring an unusual smoked glass sliding cover, the Nokia 8600 certainly scores well for "wow factor". Other features are a general improvement on the 8800 series, with a 240x320 pixel display, quad-band GSM support for worldwide roaming, and the Nokia 8600 also has a 2 megapixel camera, 128MB of internal memory and an FM radio.

As well as the stylish semitransparent cover, the Nokia 8600 features quite a lot of stainless steel in its construction which brings the weight up to a heft 140 grams while adding significantly to the 8600's structural strength. Despite the weight, the Nokia 8600 isn't a 3G device although it does have 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM with GPRS and EDGE. Of course, the Nokia 8600 also has Bluetooth and an MP3 player.

One major limitation is the lack of any memory expansion - the Nokia 8600 just has the 128 MB of internal memory and no more can be added. The 8800 suffered from a similar problem. This means that the available memory can fill up pretty quickly with photos and music tracks which limits the enjoyment to be had from the handset a little. The battery life isn't great either, with just 3.5 hours talktime and 10 days standby time.

Despite the shortcomings, one thing that the Nokia 8600 will have is common with the original 8800 and later 8800 Sirocco is looks, and the overall design and usability of the 8800 has appealed to many people in the past. This device certainly won't suit everyone - especially when you take price into consideration - but it is appealing in many ways.

The Carphone Warehouse say the that the Nokia 8600 should be available from the 30th May 2007 on the O2 network in black, exclusively to them at launch.

Source

The Nokia 8600 Luna...

The 8600 is on its way to Carphone Warehouse as an O2 exclusive – we've got all you need to know Well, we can confirm one thing about Nokia’s hush-hush 8600 (aka Luna or Black Magic) that we first spied back in April: it is coming out, and soon.

To recap, the Luna is essentially a budget-premium handset to nestle into the Finnish phone line-up as a more affordable alternative to the pricey 8800 Sirocco.

Shots of it have been appearing all over the web, as well as a few pre-release handsets cropping up on eBay. And we now have it that the phone will be making its first appearance at the Carphone Warehouse on O2 for a six-week exclusive.

We had a hands-on with a very exclusive pre-production model delivered by ninjas that revealed the baby 8800 will have a smoked glass effect slide-down plastic keypad cover, a 2MP camera, FM radio and 1GB on-board memory on its Series 40 OS. Sadly it’s not 3G but Nokia's also boasting about an 'organic' user interface, for which you can read 'swirling, random graphics' (pictured).

Word is, it could be out as soon as tomorrow at the House of Mowbli. Start queuing now people.

Source

Samsung Electronics to provide LCD panels to Nokia

Samsung Electronics is supplying LCD panels for mobile phones for world`s No. 1 mobile phone company Nokia. Upon this opportunity, Samsung Electronics is expected to catch up with current No. 1 Sharp in 10" and less panel market including mobile phones.

"Samsung Electronics` LCD Department is recently registered as Nokia`s new vendor. We will provide LCD for mobile phones as early as the end of this year," said Samsung Electronics Official.

It is known that Samsung Electronics will provide more than 20 million units a year. It is over 21% of its small/medium sized LCD panels sold last year including mobile phones which was 92 million units.

Nokia is sharing 35% of the world`s mobile phone market by selling 350 million units a year. Since only a few companies, such as Sharp, EID, TMD, ST-LCD, and Samsung SDI, are currently supplying LCD panels for Nokia, Samsung Electronics expects to add its annual supply up to 50 million units.

"Though Samsung Electronics tried several times to supply LCD panels to Nokia, which is the biggest client, Nokia turned it down every time, based on the fact they are competing each other. The reason why Nokia changed their position is because it is having difficulties owing to its price competitiveness decreasing and difficulties in insuring the supply," said an industry official.

Along with this, Samsung Electronics is said to supply premium mobile phone LCD panels (LTPS, Low Temperature Poly Silicon), which will be produced from this month at 4th generation line, to Apple for its new mobile phone `iPhone` which will be released in next month.

Source

$500 million 'Idea' deal for Nokia Siemens Networks

Idea Cellular, an Aditya Birla Group company, signed a $500 million network expansion deal with Nokia Siemens Networks. The pact will enable the GSM service provider to expand its network in the country.

