There is a new Nokia smart phone in town and rumor has it that this Symbian^3 handset will be showing off how far the mobile platform has come since its shift to open source.
So far, the biggest piece of news that we have heard regarding the N8-00 is that it will be using a 12 mega pixel camera and that it will be DivX capable. The DivX feature sounds quite the practical addition; with Samsung’s Galaxy S and Wave smart phones already being the first to bring portable HD DivX to users, it makes perfect sense that Nokia’s own video-centric device should also have the same feature.
Anyway, back to the 12 mega pixel snapper, it is said that it will have a Carl Zeiss lens and Xenon flash (no word about video LED lights) so users can expect to be able to grab some high quality images on this smart phone. For video, it is said that it will be able to record in 720p and the playback can deliver up to 1080p. It has also been reported that the phone has an HDMI port for displaying videos and images on an HDTV or a compatible monitor.
As for the rest of the specs, everyone is still guessing what else Nokia will place in this smart phone. Many are already stating that it will be running on an ARM CPU –some believe that it may also be a new version of the A4 processor.
The Symbian^3 operating system has yet to prove itself, though it seems like Nokia is placing a lot on this smart phone. It was originally said that all the new N-series devices would be using Maemo. For Nokia to move back to Symbian for this phone, it may have plenty of amazing surprises for us to see.
Get to know more about the upcoming Nokia N8-00 at GSM Arena.
N-series
Nokia, Nokia-N8-00, Symbian
According to rumors, there is a new Nokia Symbian^3 device coming this September. From the looks of it, video buffs will certainly enjoy this impressive smart phone.
People have been eagerly awaiting the release of the very first Symbian^3 handset ever since the OS developer announced that they will be shifting to open source. Initial images of the new mobile platform have also been quite intriguing –sporting a new look that seems to have a lot more dynamic elements that it’s previous iterations. News about new applications for the OS is still on the down low, but we expect to see plenty of support for the device in the coming months.
The new handset featuring Symbian^3 is being called the N8-00 or the Nokia N98. Images of the device feature a large touch screen form factor with a single button on the bottom of the screen.
An HDMI port has been spied on the edge of the device hinting at HD quality video output to TVs and monitors. It has also been said that the new phone will have a 12 mega pixel camera (with Xenon flash and Carl Zeiss lens) and video recording at 720p HD quality. We are hoping they would also add LED video recording light since the phone already has a good flash.
Nokia however, has yet to actually confirm that they are working on the device. The 98 will be one of the things many of us will be looking out for when the Finnish manufacturer makes their scheduled announcement this April.
The Symbian^3 is making a remarkable comeback this year after its recent troubles last 2009. The OS was bumped off by Maemo on the N series and several Symbian devices suffered from major software issues (such as the SE Satio and the N97).
Find out more about the rumor N98 smart phone at Know Your Mobile.
N-series
Nokia-N8-00, Nokia-N97, Nokia-N98
Nokia is really connecting people with their new “design by community” system wherein users will be allowed to vote for a number of smart phone features through a poll. The users will be able to choose which aspects they like in a certain category and move the poll slider to add an arbitrary point to that feature. Every poll will be dedicated to one category. The poll next week will focus on size and shape, the next will be about materials, then about operating system, so on and so forth until May of this year comes.
Nokia seems out to get their users feedback on what they want in a smart phone. They segregated the sections to prevent people from creating an unfeasible phone. Every week, the tally will be posted as well as the top choices for each finished category to serve as the basis for the next poll.
Every week, Nokia designers and bloggers will be giving some insight regarding the updates as well as insider info about the production process involved. At the end of the polls, the Nokia design team will be posting some concept sketches and will then be turned into another public poll. The winning design will be rendered and then revealed in Nokia’s “Conversations”.
The actual goal is not to launch the voted concept but simply to show the public the amount of thought process and effort it takes to come up with a final product. Although this is a nice touch from Nokia, it would be nice if they actually got some of the feedback and made it into a final product (yes, considering the amount of time and effort). But who knows right? The fact that they even got the idea means that they want to pay attention to user demands and hear it straight.
Read more about Nokia’s Design by Community at Engadget.
Nokia
Nokia
According to recent reports, Nokia has just patented kinetic energy conversion technology for their mobile phones. Not to imply that Nokia will actually develop the new technology, but considering that Nokia is one of the most environmentally friendly companies on the planet, it is not surprising to see that they have taken the steps into creating what would be the first self-recharging battery.
By combining kinetic energy and piezoelectricity, this technology would convert movement (such as walking around or lifting your phone) into energy. Of course, when applied to other devices or other activities, there is great potential to be gained in this. When attached to exercise equipment, transportation vehicles and clothing, the technology would be able to gather chunks and bits of electricity that can be stored and used by small electronic devices such as smart phones.
Getting energy from movement gives the technology plenty of sources as we humans love to move about in our lives. If attached to a small device on our arms or legs, the technology would have the benefit of being able to use the excess energy we generate while at work or at play. It can even be attached to devices that are perpetually in motion such as cars and bicycle wheels for powering small things like signal lights and others. In a children’s playground, the technology can be used on swings and merry-go-rounds as it generates power to be used for park lights in the evening.
Of course, charging by this method would never give you a full charge even after a while day of running around, but being able to convert some of that energy would still be useful in the long run.
So far, experts are not expecting to see this technology actually being applied anytime soon. While the concept can be quite helpful, the actual technology itself is far from perfect with current energy conversion rates being a little too low to support commercial distribution.
Get to read more about the new technology patent from Nokia at Stuff TV.
Nokia
Nokia-Self-Charging-Battery
