The Nokia N900 is priced at SGD 999. Collection of your pre-ordered Nokia N900 can be made on 27 and 28 March 2010 from Nokia Stores at the following locations: ION Orchard, Parkway Paradise S.C., Century Square S.C., Funan DigitalLife Mall, Causeway Point S.C., Suntec City Mall and Jurong Point S.C.

As an additional incentive exclusive to pre-order customers, Nokia is offering training sessions to demonstrate the Nokia N900’s key features and ensure that Nokia enthusiasts get the most out of their device. Pre-order customers can drop by the Nokia Store @ ION Orchard for the training sessions. They are held on Saturday and Sunday on the following dates and time slots:

Date: 27, 28 March 2010 & 3, 4 and 10, 11 April 2010

Time: 1pm to 2pm, 2.30pm to 3.30pm and 4pm to 5pm

To learn more about your Nokia N900, book your place for one of these sessions by contacting our Hotline (9899 7715) between 9am and 6pm, from Monday to Friday.

About the N900

The Nokia N900 has evolved from Nokia’s previous generation of Internet Tablets and broadens the choice for technology enthusiasts who appreciate the ability to multitask and browse the internet like they would on their desktop computer.

Running on the new Maemo 5 software, the Nokia N900 empowers users to have dozens of application windows open and running simultaneously while taking full advantage of the cellular features, touch screen and QWERTY keyboard. Designed for computer-grade performance in a compact size, Maemo complements Nokia’s other software platforms, such as Symbian, which powers Nokia’s smartphones.

The Nokia N900 packs a powerful ARM Cortex-A8 processor, up to 1GB of application memory and OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration. The result is PC-like multitasking, allowing many applications to run simultaneously. Switching between applications is simple, as all running content is constantly available through the dashboard. The panoramic homescreen can be fully personalized with favorite shortcuts, widgets and applications.

To make web browsing more enjoyable, the Nokia N900 features a high-resolution WVGA touch screen and fast internet connectivity with 10/2 HSPA and WLAN. Thanks to the browser powered by Mozilla technology, websites look the way they would on any computer. Online videos and interactive applications are vivid with full Adobe Flash(TM) 9.4 support. Maemo software updates happen automatically over the internet.

Messaging on the N900 is easy and convenient thanks to the full physical slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Setting up email happens with only a few touches and the Nokia Messaging service mobilizes up to 10 personal email accounts. Text message or IM exchanges with friends are shown in one view and all conversations are organized as separate windows.

The Nokia N900 has 32GB of storage, which is expandable up to 48GB via a microSD card. For photography, the Maemo software and the N900 come with a new tag cloud user interface that will help users get the most out of the 5MP camera and Carl Zeiss optics.

The Nokia N900 goes on sale at selected Nokia Stores from 27 March 2010 with a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of SGD 999.

Summary

• The Nokia N900 is available for pre-order in Singapore from now till 26 March 2010.
• To pre-order online, customers can visit: www.nokia.com.sg/n900/preorder.
• The Nokia N900 will go on general sale from 27 March 2010.
• The RRP of the Nokia N900 is SGD$999.

Nokia N900

Nokia N900 Screen

Specifications

• Processor: ARM Cortex-A8 600MHz
• Memory: Up to 1GB (256MB RAM + 768MB virtual memory)
• System: WCDMA 900/1700/2100 (HSPA), EGSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• OS: Maemo 5
• Dimensions: 110.9 x 59.8 x 18 mm (L x W x H) *19.55 mm at camera area
• Weight: 181 g
• Display: 3.5 inch widescreen (800×480 pixels) touch
• Battery: Nokia Battery BL-5J, 1320 mAh
• Storage: Up to 48GB (32 GB on-board, 16GB expansion via microSD memory card slot)
• Video playback: H.264, MPEG-4, Xvid up to WVGA (800×480) resolution in 25fps. WMV up to VGA resolution in 30fps. Flash Video streaming in browser
• Music playback: MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, M4A, WAV, WMA
• Main Camera: Carl Zeiss Tessar Lens
• Image capture: Up to 5 megapixels (2584 x 1938) JPEG/EXIF (16.7 million/24-bit color)
• Video capture: MPEG-4 WVGA (800 x 480) at up to 25 fps
• Aperture: 2.8
• Focal length: 5.2
• Flash: Dual LED camera fash and video light

Operating Times

• Always online: Up to 2-4 days (TCP/IP connected)
• Talk time: Up to 5hrs WCDMA, 9hrs GSM
• Active online usage: Up to 1+ day

Connectivity & Data Services

• WLAN IEEE 802.11b/g with UPnP support
• BT 2.1 with support for stereo headsets
• Integrated FM transmitter
• Integrated GPS with A-GPS
• Nokia AV connector 3.5mm for audio input/output and TV out
• Micro-USB 2.0 high speed for file transfers and charging

Nokia N900 QWERTY Keypad

Thoughts

• The N900 is VERY responsive because of the ARM Cortex-A8 processor
• The ability to multitask and run background programs is a plus point, the product manager tried running up to 27 background applications and it doesn’t lag
• It support flash
• Interesting gesture to zoom in and out using the browser. Swirl clockwise to zoom in and swirl anti-clock wise to zoom out
• No dedicated hardware button to access the menu
• Need 3 steps to access other menus. Need to press the “application window” icon, then followed by the “6 squares” icon and then the “more” icon
• The apps are open source, hopefully this will encourage more developers to develop for Maemo
• Supports updating of 3rd party apps easily
• Incoming notification such as SMS are non-obtrusive, it will appear for a while at the top then fade away
• It is 1.5x thicker than iPhone because of the slide out QWERTY keypad, but the height and width is about the same
• Price is pretty steep if directly converted from the USD$649 RRP

More Photos

Flickr: Nokia N900 Blogger Preview

Nokia N900 UI Walkthrough

I have only copied relevant part from the press release and pasted it here to share with you guys.