The two-year contract, which includes supply and services of GSM and intelligent network equipment, also includes deployment of towers and media gateways.

Under the contract, Nokia Siemens Network will set up GSM, general packet radio service (GPRS) and Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) networks for Idea. This will help the company expand its coverage across six circles of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (East), Uttar Pradesh (West), Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Nokia Siemens Networks will deploy infrastructure for flexi BTS, mini-ultra base stations and connectivity servers, among others.

According to Idea Cellular Managing Director Sanjeev Aga, “This expansion is a part of our larger growth strategy to take our services to more consumers by penetrating deeper in the circles we operate. This will allow us to more than double our existing capacity and reach out to thousands of new population centres in these circles.”

Nokia Siemens Networks is a joint venture between Nokia’s Networks Business Group and the carrier-related businesses of Siemens Communications.

Source

Nokia introduces the 3109 Classic

Nokia this morning finished the week with the introduction of the 3109 Classic. Thought of as a balance between the basics and useful features, the phone includes Bluetooth and a microSD slot for its built-in music player but strips out any sort of digital camera; the choice suits both those who don't want to pay for the excess of a camera or businesses where photography could be a security risk, Nokia says. The phone also boasts other slightly above-basic features such as an e-mail client and speakerphone. Battery life is rated at 4 hours of active talk time and 16 days on standby.

The company says the 3109 Classic should be ready for Europe before the end of spring at a price of $189 before taxes or carrier plans. North American announcements were absent with the announcement, and the company didn't indicate its network range. However, the phone's similarity to the 3110 (which lacks 850MHz GSM support) suggests that the device will remain European-only in its current form.

Source

Nokia Phones to start saving money....

.....enough to power 85000 homes annually.

HELSINKI (Reuters) - Your mobile phone could soon be prompting you to save energy by unplugging the phone's charger when the battery is full, an initiative Nokia said on Thursday it would roll out across its device range.

Mobile phones sounding a beep and displaying an alert -- "Battery is full, please unplug the charger" -- could save enough electricity to power 85,000 homes annually, Nokia said.


The phone maker has previously said it had agreed with other mobile industry companies on measures to reduce energy consumption and reduce pollution in the sector as part of a project in partnership with the European Commission.

Nokia said the unplug alerts are set to first appear on its 1200, 1208 and 1650 phone models.

Source

Nokia N95 VS the Helio Ocean....

I know these phones are in two completely different classes, but I thought it would be fun to compare the two. Especially, since the Helio Ocean is about to be released this week.
Check out the unboxing of the Ocean here.........

The Nokia N95 (Image from Tech2):

The Helio Ocean:

	Nokia N95	Helio Ocean
Screen size	2.6 inches	2.4 inch
Screen resolution	320x240	240 x 320, 260K colors
Input method	Keyboard	QWERTY keyboard
Operating system	Series 60 (3rd edition)
Storage	160 MB of internal storage. Up to 2 GB available via a MicroSD memory card	200MB internal memory expandable via microSDTM
		with USB Mass Storage Mode
GSM	HSDPA / GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	Use the Sprint Network - CDMA
Wireless data	GPRS / HSCSD / EDGE / 3G / WLAN / Bluetooth / Infrared port	3G / Bluetooth / EV-DO network support
Camera	5.0 MegaPixels	2.0 Megapixel
Battery	Stand-by - Up to 220 h	5.1 hours of Talk Time
	Talk time - Up to 6 h 30 min	15 hours of Audio Playback
Dimensions	99 x 53 x 21 mm, 90 cc	4.33 x 2.20 x .86 inches
Weight	120 grams	159 grams
Price	$1,089	$295
Official Website	Nokia Nseries	Helio Ocean

Wayfinder's Services to be Preinstalled on Nokia N95 GPS 3G Phones

Never get lost again.....

5th May - Mobilkom austria and Wayfinder announced the launch of the most powerful and easy to use Navigation solution, A1 NAVI, on the Nokia N95 phone with built-in GPS.

The latest version of A1 NAVI, that is based on Wayfinder Navigator 7 comes equipped with top of the line map 3D map experience, Wayfinder Power Search (patent pending technology) that enables the users to search in many databases simultaneously, night mode that adapts the color and light strength of the screen and other user friendly services that will greatly enhance the user experience.

The offering is bundled into a fixed price per month including unlimited usage of the attractively priced service.

