Nokia gives a sneak peek at new QWERTY handsets

MANILA, Philippines - In a recent media sneak peek at its upcoming new products, Nokia announced three new handsets — the Nokia C3, Nokia C6 and Nokia E5 — designed to put better messaging and social networking tools in the hands of more people around the world, and at affordable prices.

The new handsets feature full QWERTY keyboards, and enable access to a range of different e-mail accounts, instant messaging communities and social networks. They are expected to hit the local market in the third quarter.

“Our messaging device range is very successful,” Anssi Vanjoki, Nokia’s head of markets, said in a statement.

“Services that provide easy access to the world’s consumer and corporate e-mail and instant messaging are really popular on our QWERTY smartphones such as the Nokia E71, Nokia E72 and Nokia E63,” Vanjoki said. 

“People want the best messaging and social networking experience on an affordable device, whether it’s sending a simple text or instant message, an e-mail, or a direct message from their Twitter account; the Nokia C3, Nokia C6 and Nokia E5 are made for just that,” he added. 

The Nokia C3 is the first device to bring a full QWERTY keyboard to the world’s most popular mobile phone platform - Series 40 - and is the first in the range to enable access to social networks directly on the home screen. It is also the first Series 40 device to boast Wi-Fi connectivity.

People can view, comment, update their status and share pictures to their favorite social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Expected to be priced no higher than P8,000, the Nokia C3 also comes with Ovi Mail and Ovi Chat, meaning that first-time users can set up e-mail and chat accounts straight from the device and without the need for a PC.

Other notable features are a two-megapixel camera, a rich 2.4-inch color screen and support for up to an 8GB memory card.

The Nokia C3 will come in a variety of colors, including golden white, slate gray and hot pink.

The Nokia C6, on the other hand, is a Symbian Series 60-based smartphone combining the benefits of a 3.2-inch touch screen with a full slide-out keyboard. The large screen provides an enhanced Internet experience, offering access to Facebook feeds directly on the home screen. It also has a full suite of e-mail and social networking capabilities.

Expected to have a retail price of under P15,000, the C6 has an impressive feature set, including a high-quality five-megapixel camera with auto focus and flash, and Ovi Maps with free walk and drive navigation.

In addition, thousands of apps - from games and videos to news aggregators and Web services - are available in the Ovi Store.

Rounding off the trio is the latest addition to the Nokia E-series range, the E5. Designed for those who want to be productive in both their professional and personal lives, the Symbian S60-based Nokia E5 follows the successful blueprint of QWERTY devices such as the E71, E72 and E63.

The E5 combines high-quality business features with all of the personal networking and entertainment capabilities expected from a multi-tasking smartphone.

It is ideal for managing busy schedules with a variety of productivity applications available in the Ovi Store. And with direct access to over 90 percent of the world’s corporate e-mail through Mail for Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler, it’s easy to keep in contact from anywhere.

The Nokia E5 is expected to have a price ceiling of P12,000 when it hits the market.