Nokia N97 Mini

Lifecasting will premiere on the new Nokia N97 mini, companion to the successful Nokia N97. Designed with a social and style-conscious consumer in mind, the Nokia N97 mini is a smaller mobile computer with stylish stainless steel cues, featuring a tilting 3.2″ touch display, QWERTY keyboard and fully customizable homescreen that makes each Nokia N97 mini as unique as a fingerprint. The Nokia N97 mini delivers a truly personal internet experience in a compact handset based on the iconic design of the Nokia N97.

Jonas Geust, Vice President of Nokia Nseries, commented: “People want to bring their physical and online worlds together via the internet. The Nokia N97 mini is designed for this new social internet and to help navigate people and places. With lifecasting, the Nokia N97 mini and Ovi usher in the next chapter of personal and location-aware internet.”

Lifecasting with Ovi will be available for both the Nokia N97 and Nokia N97 mini via Nokia Beta Labs. The Nokia N97 mini features new software which will be released in October as a free update for the Nokia N97. The new software brings compelling new experiences to both devices, including new homescreen widgets and additional usability improvements including flick scrolling.

The Nokia N97 mini is powered by a new Ovi Maps experience which makes searching, finding and navigating even easier. In addition to global pedestrian navigation, people can access premium content from Lonely Planet, Michelin and Wcities, turning the Nokia N97 mini into the world’s smallest travel companion.

Users can personalise the homescreen of their device even further with thousands of different applications and services available from the Ovi Store. From games, videos and podcasts to productivity tools and web services, Ovi Store is the easiest way to fill the Nokia N97 mini’s homescreen with applications that reflect individual tastes. The Nokia N97 mini is expected to begin shipping in October 2009 for an estimated retail price of EUR 450 before taxes and subsidies.

Press Photos: Nokia N97 Mini

Nokia X6

Pioneering new ways for the world to experience music, Nokia today announced the launch of the new Nokia X6. Capable of playing up to 35 hours of music, the Nokia X6 is a powerful entertainment device, combining 32GB of on-board memory with a slick 3.2″ finger touch interface.

The ultimate device for music lovers and social butterflies, the Nokia X6 has a 16:9 widescreen optimised for photos, videos and browsing. With direct access to Ovi Store, the Nokia X6 is a hive of activity that brings 20 friends and virtual communities, like Facebook, to your homescreen.

Jo Harlow, Vice President, Nokia, commented: “The Nokia X6 and Comes With Music is a powerful combination, enabling music fans to download all the music they could ever want – quickly, easily and for free. We’re giving people convenient access to and ownership of a vast music library and an exciting new touchscreen device to play their music on.”

Press Photos: Nokia X6

Nokia X3

The new Nokia X3 also joins Nokia’s music portfolio. The Nokia X3 is designed for music lovers and is the first Series 40 Ovi Store-enabled device. The Nokia X3 is a sleek and compact music device that comes with stereo speakers, built-in FM radio, and a 3.2 megapixel camera.

To make the most of the entertainment experience, Nokia introduced the Nokia Mini Speaker MD-9, a pocket-size speaker for big sound, and the Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-505, an ergonomic and lightweight neckband headset for great music and call audio quality also in noisy environments.

The Nokia X6 has an estimated retail price of EUR 450, with the Nokia X3 retailing for an estimated EUR 115. Prices are before taxes and subsidies, and both devices will ship during the fourth quarter of 2009.

Press Photos: Nokia X3

Press Release: Nokia seizes social internet and amplifies music experience

Press Shots

Maemo 5 injects speed and power into mobile computing
The new Nokia N900: Computer-grade performance in a handset

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today marked the next phase in the evolution of Maemo software with the new Nokia N900. Taking its cues from the world of desktop computing, the open source, Linux-based Maemo software delivers a PC-like experience on a handset-sized device.

The Nokia N900 has evolved from Nokia’s previous generation of Internet Tablets and broadens the choice for technology enthusiasts who appreciate the ability to multitask and browse the internet like they would on their desktop computer.

Running on the new Maemo 5 software, the Nokia N900 empowers users to have dozens of application windows open and running simultaneously while taking full advantage of the cellular features, touch screen and QWERTY keyboard.

“With Linux software, Mozilla-based browser technology and now also with cellular connectivity, the Nokia N900 delivers a powerful mobile experience,” says Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Markets, Nokia. “The Nokia N900 shows where we are going with Maemo and we’ll continue to work with the community to push the software forward. What we have with Maemo is something that is fusing the power of the computer, the internet and the mobile phone, and it is great to see that it is evolving in exciting ways.”

Designed for computer-grade performance in a compact size, Maemo complements Nokia’s other software platforms, such as Symbian, which powers Nokia’s smartphones.

