Nokia launches budget 'iPod killer' music phone

[Hands0n]

"iPod killer" ?? Well, that is a tough order - the iPod is not alone, it has the magnificent iTunes which makes the experience what it is, excellent. So, can Nokia really match Apple's offerings across a range of devices to suit the pocket/requirement?

Read on.

Nokia yesterday launched a trio of handsets, including its latest bid to win business from Apple's iPod and other music players with its a colourful music-friendly handset. It also took aim at the mid-range 3G arena with a clamshell-format 3G smart phone.

The Nokia 6290 runs Nokia's S60 user interface on top of the Symbian operating system to deliver the usual array of features you'd expect from a Nokia smart phone: personal information management, web browsing, email with PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint attachment viewing, and so on.

The clamshell opens to reveal a 2.2in, 240 x 320, 16m-colour display and a basic camera for video calling. Round the back is two megapixel main camera with 4x digital zoom. Nokia claimed the handset delivers up to 3.5 hours' talk time and up to ten days' operation in stand-by mode.

Nokia also unveiled the 6086 camera phone, though its picture taking is limited to a VGA - 300,000-pixel - camera with 4x digital zoom. In its favour, the 6086 has a quad-band GSM radio and supports UMA - in other words, it has Wi-Fi on board so it's ready for network-sanctioned VoIP services.

Nokia claimed the 6086 will let you talk for up to five hours and run for ten days on stand-by.

Nokia 2626 budget music phone

The Nokia 2626 is a budget music phone - it'll retail for a mere €75 ($99/£51) before network subsidies, Nokia said - that will ship in a variety of bright colours and has an on-board FM radio. The price suggests the spec will be basic, and indeed it is: dual-band GSM/GPRS and a 128 x 128, 65,536-colour display. The battery will provide up to three hours' talk time but a whopping 12 days on stand-by.

The 6290 and 6086 are due to ship in Q1 2007 for around €325 ($428/£220) and €200 ($263/£135), respectively. Nokia didn't say when the 2626 will ship. ®

Article Source: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/11...clamshell_etc/

Post Analysis: I don't think so! Apple's ground is safe from Nokia.

[Ben]

I do hope the writer of this article intended 'iPod Killer' to be sarcasm. It's the single most misused term since the iPod arrived!

[gorilla]

It's funny, since I got an MP3 player capable phone (the 6680), I've since added two ipods, a 4th gen 40gb and a 1st gen 2gb nano. I also have a 2gb card in my N80 and also had a 512mb card in the 6680. What's the point? Well choice for starters, I have different music styles on my portables, but all my favourite albums on my phone. Convergence was the big thing a while back and will probably happen some day, but in the mean time I think consumers want it all and that means separates at the minute.