"At Wayfinder we are excited about the introduction of phones with built-in GPS which will greatly simplify the user experience of phone based navigation. It is also becoming more common that operators choose to pre-install our services on phones with built-in GPS", says Magnus Nilsson, CEO Wayfinder Systems AB.

A1 NAVI will be available on Nokia N95 in June 2007.

Wayfinder Navigator 7 will also be available on Nokia’s E90 phones with built-in GPS from the Communicator series.

"At A1 we are convinced that the introduction of phones with built-in GPS will dramatically increase the usage of location services in general and navigation in particular. Together with Wayfinder we are taking the next step in the direction of quickly growing the user base of such services", says Dr. Hannes Ametsreiter, Director of Marketing, Distribution and Customer Services, mobilkom austria.

Nokia starting to struggle in India

This news is a little bit contradictory to the previous one....

Nokia somewhat struggling in the Indian market

Nokia is the world’s largest mobile phone maker. They also have the largest market share in the Indian market. However, the company seems to be losing its market share to rivals including Motorola in the recent times.

Market sources claim that Nokia’s Indian market share has dropped from a high of 80% market share between May-July 2006 to roughly 67% at present.

India continues to remain one of the fastest growing mobile markets in the world. We are adding between six to seven million mobile subscribers every month and Nokia has a reason to worry if they cannot maintain their domination in the market.

D Shivakumar, VP and MD, Nokia-India said in a statement on their presence in the Indian mobile market: “We account for roughly two-thirds of the five to six million/month GSM handset sales in India.”

Motorola and Sony Ericsson comes second with around 10-12% market share each. Motorola has been quite successful in the recent times with their Razr, Slvr and other cheaper mobile phone products.

Shivakumar added on the company plans: “We have gained share in the last few months. We intend to further grow the market and then hold our share.”

Source

Nokia to ramp up production in Chennai, India

Nokia to sell more 'Made in India' phones....

NEW DELHI: Having shipped more than 25 million phones in one year, Finish mobile phone giant Nokia is planning to ramp up its production capacity at its Chennai factory and is looking at increasing its market share.

"Our current market share in India is very very healthy and it is improving," Soren Pterson, Senior Vice President, Entry Business Unit Mobile Phone, Nokia, told PTI.

Asked whether Nokia plans to invest further to ramp up its capacity, Peterson said "from the Chennai factory we shipped more than 25 million phones. We are very happy with the performance. It is running just as per our plans."

"I expect that we shall increase the capacity. But how much and when and what what will be the investment, we are looking at all these issues," he added.

Currently, from the Chennai factory, which was set up more than a year ago with invest plan up to 150 million dollar over four years, Nokia is shipping 80 per cent of the phones in the domestic market while the rest 20 per cent is being exported to neighbouring countries.

Asked whether Nokia was exporting phones to Pakistan from India, Peterson said "no. We are not sending Indian manufactured phones to Pakistan.

We always keep in mind the trade regulations of countries and take decision accordingly."

Last week there was a news that Pakistan would not accept Nokia phones manufactured in India.

Source

A look at the Nokia N95

From Consumerreports.org, a look at the Nokia N95. Everyone wants one, but can it beat the iPhone ?

Product: Nokia N95

Carrier: None yet, but designed to work on GSM networks

Price: $750, unlocked

Availability: Now, through independent retailers and Nokia direct

What it is: The Nokia N95 is a very expensive smartphone that crams many features and capabilities into a small package. It connects over a wireless GSM network for voice calls and text messaging. It's also compatible with a high-speed (HSDPA) wireless data network.

At 3.9x2.1x0.8 inches (HxWxD) and 4.3 ounces, it is smaller than most of the smartphones we've tested. Despite that, its features include: 5-megapixel digital camera, secondary camera for self-portraits and video calls, 2.6-inch color display, digital music player, FM radio, and GPS navigation capabilities.

Here's what our researchers also found while testing the N95:


HIGHS

A very capable camera. The N95 looks--and handles--like a digital camera. It has a built-in flash, auto-focus capability, and an image stabilizer. It can capture full-motion (30 frames per second) "DVD-like" digital video. What's more, activating the N95's camera function is as easy as opening the lens cap. Picture quality produced by the phone's primary 5-megapixel sensor (and Carl Zeiss lens) was much better than expected. Prints were much better than those from other camera phones we've seen, though not quite as good as what you can expect from a good dedicated digital camera.