“Just as Nokia continues to expand and diversify its device portfolio, so it is deploying multiple platforms to allow it to serve different purposes and address different markets. While we have seen continued growth in Symbian as a smartphone platform, Maemo enables Nokia to deliver new mobile computing experiences based on open-source technology that has strong ties with desktop platforms,” says Jonathan Arber, Senior Research Analyst in Consumer Mobile at IDC.

More multitasking with Maemo

The Nokia N900 packs a powerful ARM Cortex-A8 processor, up to 1GB of application memory and OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics acceleration. The result is PC-like multitasking, allowing many applications to run simultaneously. Switching between applications is simple, as all running content is constantly available through the dashboard. The panoramic homescreen can be fully personalized with favorite shortcuts, widgets and applications.

To make web browsing more enjoyable, the Nokia N900 features a high-resolution WVGA touch screen and fast internet connectivity with 10/2 HSPA and WLAN. Thanks to the browser powered by Mozilla technology, websites look the way they would on any computer. Online videos and interactive applications are vivid with full Adobe Flash™ 9.4 support. Maemo software updates happen automatically over the internet.

Messaging on the N900 is easy and convenient thanks to the full physical slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Setting up email happens with only a few touches and the Nokia Messaging service mobilizes up to 10 personal email accounts. Text message or IM exchanges with friends are shown in one view and all conversations are organized as separate windows.

The Nokia N900 has 32GB of storage, which is expandable up to 48GB via a microSD card. For photography, the Maemo software and the N900 come with a new tag cloud user interface that will help users get the most out of the 5MP camera and Carl Zeiss optics.

The Nokia N900 will be available in select markets from October 2009. The Nokia N900 will be displayed at Nokia World, Stuttgart, on September 2. More information on Maemo is available at maemo.nokia.com.

I predict the next device to be announced will be the N97 Mini. For some reasons, Mobile Review always have the first hand review of unannounced Nokia devices, I am starting to believe that Nokia seed them with the phones “officially” to generate the news and the hype.

Official Site: http://maemo.nokia.com
Press Release: Maemo 5 injects speed and power into mobile computing

Lets hope Singapore gets this!

Powered by the efficient Intel Atom processor, the Nokia Booklet 3G delivers impressive performance with up to 12 hours of battery life, enabling people to leave their power cable behind and still be connected and productive. Delivering the rich experience of a full-function PC inside an ultra-portable aluminum chassis, the new mini-laptop weighs 1.25 kilograms, measures slightly more than two centimeters thin, and has the features one would expect from the world’s leading mobile device manufacturer. A broad range of connectivity options – including 3G/ HSPA and Wi-Fi – gives consumers high speed access to the Internet, including Nokia’s broad suite of Ovi services, and allows them to make the most of every moment and every opportunity.

“A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility,” said Kai Oistamo, Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices. “We are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us. Nokia has a long and rich heritage in mobility and with the outstanding battery life, premium design and all day, always on connectivity, we will create something quite compelling. In doing so we will make the personal computer more social, more helpful and more personal.”

The mini-laptop also comes with an HDMI port for HD video out, a front facing camera for video calling, integrated Bluetooth and an easily accessible SD card reader. Other premium features include the 10-inch glass HD ready display and an integrated A-GPS which, working with the Ovi Maps gadget, can pinpoint your position in seconds and open up access for a truly personal maps experience. The Nokia Booklet 3G also brings a number of other rich Ovi experiences to life, whether its access and playback of millions of tracks through the Nokia Music Store, or using Ovi Suite to sync seamlessly from your Nokia smartphone, to your mini-laptop, to the cloud.

The Nokia Booklet 3G will widen the Nokia portfolio, satisfying a need in the operator channel, and bringing another important ingredient in the move towards becoming a mobile solutions company.

Further information, including detailed specifications, market availability and pricing, will be announced at Nokia World on 2nd September 2009.

Nokia Conversations: Nokia Booklet 3G mini laptop unveiled

Teach a Technophobe – Challenge #4

The 4th challenge involves using a camera to record a video to spread your views on the E75’s email capability. Since my mom is a little camera shy, she do not really want to face the camera. So I thought why not ask my mom to use the E75 to record a video of something and then email me the video so that I can upload it to YouTube.

We are thinking of what to record and we finally decided to record a video of my dad’s pet birds “chirping”.

With the 4th challenge completed, my mom and I have completed the Teach a Technophobe challenges by WOM World. For the past 4 weeks, it has been fun teaching my mom to use the email capabilities in the E75. I also picked up a few things along the way.

Thank you WOM World!

Teach a Technophobe – Challenges Completed

Looking Back:

• Challenge #4
• Challenge #3
• Challenge #2
• Challenge #1

By Nelson Wee

The Nokia Ovi Store showcase was to give bloggers a brief on the Ovi Store. Ovi Store supports up to 75 devices (even those 3 years ago models) running S60 or S40 OSes. When you launch the Ovi Store, it will detect your device and will only show applications that are compatible with your devices.

More Than Just Applications And Games

Nokia Ovi Store is not just about applications and games but it also includes Audio (podcast), Video (trailers, clips), Flash channels (screen savers) and Personalization (ringtones, wallpapers).

Ovi Store Applications

They also showcase some of the very interesting apps to us, the most interesting one to me was the app eyeSight. If you are in a meeting and forgot to silence your phone which is placed on the table, when the phone rings, just wave your hand above your phone and it will be silent automatically. Cover the earpiece with your hand and once you remove your hand, it will send a pre-configured SMS to the person who called you! Pretty neat application.

