Flagship Archive

  • Nokia N900 drops to $369, unlocked

    Nokia N900 drops to $369, unlocked

    Posted on June 23, 2010 | No Comments
    Hard to believe but after all this time the N900 remains the most powerful handset in Nokia's vast collection of cellphones. No other Nokia handset even comes close and that won't change until Nokia launches the Symbian^3-powered N8 or the MeeGo-powered N9. So if you've got the dough and a certain inclination to write Python scripts on a Friday night, you might want to think about sliding $369 (down from $649 at launch or $479 currently at Nokia USA) Espoo's way for a crack at the ARM Cortex A8 slider. Sure, it's not the freshest face on the block, but the development community will certainly help eek-out every last bit of value for many months to come.

    P.S. Don't forget to apply the coupon code LL17PBSTFKZ440 to get the reduced price.

    Nokia N900 drops to $369, unlocked originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia’s 16 model house reveals a smokin’ S series, N9 MeeGo?

    Nokia’s 16 model house reveals a smokin’ S series, N9 MeeGo?

    Posted on June 9, 2010 | No Comments
    Lovely home except for those pesky leaks. This Nokia house built (circa 2010) upon on a foundation of Symbian with a MeeGo roof is also sporting an interesting looking S-series smokestack. Most of the building blocks we've already seen including the flagship N8. The N9 is almost certainly Nokia's followup to the N900 and Espoo's first handset to feature its new MeeGo OS. But what's with the business-class E7, mainstream C7, and socially entertaining X7? None of these handsets have been announced, yet all three are at the top-end of their respective series meaning mean more functionality at a higher price. Still, the most interesting revelation is the S-series which Nokia has never referenced under its new naming scheme. The translated text from the S-series bullet describes it as, "A name reserved for limited phones. Mobiles that do not fit in other categories come in here." The first Moorestown phone to run MeeGo, perhaps? Hey, we can dream.

    [Thanks, Mark]

    Nokia's 16 model house reveals a smokin' S series, N9 MeeGo? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 05:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia’s New York flagship store closes today

    Nokia’s New York flagship store closes today

    Posted on May 23, 2010 | No Comments
    Imagine our luck: we just happened to stroll into Nokia's New York flagship store today on 57th between 5th and Madison Avenue, only to discover that it was practically torn down and set to close permanently today, a move that Nokia announced late last year. A representative approached us as soon as we entered and said, "the only phones we have are from this point forward; there's nothing else in the store." Interestingly, a call over to Nokia's other North American flagship in Chicago confirmed that it isn't closing today and no date has been set (at least, not a date that anyone is talking about) -- so there's one more outpost in the States if you want to get your Nokia on one last time. Needless to say, the overwhelming majority of Americans won't be shedding any tears over the closure, but it's always disappointing to see a neat and beautifully-designed place to geek out go belly-up. And where are we going to play with an N8 before we buy now, anyway?

    Nokia's New York flagship store closes today originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 23 May 2010 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia N8 hands-on

    Nokia N8 hands-on

    Posted on May 11, 2010 | No Comments
    digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Nokia_N8_Hands_on_PICS'; Good old London, full of little wonders and flagship devices for you to discover. We were at Nokia's local HQ this morning to talk to the company's Head of Design Marko Ahtisaari, and the good gent happened to bring with him a prototype N8 for us to play around with. It was stressed to us that it's a prototype, so small cosmetic changes might still occur, but we are for most part looking at the hardware that will be hitting retail shelves in Q3 of this year. Speaking of Q3, Marko was adamant that that will be when Nokia "turns on" the Symbian 3 housed within the N8, which -- disappointingly -- meant that we couldn't get to grips with the new UI experience in person. Ah well, there are plenty of pictures to be devoured in the gallery below, and we can provide you with a few observations of our own to tide you over till then.

    The anodized aluminum shell feels very well built and is remarkably light. So much so that our first instinct was to ask whether the battery was inside or this was just a hollow mockup. We'd compare it to the feeling of picking up the Zune HD for the first time, it's a strikingly light device. Plopping it into our pocket also felt extremely natural, which might be attributable to the particular curvature of the N8's sides. Attention to detail in the physical design, as Marko said, was of paramount importance to Nokia. That doesn't come without sacrifices, however, with the user replaceable battery being substituted by an integrated cell, but to quote the man himself, the "overall design concept overruled" such considerations. We found the home button on the front a bit of a pain to press in, but it's still very early to form conclusions about the experience on this device. For now, just go gawk at it below and look out for the in-depth writeup of our chat with Marko Ahtisaari later today.