Plenty of connections. Even compared with other smartphones, there are more options to get digital video, photos, and music to and from the phone. You can transfer files using the phone's built-in MicroSD slot (and included 1GB MicroSD memory card), an included USB cable, or wirelessly using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The phone also has PictBridge capability, which allows you to print digital images directly (without a computer) to printers that feature that technology. You can also display images and video on any TV using the phone's "TV out" connection and included cable. You can use any typical stereo headphones with the phone's built-in 3.5-mm audio connection to listen to music. But to talk on the phone with a hands-free headset, you have to use either the included audio adapter or Bluetooth.


LOWS

Hobbled office applications. Surprisingly, unlike other advanced smartphones, the N95 doesn't allow you to create, edit, or save common work files such as text documents and spreadsheets. You can only open and view them.

Keyboard conundrums. Data entry is not the N95's strong suit. Not only does it lack a touch screen common on other advanced phones such as the Palm Treos and the soon-to-arrive iPhone, but it's also missing the QWERTY keyboard that's standard on other smartphones (even quite basic models). To type text messages, you have to use the characters embedded in the phone's standard dial-pad, which we found cumbersome and somewhat difficult to read in bright light.

Below-average battery life. We're still evaluating how long the N95's battery actually lasts. But Nokia's claimed talk time--up to 210 minutes--is less than that of other GSM smartphones we've tested.


THE BOTTOM LINE

The Nokia N95 might be worth considering if you're tired of carrying around a cell phone and a digital camera--and you're willing to pay a hefty $750 to own a device that works as both very capably. (The price will likely drop in exchange for a service commitment, should any carrier decide to offer the phone as part of a plan.) While we're still testing the phone's voice quality, we expect it to be good, based on tests of previous Nokia phones such as the N80. But be prepared to compromise on some other aspects of performance, including possible shorter talk times, composing e-mails and text messages with a cramped keyboard, and the inability to create and edit common office files, such as documents and spreadsheets.

Source

7 New Nokia Phones in India

They'll be here in July....

Nokia today announced 7 new entry-level phones for the Indian market.

The new phones include: the Nokia 1200 and 1208, the Nokia 1650 and 2660, the Nokia 2505, and the Nokia 2630 and 2760.

Speaking at the launch, Soren Petersen, Senior Vice President for Mobile Phones, Nokia, said, India is very important to Nokia, and to the global mobile communications industry as a whole.

Petersen said, one of the fastest growing markets in the world, India is also home to several Nokia facilities, including R&D and manufacturing.

The Nokia 1200 and 1208 sport new phone-sharing and call-tracking technology, and are aimed at first-time mobile phone users.

Both comtemporary phones, the Nokia 1650 and 2660 are an attempt at marrying functionality and attractive design.

The Nokia 2505 is one of Nokia's sleekest looking fold-style phones for the CDMA market. A unique smooth-back design makes the phone ergonomic enough to both hold and ferry around in a purse or pocket.

At a mere 9.9mm, the Nokia 2630 could qualify as the thinnest handset in Nokia's armory. Both the 2630 and the 2760 are designed for the fashion-conscious, while retaining Nokia's easy-to-use feature set.

All 7 phones will be available in the second half of this year, most likely after June. They will be priced between EUR 35 and EUR 90, which translates anywhere between Rs 1,925 and Rs 4,950.

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The Nokai N93i

Wow, the N93i looks amazing.....
Might even consider this over the iPhone, despite the cost ($1,072.78 to $1,103.00 )

By Paul Marc Rañon

When we were kids, we were all fascinated by the Transformers and the battles between the heroic Autobot leader Optimus Prime and evil Decepticon leader Megatron.

But for the Nokia N93i, there is more than meets the eye. Although considered the successor of the N93, the slimmer, silver-colored N93i is a combination of an impressive camera and sheer flexibility.

The N93i measures 108 x 58 x 25 millimeters and weighs 163 grams. The phone supports UMTS/GSM 900/GSM 1800/GSM 1900 networks and is equipped with a Symbian OS 9.1 S60 3rd edition.