Downloading A Paid Application

The main highlight yesterday was the application buffet! They pass us their Stahub SIM cards, place it in your own Nokia phone and login to your Ovi Store account. Next, you can download ANY paid apps you like for free to your Nokia devices!

There is a Singapore Ovi Store which of course the prices of the apps are listed in SGD and they also allow you to pay by operator billing (Starhub only at the moment). By default if there is no localize Ovi Store in your country, the price listed will be listed in Euros and you are only allowed to pay by credit cards.

I did ask what will happen to N-gage, they say N-gage will still focus on games which are multiplayer based. But I think eventually they will move all the games to Ovi Store.

This challenge is slightly more complicated and even I myself have to figure it out for sometime before I can teach my mother. It involves sending a location using email on Nokia Ovi Maps as well as attaching a picture of my mom.

As I have used N82 before, I know how the maps software works and that is the tedious part. I heard about Nokia Ovi Maps 3.0 quite sometime back and decided to upgrade the current version which is 2.0 to 3.0 and after that I need to install Singapore Map to Ovi Maps using Nokia Map Loader.

After getting everything ready, I was fiddling with Nokia Ovi Maps 3.0 to figure out how to send my current location. I found it it was pretty easy (press the middle button and choose send). Now the tough part is how to add photos to it. I solve the photo problem by taking a picture first then sending my current location in Maps and when the Create Email screen pops up, I went to Add Attachment and browse for the photo I have taken. Once everything is set, it is pretty easy to pass on the “instructions” to my mom.

1. Take a picture of yourself
2. Open up Maps
3. Under Options, choose My Position
4. Press the middle button, choose Send and then Via Email
5. Create Email screen will appear
6. Under Options, choose Add Attachment
7. Choose Memory Card -> Images -> Camera -> 200907 -> 200907A0 -> Choose the last file
8. And you are done!

Teach a Technophobe – Challenge #3

Email With Image And Location Attachment (Photo & Address Removed)

Teach a Technophobe: Challenge #1, Challenge #2

Teach a Technophobe – Challenge #2

Email With Image Attachment

Teach a Technophobe: Challenge #1

4 Challenges In Total

The First Challenge (Setting Up Email)

I guided her throughout the setting up of the email and she managed to set up her email on the E75 within 15 minutes. It is slightly more complicated than setting up a Gmail/Hotmail/Yahoo Mail account on it as we need the incoming and outgoing mail server address.

I told her to press the camera shutter button to capture the screenshot as she goes from step to step so that I can document it down.

Setting Up Email In E75 #1

Setting Up Email In E75 #2

Setting Up Email In E75 #3

Setting Up Email In E75 #4

Setting Up Email In E75 (Done)

Email Received

Now waiting for the second challenge, which should arrive next week =D

Gallery: Nokia Teach a Technophobe

Photos

1 of the E75 comes in a briefcase!

After opening 3 layers, you get a red E75

The other E75 came in a normal box

Nokia E75

Gallery

Video

Nokia Europe: Nokie E75

Nokia N97 makes THE internet YOUR internet
Nokia new Nseries flagship puts your personal internet experience into your pocket

SINGAPORE, 5 June 2009 – The highly-anticipated Nokia N97 finally arrived in Malaysia and Singapore to much fanfare at a unique Web-themed launch party held at the Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. Guests were treated to an immersive Internet experience that combined all the Nokia N97 has to offer – social networking, localised Web widgets and application, multimedia capabilities and a personal touch that exemplifies the S60 5th edition touch experience.

As the new N-series flagship device, the Nokia N97 brings the features and power of a mobile computer to a compact, pocketable package.

“The Nokia N97 is an important step towards our vision of delivering a highly personalized Internet experience,” said Chris Carr, Vice President of Sales, South East Asia Pacific, Nokia. “Fuelled by a multitude of media and applications through the Ovi Store, the Nokia N97 transforms the Internet into an experience that’s completely tailored to the tastes and interests of its user.”

Ovi Store on board
The Nokia N97 is the first device to ship with Ovi Store, a one-stop shop for a full catalog of applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services, and much more. Ovi Store has paid and free content from a range of global and local content providers and developers, including Facebook, Hi5, Paramount Pictures and Qik, as well as Twitter applications.

“Social networking is also key to what the Nokia N97 is bringing to the table which is why we created a customised Facebook experience for the Nokia N97. By connecting users to their friends on platforms like Facebook and Friendster, we’re doing what we do best – connecting people,” said Vlasta Berka, General Manager, Nokia Singapore / Malaysia & Brunei.

Enjoy your upgrades
The beauty of this Nokia device is that taking it out of the box is just the beginning. As with a desktop PC, people can constantly improve and refresh their Nokia N97 with new features, functions and fixes so they can do even more with the device. An exciting roadmap of new features and functions is planned to roll out in the second half of 2009.

Entertainment ensured
The Nokia N97 also has direct access to the huge catalog of music in the Nokia Music Store (available in Singapore). With multiple high-speed connectivity options and 32GB of storage (up to 48GB using a microSD card) it is possible to directly download and store tens of thousands of songs on the handset.

High-quality images and video clips at 30 frames per second (fps) can be captured using the 5 megapixel camera with integrated Carl Zeiss optics. Images can also be geo-tagged to specific locations and shared instantly with friends or uploaded online via Ovi Share, Twitter, Flickr or Facebook.

