Nokia unveils the N96 and N78
Hot, headline-grabbing handsets
Mobile World Congress The eagerly-awaited successor to the the popular N95 was at last unveiled in Barcelona this morning. Details of the N96 - the latest addition to Nokia's smartphone range - were leaked before the weekend, and they weren't far wrong.
The dual-slide handset sports a 2.8in display, 16GB of internal memory that can be further expanded with an optional Micro SDHC card - like the new Nokia 8GB Micro SDHC card.
N96: Nokia says it's more of a "multimedia computer" than a mobile
The N96 also offers a DVB-H TV tuner for live TV broadcasting in select markets and it supports most common video formats including MPEG 4, Windows Media Video and Flash Video. And the handset features a "kickstand" on the back that allows the device to stand alone for hands-free viewing.
Hands-free viewing
It also features media keys, a 3.5mm headphone connector and built-in 3D stereo speakers plus the Nokia Maps application with Assisted GPS, a five-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, flash and video light and video capture. It has Wi-Fi and HSDPA connectivity.
The N96 is expected to begin shipping in the third quarter of 2008 with an estimated pre-tax sales price of approximately €550.
N78: now with "novelty" features
In addition to unveiling the new flagship N96, Nokia has also announced the N78 handset, designed to take advantage of the new Ovi suite of Nokia services. It features A-GPS, with free Nokia Maps, Wi-Fi and 3G HSPDA connectivity, a 3.2-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, and support for Micro SD memory card, currently available up to 8GB in capacity.
According to Nokia, the "novelty" features of the N78 include the geographical tagging of photos and an integrated FM transmitter that allows music to be played on any FM radio, in a car or at home.
The N78 is expected to be available during the second quarter of this year, with an estimated pre-tax retail price of around €350.
Mobile World Congress 2008 Complete Coverage here
COMMENTS
the soft-buttons
What is it with Nokia putting the soft-buttons so far away from their label on the screen? Why can't they put them on either side of the 'Nokia' brand or put the brand on top of the screen?
TV Licensing
Actually battery powered TVs are not exempt, they are just covered by your home TV licence. If you don't have a home TV licence, then (IMHO and IANAL) you will have to pay. Also (as I read it) if you watch TV on your phone at some other location *and* have it plugged into the charger, it's no longer "battery powered" and so would have to have a licence at that location (except there are exceptions for caravans and various other things)
To quote
"It makes no difference how you watch TV - whether it's on your laptop, PC or mobile phone or through a digital box, DVD recorder or TV set - if you use any device to receive television programmes as they're being shown on TV, the law requires you to be covered by a TV Licence."
The link is too long, but it's on the TV Licensing website under the FAQ "Do I need a TV Licence if I only watch programmes online?"
re: tv license
<Just a thought, but will the addition of a TV Tuner require the owner to also shell out for a TV License?>
No, Portable ie battry powered tv's are excempt from tv licensing :)
Phones for small fingers
So yet again, Nokia produce big fat phones with microscopic buttons you need a biro to press. Click, bzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
tv license?
Just a thought, but will the addition of a TV Tuner require the owner to also shell out for a TV License?
