Hasta La Gadget!

Yesterday, we told you about Nokia starting the process to end Symbian-based phones, but now we have news about Nokia launching new phones with Symbian as the OS. Nokia has stated that the Windows phones will be released at a later date, but did not give a reason as to why the new phones will still run on Symbian.

Jo Harlow, head of Nokia’s Smart Devices business said in a press release: 

With these new products and more Symbian devices and user enhancements coming in the near future, we are confident we can keep existing Nokia smartphone customers engaged, as well as attract new first-time and competitor smartphone users.

Symbian has made Nokia a leader in cell phones overseas, but not so much in the States. Nokia is currently building the new phones that will use Windows 7 Mobile, but no target date has been shared as of yet. However, these new phones are using a closed-source version of Symbian unlike previous models.

Via TG Daily

That crazy new 326ppi device that Nokia busted out this morning has finally made contact with our eager hands. The E6 is extremely compact, stainless steel accounts for its back cover and camera bezel, but weight is feathery and general feel in the hand is terrific. You’re limited to a 2.46-inch screen, but Nokia’s otherwise standard resolution of 640 x 480 looks pretty awesome when squeezed into such dimensions. Check out the gallery of pics below and we’ll have video for you soon as well!

Update: Video hands-on can now be found after the break. Let’s start off with the headline spec, that 326dpi pixel density. In practical use, it’s not resoundingly noticeable, as the UI icons are resized accordingly, but where we expect to really see the benefits of it will be in web browsing, where you’ll be able to fit oodles of content on your screen without losing detail. It’s not AMOLED like the rest of Nokia’s current line, but it’s a very high quality LCD, not much of a loss to our eyes. We’re still very much liking the size and curvature of the E6, although we noted a touch of UI lag with it as we did with the X7. Symbian, in spite of the update, is still not perfected. That said, you’re getting a massive 1500mAh battery, which will be used sparingly by the smaller display and 680MHz CPU. Up to nine hours of video playback are promised, while 720p recording is also available for those keen on making the most of the 8 megapixel camera on the back. Construction is solid, the keyboard feels as good as what you’ll be used to on the E72, but the OS still fails to convince. Good thing, then, that Nokia plans to keep updating the software as we move forward.

Continue reading Nokia E6 first hands-on! (updated with video)

Nokia E6 first hands-on! (updated with video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A VGA resolution on a 2.46-inch display equals 326ppi. Talk about pixel density! Nokia’s Symbian “Anna” update has found itself a delightful little carrier to market in the new E6. This business-centric device touts awesome battery life, with up to a month of standby time, features both a touchscreen and a portrait QWERTY keyboard, and will be targetting E71 / E72 upgraders, BlackBerry lovers and, evidently, pixel density enthusiasts. Shipping in Q2. Full PR, video, and specs can be found after the break.

Continue reading Nokia E6 official: a 326ppi portrait QWERTY handset optimized for business (video)

Nokia E6 official: a 326ppi portrait QWERTY handset optimized for business (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And now it’s completely official: the new and freshened up version of Symbian we saw leak out over the weekend is indeed coming to Nokia’s latest batch of handsets. The N8, E7, C7 and C6-01, the phones that ran what was formerly known as Symbian^3, will all be getting it “over the coming months,” while the newly announced X7 and E6 devices will ship with it preloaded. The change list includes real homescreen scrolling, an overhauled browser, and yes, even a QWERTY onscreen keyboard in portrait orientation. There’s also new iconography and heavily refreshed Ovi Maps, which now include predictive search. Nokia is resolute in its belief that Ovi Maps is the best mapping solution on the market, and Microsoft’s decision to integrate it into Bing would suggest that’s true.

The “Anna” Symbian update will be the first of a series and has been driven almost entirely by consumer feedback. Nokia also shared some Ovi Store stats with us. There are now five million downloads per day going on from the company’s app repository, which now includes more than 40,000 apps in total. 158 developers have passed a million downloads each. Full PR and video overview of the enhanced OS after the break.

Continue reading Nokia announces Symbian ‘Anna’ update for N8, E7, C7 and C6-01; first of a series of updates (video)

Nokia announces Symbian ‘Anna’ update for N8, E7, C7 and C6-01; first of a series of updates (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So, it’s official. The Nokia X7, unfit for a US launch, has finally found a home with Three in the UK. The heavily leaked stainless steel handset runs an updated Symbian^3 “Anna” (aka, PR2) OS that finally introduces a vastly improved browser and portrait QWERTY with split-view data entry among its 50 new enhancements. Rounding out the specs are an 8 megapixel cam with dual-LED flash, 4-inch OLED ClearBlack display, HD video recording, and 256MB RAM / 1GB ROM with an 8GB memory card tossed in the box. You’ll find the press release, video, and more pic after the break.

Update: Nokia tells us that the X7 features 720p video recording, and a 680MHz CPU — presumably the same old (and we mean old) ARM 11 proc and found in the N8 and E7. Oh, and it’s the same Broadcom BCM2727 GPU and 8 megapixel EDoF camera we reviewed in the E7. The X7 will be available in Q2 with a price set at €380 before taxes and subsidies.

[Thanks, Will B.]

Continue reading Nokia X7 with Symbian ‘Anna’ now official on Three UK (Updated)

Nokia X7 with Symbian ‘Anna’ now official on Three UK (Updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Apr 2011 03:19:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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