In Malaysia and Singapore, the Nokia N97 will come with three months’ navigation license.

In Singapore, consumers will also have the opportunity to purchase a version of the Nokia N97 which will have Comes With Music service, giving them one year of unlimited music downloads.

The recommended retail price for the Nokia N97 is RM2,480 in Malaysia and SGD1,028 (without Comes with Music) or SGD1,228 (with Comes with Music) in Singapore.

Official Website: Nokia Singapore N97

The sensitivity of the screen is just average due to the technology used. If I am not wrong, the N97 is using a resistive screen to cater for a wider audience with many different methods of input instead of a capacitive screen and hence scrolling or “flickering” is not as smooth as iPhone. That is the only complain I have. In terms of responsiveness, I felt that it is more responsive than the iPhone. Typing on the mini QWERTY keyboard is quite smooth for me as the keys are not clustered together.

Of course the iPhone has a much thinner body but the length of both phones is above the same. The width of the N97 is much smaller than the iPhone.

There will be a few applications that is catered specially for the Singapore Market and it will be included in the default package at launch time. Applications include Straits Time, Golden Village (GV), SG Buses and a taxi application.

The N97 will be launching in June, should be before the mid of June 2009. The retail price is not yet know, but I estimate it to be about SGD$1200 or less without subsidy. In the mean time you can check out http://www.nokia.com.sg/n97, this will be the official Nokia N97 website in Singapore.

Gallery

Video
I kinda suck when it comes to video recording, sorry about that, there are 3 videos that I took on the Nokia N97.

Today, there was a blogger event showcasing Nokia Messaging on Nokia Eseries phones such as the E71, E63, E66 and the E75. Setting up an email has never been easier, just need two things, your email address and your email password and Nokia Messaging will automatically try to determine your IMAP settings (default is IMAP and not POP3) based on your email address. If you are using Hotmail or Yahoo Mail, you are able to use the IMAP services on Nokia Messaging even though you are not Hotmail/Yahoo premium paying customers. Do note that you are not connecting to the mail severs straight but you are going through Nokia servers and then Nokia servers will query the mail servers on your behalf. Similar to how BlackBerry works. You are allowed up to 10 email accounts (non-corporate) on the Nokia Messaging.

I did raise a question, what if your IMAP settings are not found in the Nokia Messaging server, the answer is that the user will have to key in the settings manually after Nokia Messaging fails to detect your IMAP settings. Also this service is not free, you are required to sign up with Singtel MobileM@il Plus in order to enjoy this service. MobileM@il Plus comes with a 10MB data plan as well. The normal subscription price is SGD$17.86 per month. M1 and Starhub will be rolling out the Nokia Messaging service as well.

On a side note, Nokia E75 is already commercial available in the market since 18th April 2009 at at RRP of SGD$768 without any operator plan.

Phones!

The Enhanced Email Application in E75

Press Release: SingTel delivers Nokia Messaging to Singapore consumers

What Is Nokia Messaging?
Nokia Messaging makes mobile email easy and mobilizes consumer email across a range of Nokia S60 devices. Nokia Messaging enables users to quickly set up, access, and use their email on their Nokia devices through a service that is optimized for mobile email. For more information, check out the Nokia Messaging FAQ.

SingTel Delivers Nokia Messaging To Singapore Consumers

New data plan for consumer email service for Nokia E63 is a first in Asia

Singapore – SingTel and Nokia will deliver Nokia Messaging on the Nokia E63 with special data plans for SingTel mobile subscribers in Singapore to drive mobile messaging adoption for its customers using Nokia devices. SingTel will be the first operator in Asia, and among the first in the world to launch this offering on 4 April 2009.

As a special introductory offer, SingTel subscribers who purchase a Nokia E63 device with a MobileM@il Plus data plan for two years at S$5.35/month will have the Nokia Messaging built-in push email service included without additional charge. (Normal subscription price is S$17.86).

MobileM@il Plus also comes with a bundle of 10MB data and PhoneSafe – a mobile phone security solution that lets customers lock phone, backup and delete important data such as emails from phones remotely.

“SingTel is pleased to be the first telco in Asia to partner Nokia to introduce Nokia Messaging. More and more customers – even non-business users – are looking for a reliable service that allows them to have email pushed easily to their handsets while on the move,” said Mr Yuen Kuan Moon, SingTel’s Chief of Consumer.

“This new Nokia Messaging service offers all consumers a chance to enjoy push email services on their phones, previously only available to business users with corporate email. With just a single application and SingTel’s new MobileM@il Plus, our customers can manage multiple email accounts anytime, anywhere. When used on the Nokia E63, Nokia Messaging makes it effortless to set up a push email account, providing an unprecedented ease of use and convenience to our customers. Coupled with SingTel’s unrivalled 3G network, they will enjoy a superior mobile email experience and remain connected easily”, said Mr Yuen.

“We want to make mobile messaging as ubiquitous as voice or SMS. Nokia Messaging gives people a simple and affordable mobile access to the world’s most popular email in the marketplace. We believe mobile messaging is a critical, must-have feature, and we deliver mobile messaging solutions to the broadest range of devices, all easily activated with a few clicks,” said Vlasta Berka, General Manager, Nokia Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei.

