Peek into Nokia's new squad
A view of Nokia Connections, an annual technology event of the handset maker, held in Singapore. Photo: NOKIA
You can term it a carnival, if you like. Loud music, alluring lights and colourful small tents were ready to cater to the needs and queries of the young and enthused gadgets lovers from the Southeast Asia Pacific region. Models in shiny evening gowns, were posing with the newest in Nokia handsets at different tents and booths, while experts described the functions of the products that are to meet the growing habit of social networking of the people of this region. The minute the doors opened, crowds swarmed the carnival at Hotel Conrad Centinnal in Singapore on June 14 to get a first glimpse of the new line up, Nokia X5, Nokia X6 8GB, and Nokia N8. A band of more than 150 journalists and trade analysts were also present. The handsets are going to hit market in the region by the end of this year, while Nokia is optimistic about good sales. And why not, Nokia that owns a 43.1 percent share of the total handset market in the world sold 432 million devices worldwide in 2009, amid the global financial meltdown. "We sold these numbers in a difficult year, in a weak global economy. The number is still more than the combined sales in a year of our top three competitors," said Chris Carr, vice president (sales) of Nokia for the Southeast Asia Pacific region. In fact, it is the 12th consecutive year for the company as the world's largest manufacturer, with 1.2 billion people with a Nokia mobile device in their hands. "This means that these consumers are the ones who have placed their trust in us to help them connect to what matters most -- their friends and family, entertainment, music, email and their social networks," he said. "Whether it's in Australia, Singapore, or in an emerging economy like Bangladesh, our commitment is to bring real value and relevance in all of the markets where Nokia is present. This remains the goal and the promise of the Nokia brand -- to connect people in newer and better ways," added Carr. Nokia N8 - a compelling home entertainment experience Nokia's latest smartphone, Nokia N8, offers the ability to create compelling content, connect to social networks and enjoy on demand Web TV programmes and Ovi Store apps, intuitively connecting users to people, places and services that matter most. With a 12 megapixel camera, Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash, the Nokia N8 offers the ability to record HD-quality videos and edit them with a built-in editing suite. One can enjoy HD quality video with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound, by plugging the device into a home theatre system. Users can also update their status, share location and photos, and view live feeds on Facebook and Twitter in a single application directly on the home screen. The Nokia N8 enables access to Web TV services that deliver programmes, news and entertainment from channels like CNN, E! Entertainment, Paramount and National Geographic. In addition, Nokia has collaborated with local content providers to bring Web TV content to consumers in Singapore and Malaysia, when the Nokia N8 hits stores. Powered by Symbian 3 software, the Nokia N8 supports gestures, such as flick scrolling and pinch-zoom and offers multiple, personalisable home screens which can be loaded with apps from Ovi Store. It is also Nokia's first device to be integrated with Qt, a software development environment, making it possible to build applications once and deploy across Symbian and other software platforms. Nokia X5 - social jukebox on the move The Nokia X5 is a full QWERTY music device, which makes messaging, social networking and listening to one's favourite music, fun and easy when on the move. The unique, square slider design makes it a perfect device for teens, who enjoy Facebook, chatting, games, music and staying in touch with peers. Contacts, emails and social networking sites can be accessed directly from the home screen, which makes sending messages, and status updates a breeze. Thousands of games and other social networking, entertainment and personalisation apps can be downloaded from Ovi Store. The Nokia X5 has a great music player with excellent sound quality and loud speakers, offering easy access to the device's music collection with space for up to 1000 tracks with a 2GB in-box memory card, expandable up to 32GB. With the fun "Surprise Me" feature, one can spin the phone when playing music to jump to a random track. Nokia X6 8GB - social entertainment experience The Nokia X6 8GB, which complements the popular Nokia X6 family, offers a full-blown entertainment experience for people who enjoy music, social networking, chatting and games, while on the go. The device provides easy access to thousands of games and apps in Ovi Store, as well as Ovi Maps with free lifetime navigation and location sharing. The Nokia X6 8GB also allows users to capture great pictures and videos with its 5 mega pixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. The price of a Nokia N8 will stand at 370 euros, while the Nokia X5 and the Nokia X6 8GB will stand at 165 euros and 225 euros respectively before taxes and subsidies. When the curtains are finally brought down on the carnival, visitors left the ballroom with hopes of getting a handset for themselves.
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