    Nokia N8 hands-on originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 May 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia confirms New York and Chicago flagship stores are closing in early 2010

    Nokia confirms New York and Chicago flagship stores are closing in early 2010

    Posted on December 9, 2009 | No Comments
    digg_url = 'http://digg.com/tech_news/Nokia_confirms_New_York_and_Chicago_flagship_stores_are_clos'; No surprises here, but Nokia has confirmed a Nokia Experts report today that the company will be shutting down its North American flagship stores in New York and Chicago, leaning on big boxes and carriers to handle the in-store experiences going forward. Considering the fractional market presence Nokia has in the States compared to the UK -- where it's closing its Regent Street location -- the move comes as no shock, but it's still a shame to see these really attractive, high-tech hero locations close down. The way we saw it, these stores were never about sales; they were about exposing Nokia to the public and vice versa in a cool, hip environment, and regardless of how you feel about the company's handsets, they'd effectively accomplished that with the flagship strategy. Here's Nokia's official statement, which confirms our opinion but takes the questionable stance that the stores have outlived their function now that "consumer awareness in the US has grown substantially":
    "In North America, over 90 percent of consumer purchases are made through carriers - Nokia continues to support our relationship with carriers in this market, as well as the continued expansion of our retail partner network with the likes of Amazon and Best Buy (for example), in line with our strategy. As we continue to expand our services and solutions offerings across these various channels, we have decided to close the NY and Chicago stores to allow more concentration on our other channels.

    The Flagship stores were originally conceived to inspire and educate consumers to the benefits of mobility through an innovative retail experience, and to broaden the appeal of the Nokia brand. Since opening the stores in NY and Chicago (2006), consumer awareness in the U.S. has grown substantially. Weighing those dynamics with Nokia's clear strategy in North America, and our well-established retail channel with third parties, we will close these two stores (New York and Chicago) in early 2010.

    This decision was made to create clear alignment with our local market strategy and, in addition, as part of a global realignment of our retail strategy in overall."

    Nokia confirms New York and Chicago flagship stores are closing in early 2010 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia’s Maemo 5-equipped N900 on sale in America for $649

    Nokia’s Maemo 5-equipped N900 on sale in America for $649

    Posted on November 18, 2009 | No Comments

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    We've already given you a glimpse at the N900, but as of today, you Yanks in the crowd can wrap your own limber paws around Nokia's hero device. Admittedly tailored for enthusiasts and developers to use while the company maneuvers Maemo into its product line, the N900 is now available through Nokia Flagship stores in New York and Chicago, the firm's website and "various independent retailers and e-tailers." A tidy sum of $649 (or $510 if you're smart enough to check Amazon) nabs you an unlocked version with a 5 megapixel camera, 32GB of internal storage and a bombastic, Flash-lovin' web browser. Ain't no shame in lusting after one, but tell us earnestly -- are you forking out nearly seven bills to bring one home?

    Nokia's Maemo 5-equipped N900 on sale in America for $649 originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Nokia abandoning S60 for Maemo on future N-Series devices?

    Nokia abandoning S60 for Maemo on future N-Series devices?

    Posted on November 18, 2009 | No Comments

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    Confused by Nokia's dual-platform, Maemo 5 and S60 5th Edition smartphone choices? You're not alone. Fortunately, things are starting to become a bit more clear thanks to some loose-lipped members of Maemo's marketing team attending an official N900 meet-up in London last night. According to The Really Mobile Project, Nokia will drop S60 from all of its flagship N-series consumer devices in favor of Maemo. Apparently, Nokia has been pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic response to the N900 OS even though the enthusiast package is not quite ready for mass-market appeal. Mind you, the transition won't be instantaneous as anyone with an N900 (and a clear mind) can attest -- the OS, services, and apps just can't compare to the mature S60 platform regardless of Maemo 5's superior user experience. As such, we'll continue to see N-Series handsets already in development pop with S60 on board alongside mass-market Maemo devices as the platform matures to the point that Nokia can make the full switch by 2012. Assuming, of course, Nokia doesn't end up adding webOS to its portfolio somewhere along the way.

    [Thanks, Sockatume]

    Nokia abandoning S60 for Maemo on future N-Series devices? originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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