Nokia Messaging mobilises consumer email on Nokia devices, to give millions of consumers access to email accounts from Yahoo! Mail, Windows Live Hotmail, Gmail, and SingNet email as well as email solutions from thousands of ISPs around the world on Nokia devices.

To mobilise their email account, all users have to enter are their email address and password, and emails are seamlessly pushed to their preferred Nokia device. Nokia Messaging also makes it simple to read, send, forward and reply to emails, download and read attachments, and attach files to emails directly on their Nokia device.

SingTel MobileM@il Plus plans for the Nokia Messaging solution will also be offered across other Nokia devices including the Nokia E75 which will be available very soon.

Links

• Nokia Singapore
• Nokia E63
• Nokia Messaging
• Singtel

Media Pass

Nokia XpressMusic 5800 Press Release

Singapore – Nokia announced today that the highly anticipated Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is finally in Singapore and will be sold as a Comes With Music device at Nokia Branded Retail stores and local operator stores from tomorrow, February 28, 2009.

The latest in Nokia’s XpressMusic range of devices, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic delivers an affordable music device with a touch screen interface to the mass market.

Consumers in Singapore will be the first in the world to get their hands on the device when it hits the stores and wow local music lovers with its promise to deliver good music into the hands of millions. The Nokia 5800 Comes With Music in red and blue will be available from tomorrow, Saturday, Feb 28 at the recommended retail price of S$798. The silver-black version will be sold from mid-March onwards.

“People all over the world want a music device that offers a great music experience and still works really well as a mobile phone without sacrificing any features. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is all these in a very attractive package, and what’s more, in Singapore it will be shipped with our industry-leading Comes With Music service, and this makes it a truly must-have device for music lovers and youth in Singapore”, said Vlasta Berka, General Manager, Nokia Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei.

Nokia also announced today that the Comes With Music service is now ‘live’ and Singapore is the first market in Asia to enjoy this. For the cost of a Comes With Music device, people will be able to download millions of free tracks from the Nokia Music Store catalogue over a year. Best of all, they will get to keep all their downloaded music after the service period is up.

Bringing music loud and clear to youth and music lovers all over the island, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic offers all the music essentials including a graphic equalizer, 8GB memory for up to 6000 tracks and support for all main digital music formats, and a 3.5mm jack. Built-in surround sound stereo speakers offer the industry’s most powerful sound to pump up the volume of your music.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic delivers easy and fast access to all music, video and photos through a one-touch ‘Mediabar’ drop down menu. The Media Bar also offers a direct link to the Web and to online sharing. Because the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic supports Flash content, individuals can surf the entire world wide web. The innovative ‘Contacts Bar’ lets people highlight four favorite contacts on their home-screen and, through a single touch, track a digital history of recent text messages, emails, phone logs, photos and blog updates.

For the best screen resolution available on a mobile phone, the 3.2″ widescreen display brings photos, video clips and web content to life in vibrant color and true clarity. With a 16 by 9 aspect ratio and 30 frames-per-second playback and recording, the device is ideal for VGA quality video recording and playback. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic also features a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens and, with a single touch, images or videos can be shared via a favorite online community, such as OviShare, Flickr, or Facebook.

Ensuring a seamless music experience, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic also provides easy access to browse and purchase tracks from the Nokia Music Store, while the newly updated Nokia Music PC software allows for easy drag-and-drop transfer of songs and management of any music collection.

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic supports 60 languages worldwide and offers a variety of input methods including a virtual alphanumeric keypad, a virtual computer-style QWERTY keyboard, a pen stylus — and for true music enthusiasts, a guitar plectrum — are all available.

Nokia’s first mass market touch screen device, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is already selling in other markets worldwide and as of January 23, 2009, Nokia announced that it has already shipped its millionth Nokia 5800 XpressMusic device.

Nokia Comes With Music Press Release

Singapore – Nokia today announced that its Comes With Music service is now live in Singapore, making it the first market in Asia where it will be available, after the service was launched in the United Kingdom last October.

Local music lovers will now be able to enjoy unlimited downloads* of million of free tracks from Nokia’s online music store for the cost of a Comes With Music enabled device over a year. The most revolutionary part of this offer is that people get to keep all their downloaded songs, even after the service period is over, and enjoy a truly dynamic and seamless music experience on both their PC and mobile devices, as they can download music from their PC or directly to their devices.

People can choose from an estimated four million tracks on the local Nokia Music Store catalogue, comprising a diverse range of major and independent labels carrying both international and local content across genres from jazz to blues, to hip hop, soul, funk, pop, indie, grunge and even kids and soundtracks from movies.

Comes With Music is widely supported by international labels such as, EMI Music, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Warner Music, as well as Asian independent labels such as Ocean Butterflies and Rock Records.

Asian music from artists such as Sing Shi (石欣卉), Huang Jing Lun (黄靖伦), Liang Wen Ying (梁文音), Rainie Yang (杨丞琳), Da Mouth (大嘴巴), Khalil Fong (方大同) are available with Comes With Music, among many more.

In Singapore, consumers will be the first in the world to get their hands on the Nokia 5800 Comes With Music available in red and blue which will be available from tomorrow, Saturday, Feb 28 at the recommended retail price of S$798. The silver-black version will be sold from mid-March onwards.

