Nokia expands Nseries line

SINGAPORE – Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia kicked off the new year with two new additions to its rapidly growing Nseries "multimedia computer" range – the N93i and N76 – designed to reinforce its vision of mobilizing the Internet and making it possible for multimedia devices to create and share experiences anywhere, anytime.

In a speech to the regional press, Jose Luis Martinez, Nokia vice president for multimedia for the Asia-Pacific, said, "Our commitment to delivering consumers the best in multimedia computers is gaining momentum."

He said the Nokia N93i, with Carl Zeiss optics and capability to record DVD-quality videos, "is a connected digital camera that is always with you."

"You can even instantly upload video clips in their original size directly from the device to online blogs or video communities, so sharing your stories is now as easy as recording and viewing them," he added.

True enough, the N93i lets you shoot DVD-quality videos, thanks to its MPEG-4 VGA video capture at 30 frames per second, stereo audio recording and digital stabilization.

The N93i also features a 3.2-megapixel (2048 x 1536 pixels) camera with Carl Zeiss optics, 3x optical zoom, autofocus, and close-up mode. With the 1 GB miniSD card included in the standard N93i sales pack, one can capture up to 45 minutes of DVD-quality video or up to 1,250 high-quality photos.

The new N93i boasts a new metallic finish keypad and a mirror-effect cover that conceals an external display. Its 2.4-inch main internal display of up to 16 million colors has a 160-degree viewing angle; the easy-to-use joystick provides smooth video control; and there are dedicated camera keys to capture images, switch shooting mode, and operate the flash quickly and easily.

Plus, with Vox, the personal video and photo blogging service from Six Apart, one can instantly share photo and video stories – in their original size. The N93i’s on-device editing capabilities enable users to shape their stories before uploading them to a PC.

For advanced editing, one can use the in-box Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0 software, enabling him to create professional-quality movies on a compatible PC. The videos can then be transferred back to the N93i or burned to DVD.

Music fans, on the other hand, will appreciate the dedicated quick cover keys on the Nokia N76, which allow for quick and easy control of the phone’s music features from the outside of the folded device.

Holding up to 1,500 tracks using a 2GB microSD card, the N76 works with industry-standard 3.5-mm headphones and supports the popular Windows Media DRM.

The N76, which comes in glossy red or black, sports a two-megapixel (1600 x 1200 pixels) camera and allows you to capture, zoom, and review pictures on its large 2.4-inch display. Like many of its Nseries siblings, it lets users edit pictures on the go or transfer them to a PC, and even get creative with the Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition.

The N76 will also be one of the first Nokia devices to come preloaded with five Adobe Flash Lite mini-games created by Japan-based mobile entertainment content provider CELL, featuring cool graphics, simple one-button gameplay, and the option to log high scores online.

Users can also purchase more mini-games from CELL’s more than 400 titles via the Catalogs application. The games are less than 20 kilobytes in size, making them fast and easy to download. CELL’s mini-games are highly popular in Japan, often garnering 300,000 downloads on the first day of availability.

"The Nokia N76, which boasts a beautiful fold design but is still easy to use, gives consumers the convenience of intelligent and entertaining multimedia functionalities without compromise," Martinez said.

Both the N93i and N76 are based on the Symbian OS’ Series 60 3rd Edition software and are expected to start shipping in the first quarter.