Its primary internal display is a TFT 16M QVGA color screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels. The N93i has a secondary 65K color OLED external display screen with a 128 x 36 pixel resolution.

One noticeable feature of the N93i is its keypad, wherein we got the impression that Nokia was quite inspired by the Motorola RAZR keypad concept which is fast becoming the standard among other phone manufacturers.
Nokia N93i
Although we liked the N93's keypad better than the keypad on the N93i, Nokia chose in favor of a metal plate with a barely-there tactile feedback. This choice helped reduce the casing thickness but compromised the keypad's tactile feel.

The N93i has a Pop Port and miniSD card slot that can be found on the side of the phone. They are protected by a drop-out latch made of plastic. The overall design and layout of its controls are better and handier than the N93.

The device opens up just like a normal clamshell phone -- camcorder-style for photos and videos, and laptop-style for browsing and watching -- similar to the N93. It has a simple joystick for ease of use when shooting videos.

The N93i is equipped with a 3.2 mega pixel camera with flash that can take photos at a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels. The lens is made by Carl Zeiss Optics and has an auto focus feature and 3x optical zoom.

As for video capture, the N93i has the ability to record DVD-like (VGA to be more specific) quality videos at 30fps. For video calls, the phone has a secondary CIF camera that allows users to chat with their loved ones rather easily.

The N93i has built-in bundled software called the Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0. This allows the mobile user to edit and/or join videos directly in the phone itself. With this phone digital film making has transcended boundaries.

All the photos and videos you've taken during those special occasions can be viewed directly on your TV. The inclusion of the TV out cable support in the N93i package makes this possible. The phone also supports PAL and NTSC standards.

A user can choose from two display settings for the on-screen menu, 16:9 or 4:3. Once plugged, it recognizes instantly, and pictures or videos appear on both the handset and the TV. Aside from that, you can also play Java games that are pre-installed in the N93i.

The N93i has PictBridge support wherein photos taken using this device can be printed directly via your favorite printer. This can be done by plugging the N93i to the printer using the bundled USB 2.0 cable.

With its built-in infrared and Bluetooth connectivity feature, a user can send single or multiple photos taken by the N93i. We tested this by sending several images to a Canon ES-1 portable printer and we were very impressed with the result.

Aside from the mentioned data transfer connectivity features, the N93i has GPRS Class 32, HSCSD (via PC dial-up), EDGE Class 32, 3G (at 384 kbps), and Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g (sorry, no HSDPA). Getting connected and surfing the Internet has never been this good or cool.

Although the N93i has these advanced features, the phone has basic features that include SMS, MMS, email, Instant Messaging (IM), and a WAP 2.0/xHTML for browser basics. We have to note that texting can be quite tricky at first, but you can get used to it in time.

If you worry about the juice on this phone, the N93i comes with a hot-swappable 1GB miniSD card when you buy the package. And for those who are purists about internal memory, the phone is packed with 50MB for mass storage function.

The N93i has a built-in music player feature that supports most music formats including MP3, AAC (for iTunes lovers), eAAC+, AAC+, M4A, MPEG-4 ACC LC, LTP, MP3, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, 64 polyphonic MIDI, and WMA.

Transferring music files can be done by full synchronization with Windows Media Player while the N93i is connected to your favorite desktop or notebook PC via USB. The phone music library function sorts all music files by genre, artist, or album.

If you're worried about missing out on your favorite DJs on air, well, the good news is that the N93i has a stereo FM radio feature. Users won't have excuses about not listening to their favorite rock tunes or going mellow with love songs (with their BF or GF of course).

Despite all of the features of the N93i, we're sure that you'll ask about its battery life. For starters, the N93i is powered by a Lithium-Ion 950mAh (BL-5F) standard battery. It has a charging time of 2 hours, talktime of 3 hours, and a standby time of 7 days, depending on usage.

What we're concerned about is that heavy users may complain about the battery life, especially among amateur digital mobile filmmakers. The N93i managed to capture 40 minutes of digital video before the battery died. We hope that Nokia will address this little dilemma.

Overall, the Nokia N93i has an impressive arsenal of multimedia features and unparalleled connectivity. Even though it has a few shortcomings, the Nokia N93i sports a superb screen, optical zoom, excellent Web browsing, and has great video quality. As Optimus Prime would say, Autobots, transform and roll out! I wish I could have one of these.

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