Comes With Music editions of the Nokia N96 in black (RRP S$1238), Nokia N85 in cherry black (RRP S$938), and Nokia N79 in petrol black (RRP S$858) multimedia computers, as well as the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic in grey (RRP S$618) and Nokia 5220 XpressMusic in titanium (RRP S$558) will also be sold at all Nokia Branded Retail stores from tomorrow.

“We are very excited to bring this music offer to Singaporeans on so many device models to suit different consumer segments across various price points. Particularly in these trying economic times, Comes With Music delivers exceptional value to music lovers who can stay connected to the music they like, yet no longer worry about the cost of purchasing music by single tracks or album. The freedom and simplicity of the service is unparalleled. What’s more, the music is legal and is yours to keep,” said Vlasta Berka, General Manager, Nokia Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei.

Pictures From The Event

Official Site: Nokia Comes With Music (Singapore)
Official Site: Nokia XpressMusic 5800

Showcase Nokia 2009 Pass

Nokia E75

Nokia E75 Press Images

The E75 is the exact clone of E51 just that it includes a slide out full QWERTY keypad. Thickness wise, it is not much thicker and it sports a 3.2MP camera. It is mean to be a scaled down version of E71. But personally, I will choose E71 over this anytime!

• Nokia E75 Official Site
• Nokia E75 Datasheet
• Nokia E75 Specification
• Nokia E55 & E75 Press Release

Nokia E55

Nokia E75 Press Images

I think the E55 looks much nicer than the E51, it is meant to replace the aging but popular E51. The keypad needs a lot getting used to, due to the fact it is a half QWERTY. In other words, each number of the keypad will only correspond to only 2 letters instead of the usual 3 on the normal keypad. The feel of it is solid but give me a very plastic feeling instead of the E51 which gives me a metal feeling. Thickness wise, it is still as thin as the E51 and sports a 3.2MP camera instead of the 2.0MP camera in E51. I seriously love the design, it reminds me of the smaller version of E71.

• Nokia E55 Official Site
• Nokia E55 Datasheet
• Nokia E55 Specification
• Nokia E55 & E75 Press Release

Nokia N86 8MP

Nokia N86 8MP Press Images

I think the Nokia N86 8MP was not announced in the Nokia event at Mobile World Congress (MWC) yesterday But it was announced in Singapore yesterday at Showcase Nokia 2009. The embargo is till 4pm today, but apparently nobody conveyed to me about this during the event. The only time I get to know that there is an embargo is from a text message from Text 100 saying that the press release within the thumbdrive given to us stated that the embargo date/time is in the long file name of N86. Upon double checking it, there is indeed the embargo and hence I removed the N86 portion of the blog post. The filename column of my Windows Explorer is not even wide enough to see the full filename and that is why I never notice it. But if I didn’t check the press release thumb drive (normally I don’t), I will still publish the blog post, photos and video that I took of the N86.

The N86 is Nokia first’s 8MP camera (Sony Ericsson has release 12MP one). Actually MP doesn’t matter because you are not going to print that large photos anyway and they do take up a lot of space. Personally I think 3.2MP is the idea one. It is the quality of the lenses and the flashlight that matters. The N86 has something called the “automatic aperture control” which controls the size of the aperture automatically depending on the surrounding lighting. It has a dual LED flash to support poor lighting during video recording. Personally I prefer the Xeon flash from N82 over dual LED anytime as I don’t know how many people actually use dual LED for video recording. I think people tend to take more photos than videos on a phone.

Design wise, it is similar to Nokia N97 design style but I think that N97 design is much better. Personally, I think that the N86 is set to replace N82 + N85!

Both the Nokia N86 8MP and N97 will be out before June 2009 accordingly to the spokes person. Finally the N97 prototypes are in Singapore, few days ago when I was at the Nokia Office, the N97 protos were not there yet.

• Nokia N86 8MP Official Site
• Video Of Nokia N86 8MP
• Nokia N86 8MP Datasheet
• Nokia N86 8MP Specification
• Nokia N86 8MP Press Release

Showcase Nokia 2009 Gallery

Revolutionary digital music offer will be available on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia 5320 XpressMusic and Nokia 5220 XpressMusic devices, as well as the Nokia N96, Nokia N85 and Nokia N79 multimedia computers.

Singapore – Nokia will deliver music loud and clear to local music lovers with its revolutionary Comes With Music service when it is launched in Singapore in the coming weeks, making it the first market in Asia where it will be available.

The service will be delivered on its newest and highly anticipated Nokia 5800 XpressMusic device – which will begin shipping in Singapore very soon – as well as on Comes With Music editions of the Nokia N96, Nokia N85 and Nokia N79, as well as the Nokia 5320 XpressMusic and 5220 XpressMusic devices.

Consumers in Singapore will be the first in the world to get their hands on a Comes With Music-enabled Nokia 5800 XpressMusic when it hits the stores.

Nokia’s pioneering Comes With Music service offers consumers a new and revolutionary way to discover and download music, revamping their entire digital music experience. Consumers can buy a Nokia Comes With Music-enabled device and be able to download millions of free tracks from the Nokia Music Store catalogue over the course of a year*. What’s more, they get to keep ALL their downloaded music from the diverse catalog of music from international and local artists – even when the service period is over.

