The Nokia N95 is more than a great camera phone, as it comes with built in GPS and maps included.
Of course there is an MP3 player but it is the 5 megapixel camera on top of the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, connectivity that makes this a not to be missed camera phone.
In a press conference yesterday, that saw Apple revamp it’s entire iPod range, the price of the iPhone, was dropped, nay slashed, by $200 to $399.
Whilst good news for those still looking to buy, it must leave a slightly sour taste for those who have purchased the device only relatively recently at the launch price.
And Steve Job’s view on those who may feel cheated?
That’s technology. If they bought it this morning, they should go back to where they bought it and talk to them. If they bought it a month ago, well, that’s what happens in technology.
In addition, the four-gigabyte model is being discontinued.
Customisable ringtones were also announced, and these will be available through iTunes.
Nokia have today released more information on the eagerly awaited N-Gage application. The expected release date is now set for November 2007 although some new N series phones will come prepackaged with a demo of the software.
Also announced today are details of phones that will initially be compatible with the N-Gage software and these are:
To herald the new launch, the N-Gage website has also been redesigned.
Games that will initially be available are set to include:
And what of the new phones announced? There are two handsets with 8GB memory, the N81 and the N95, although both of these will also be available with lower built in memory and the option to increase it with expansion cards.
The N81 will have dedicated music and gaming keys, a 3.5 mm headphone connector and WLAN connectivity. And for a machine that is hearalding the relaunch of Nokia’s gaming platform, it will also have a 2 megapixel camera built in, something lacking from the original N-Gage handsets.
Have Nokia gone stark staring mad, or is the Prism, a sharp contoured device in a black case with coloured accents, just what mobile phone users are looking for?
The 7500 Prism will have a 2 megapixel camera and with extra micro SD cards can store up to 2 GB ata for the music player, so this phone will appeal to the masses.
The 7900 Prism is slightly less angular, with a unique screensaver option that Nokia are calling ‘living wallpaper’ that will change depending on your use of the phone. There is also a choise of 49 illumination colours. It too will have a 2 megapixel camera.
Micro-vision and Motorola have signed a development agreement that will see the former company develop a projector display for mobile applications.
This could see a tiny laser-based project embedded into your mobile phone that could produce a big screen viewing experience.
This could see smart phones with SD expansion card capability having the ability to carry full-length feature films on a number of interchangeable cards, that could be projected from your mobile onto any convenient viewing surface, such as your living-room wall!
With the growth of mobile TV this could be a killer application for Motorola, and although the terms of the agreement have not been released in the prototype handset is expected to be developed.
Nokia have announced today that a new range of games is to be produced by Mobile Phone Game developer, Digital Chocolate. Whilst there has been little news to excite existing N-Gage owners, this suggests that the Nokia bandwagon may be gearing up to deliver on their relaunch with a new model in the pipeline for later this year, in addition to the N-Gage software platform release.
The games are expected to be released around Autumn time, and will be a selection of card and puzzle games, with built in networking and interactivity features.
A new N-Gage may well include camera features to augment the MP3 and leisure features of the existing models, and would certainly fit in with the other growing N Series Phones.
Nokia have today announced that the N800 Internet phone is to come preconfigured to enable Skype calling. a downloadable also be available to existing N800 owners.
this will give N800 users the option to make free over the Internet calls through the built-in WiFi facilities on the phone.
The cost of purchasing Internet access through WiFi hotspots should be cheaper than using your existing mobile call plan, and with certain broadband providers, notably BT, providing bundled WiFi minutes, this may make Skype a natural addition to the phone.
The Skype upgrade for the Nokia N800 is bundled with the upgrade release to the latest OS 2007 edition. This also includes the Adobe® Flash® 9 browser plug-in and support for largercapacity memory cards. Also promised within this upgrade enhanced online usage times.
The OS upgrade is immediately available from www.nokia.com/N800.
So the iPhone has arrived, and although we don’t yet have one in the UK, the reports from the USA seem generally positive.
With the focus on the iTunes compatability, and the ability to store 2000 songs, the iPhone seems a well built, beautifuly crafted device. There is only one button on the iPhone, on the front, and this takes you to the home screen. Otherwise, all functions are controlled via the touch sensitive screen, with a touch sensitive keyboard built in.
Apple have also packaged YouTube connectivity, via a deal with the site that allows iPhone users to view YouTube original content.
Is this the sort of thing UK consumers want. We will have to wait until later in the year, but Apple hopes that the answer is a big Yes. Depending on Price, and if the US response is anything to go by, they are probably right.
So, with only one day to go until the iPhone finally hits the shops in America, it would seem that the whole of the Internet, or at least the gadgets and technology related website, abuzz with speculation as to how Apple will perform on launch day.
And because of this, the reality is that Apple need to do very little to promote their new product; they have the power of the web to do it for them!and what is more, it is costing them nothing.
And better still, it is this audience, the general public, rather than e-mail obsessed business users, that Apple are hoping to appeal to.
No doubt many people will still be watching Apple very closely, come Friday, particularly the financial institutions, to see if the hype is justified.
Apple have announced the launch date of the new iPhone which will be available in the US from June 29. The cost will be £250 for the 4 Gb model or £300 of the 8 Gb version.
Allowing for a short delay between the release in America and the release in the UK, the iPhone is expected to be on the shelves in good time to the Christmas period.
The new mobile which includes features such as a touchscreen rather than the keypad and a two megapixel camera as well as a personal digital assistant and integrated iTunes media player is based on GSM phone technology rather than 3G.
Apple are already showing TV adverts for the new mobile in the US, which will launch on the AT&T phone network. No mobile operators have yet been announced for the UK.