“Comes With Music sets a truly industry-leading precedent in consumer value and convenience that others are already following. Especially in these trying economic times, music lovers can stay connected to the music they like, yet no longer worry about the cost of purchasing music by single tracks or album. The freedom and simplicity of the service is unparalleled. Comes With Music is revolutionary simply because all your downloaded music is yours to keep”, said Vlasta Berka, General Manager, Nokia Singapore, Malaysia & Brunei.

“Nokia Comes With Music is also coming to Singapore through a wide and popular device range across different consumer segments covering various price points, because at Nokia, our vision is to connect people to the music they want, anytime and anywhere”, he said.

Nokia Comes With Music is already live in the United Kingdom and on the Nokia N96, Nokia N95 8GB, Nokia 5310 XpressMusic and will be available on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic later this year.

Source: My Email

What is Nokia Comes With Music?
Taken from the press release:

“Comes With Music sets a precedent for consumer value and convenience that the rest of the digital entertainment industry is already copying,” said Andrew Connell, Head of Entertainment & Communities Category Management, Nokia. “The freedom and simplicity of the service is unparalleled. Comes With Music gives you unlimited access to the millions of tracks in the Nokia Music Store and the music is all yours to keep – because its not a revolution unless you get to keep your music.”

Nokia plans to roll out the commercial Comes With Music service in Singapore and Australia in Q1 2009. These markets follow after the United Kingdom which will be the first Comes With Music market with sales starting this month.

EMI Group has joined as the latest major label to support Comes With Music, in addition to Universal Music Group, Sony BMG Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group. In Singapore, Comes With Music will be supported by prominent Asian independent labels, Ocean Butterflies Music and Rock Records Singapore. “We are very pleased to also have leading Asian labels as part of our Comes With Music offering for Singapore consumers. This will allow our consumers to enjoy even more localized music as long as they want, anytime anywhere”, said Grant McBeath, General Manager for Singapore.

Comes With Music offers one year of unlimited access to the entire Nokia Music Store catalogue and customers can keep all the music that they have downloaded at the end of the year to continue enjoying their music collection. Comes with Music will be available across a range of Nokia devices, including the new Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia N95 8GB and Nokia 5310 XpressMusic.

Summary, taken and updated from previous blog post:

• It is a pre-paid service that is bundled to Nokia mobile phones. Currently available on the 5310 XpressMusic, N95 8GB and 5800 XpressMusic
• You need to pay a little bit more for the bundled phones
• Prices for Singapore is still unknown at the moment
• You get 1 year of unlimited music downloads through Nokia Music Store
• The music you downloaded, you get to keep it after the 1 year
• It is DRMed and hence the format is in WMA
• Music is sync between your computer and mobile phone and hence only one registered computer AND one registered mobile phone is allowed
• Deactivation of laptops/mobile phones is allowed to a maximum of 4 times per year
• Currently they have 5 million tracks
• Over the air downloading of music tracks is allowed on your mobile phone using WiFi or 3G network

Recap Blog Posts

• Nokia XpressMusic 5800 “Tube” (Exclusive)
• Nokia Remix 2008 Singapore Party
• Nokia Remix 2008 Singapore

Press Release: Nokia Amps Up Music Offering with the debut of Comes With Music and the New Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

Facebook Gallery: Nokia Singapore Office

Press Pictures

Nokia N97

Nokia N97

Nokia N97

Technical Profile

• System: WCDMA 900/1900/2100 (HSDPA),EGSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
• User Interface: S60 5th Edition
• Dimensions: 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm*mm (L x W x H) *18.25 mm at camera area
• Weight: Approx. 150 g
• Display: 3.5 inch TFT with up to 16 million colors, nHD16:9 widescreen (640×360 pixels)
• Battery: Nokia Battery BP-4L, 1500 mAh
• Media
  • Memory: Up to 48GB (32 GB on-board memory, plus 16GB expansion via microSD memory card slot)
  • Video playback: MPEG-4 / SP and MPEG-4 AVC/H.264,up to 30 fps, up to VGA resolution RealVideo up to QCIF @ 30 fps Windows Media (WMV9) up to CIF @ 30 fps
  • Flash Lite 3.0 / Flash Video in internet browser
• Music playback: MP3, AAC, eAAC, eAAC+, WMA
• Main Camera
  • Lens: Carl ZeissTessar
  • Image capture: Up to 5 megapixels (2584 x 1938) JPEG/EXIF (16.7 million/24-bit color)
  • Video capture: MPEG-4 VGA (640 x 480) at up to 30 fps
  • Aperture: F2.8
  • Focal length:5.4 mm
  • Flash: Dual LED camera flash and video light

Press Release

Desktop. Laptop. Pocket: The era of the personal Internet dawns with the Nokia N97
December 02, 2008

Tilting touch display, QWERTY keyboard and personalized home screen – a true mobile computer

Barcelona, Spain – Nokia today unveiled the Nokia N97, the world’s most advanced mobile computer, which will transform the way people connect to the Internet and to each other. Designed for the needs of Internet-savvy consumers, the Nokia N97 combines a large 3.5″ touch display with a full QWERTY keyboard, providing an ‘always open’ window to favorite social networking sites and Internet destinations. Nokia’s flagship Nseries device introduces leading technology – including multiple sensors, memory, processing power and connection speeds – for people to create a personal Internet and share their ’social location.’

Press Release: Desktop. Laptop. Pocket: The era of the personal Internet dawns with the Nokia N97
Specifications: Nokia N97 Datasheet
Detailed Specifications: Nokia N97 Device Details