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Gadgets Nokia N8 Available for Pre-order
Mark Kurlyandchik - August 17, 2010 8:11 AM
Print 16 comment(s) - last by XSpeedracerX.. on Aug 18 at 8:42 AM
Boasts a 12-megapixel Carl Zeiss camera with Xenon flash

Despite Nokia's claim that Symbian sells 50 percent more handsets daily than Android, the world's No. 1 mobile phone maker has struggled -- particularly in the U.S. market -- to produce smartphones that can compete against Apple, Google, and RIM.

Enter the Nokia N8, now available for pre-order for a cool $549. It's impossible to say, at this point, just how well the N8 will do in the U.S. market considering it hasn't been announced by any specific carrier (Nokia has been developing a non-subsidized model, selling its handsets directly to consumers and allowing them to choose their provider). But one thing is certain: When it launches at the end of September, the N8 is sure to be a top-tier media powerhouse.

You can comb through the full spec sheet yourself, but here are the highlights:

 

  • 3.5" OLED capacitive touch screen
  • 12 megapixel Carl Zeiss camera with Xenon flash
  • Front-facing VGA camera for video calls
  • 720p video capture with 30 fps playback
  • Integrated photo and video editing software
  • Stereo microphones for enhanced sound capture quality and ability to playback in Dolby Digital Plus surround in home theatre
  • Symbian ^3
  • Flash Lite 4.0
  • Dedicated graphics processor with OpenGL 2.0
  • Up to 16GB of internal memory with hot-swappable MicroSD slot (up to 32GB)
  • GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
  • WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100
  • Support for both AT&T and T-Mobile 3G
  • HSDPA Cat9, maximum speed up to 10.2 Mbps, HSUPA Cat5 2.0 Mbps
  • WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 3.0
  • Integrated GPS, A-GPS receivers
  • HDMI out
  • Micro USB connector and charging
  • 3.5 mm headphone jack
  • Size: 4.47 x 2.32 x 0.51 in
  • Weight (with battery): 4.76 oz
  • 1200 mAh Li-Ion battery

 

So there you have it. Nokia may not be as trendy in the U.S. as Android and Apple are, but the N8, announced by Nokia in April, is certainly a hardware contender. Anyone looking to ditch their digital camera or handheld gaming device for an all-in-one device can now opt for the N8. If the spec sheet isn't enough to bet on, you can also check out a preview of the handset that Engadget did back in June. 

The N8 will be the last N-series phone to run Symbian. Future models will run Meego, a combination of the Linux-based Maemo and Moblin. 

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Business Models...
By XSpeedracerX on 8/17/2010 10:43:41 AM , Rating: 3
Yeah, cause the unsubsidized model worked so awesome for the N900. Hey nokia: if you're satisfied with your 'Not a real player in the U.S. market' status, go on ahead and stick with your low volume business model. If you want to move the same numbers HTC and apple do on a regular basis, then it's time to get in bed with a carrier and go subsidized. Do it, or remain a niche player in a niche market. It's that simple.




RE: Business Models...
By Motoman on 8/17/2010 11:02:53 AM , Rating: 2
A better option would be to outlaw subsidization of phones, and expose the true costs and fees of wireless products and programs to the consumer. And then also outlaw ETFs along with it.


RE: Business Models...
By jtesoro on 8/17/2010 11:31:10 AM , Rating: 4
Even better, give users the option to get a subsidized or non-subsidized device.


RE: Business Models...
By 3DoubleD on 8/17/2010 1:16:46 PM , Rating: 3
Non-subsidized phones in a subsidized mobile market place does not work. Carriers make back the money on the handsets by overcharging you on your phone plan. Unless you get preferential rates because you bought an non-subsidized phone, you are essentially paying twice for your phone for the freedom just to switch carriers whenever you choose (and overpay at another carrier). It simply costs more money. Here in Canada, there is at least one company called Wind Mobile that only offers non-subsidized phones. The value offered by their plans is far greater than the big three carriers (Rogers, Bell, Telus). The only downside at the moment is that their network is young/small and roaming on competing networks is costly.

If all phone companies offered more competitive rates for customers outside of contracts then non-subsidized phones would become more popular. However, I'm not holding my breath as phone carriers couldn't have it any better - locking you into a high margin contract for the small price of a slightly subsizided phone. I shudder to think of the huge margin of profit they make on my insanely overpriced phone bill. At least Americans did away with long distance... Canada is still in the stone age in that regard.


RE: Business Models...
By XSpeedracerX on 8/17/2010 2:38:47 PM , Rating: 1
quote:
If all phone companies offered more competitive rates for customers outside of contracts then non-subsidized phones would become more popular.


No they wouldn't. The ratio of people willing to lay down five Benjamins for the latest phone thingy to those who aren't is quite small. (see nokia's US marketshare for reference.) US smartphone network providers like having a guaranteed $2k or so out of almost every smartphone customer, so their payment plans are structured with an incentive towards a contract. Their customers are completely good with getting buttfucked on said contract so long as they can multitask twitter with facebook and copy and paste. Also, it turns out that cramming the power of a two-year old laptop into something the size of your hand is not cheap, hence the reason your average smartphone thingy cost five benjamins in the first place. The market inertia favors contracts, which is why so long as nokia refuses to play the game, they'll also refuse to win at it.


RE: Business Models...
By XSpeedracerX on 8/17/2010 2:21:46 PM , Rating: 2
So in other words, kill off the smart phone industry. Brilliant.


RE: Business Models...
By bigboxes on 8/18/2010 1:31:02 AM , Rating: 2
Totally agree. Yeah, I have a subsidized phone, but it's not a good thing. What we really need is to outlaw this practice. We should be going to Best Buy not to sign up with a carrier, but to purchase our phones separate from our service. These phones should be universal with all bands on one phone (CDMA/GSM/analog). It's very doable. That way we can easily change provider when they don't deliver what they promise. I hate two year contracts.

I know that people think that they would have overpriced phones, but if they sold them everywhere then competition would drive the price down. Can you imagine if your home phone was sold the same way? I didn't think so.


RE: Business Models...
By XSpeedracerX on 8/18/2010 8:42:29 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Best Buy not to sign up with a carrier, but to purchase our phones separate from our service.


You realize you can already do this, no? Every single hot smartphone out today is availible sans contract.

quote:
I know that people think that they would have overpriced phones, but if they sold them everywhere then competition would drive the price down.


We already have competition. don't like the iPhone4? Here's your EVO. Hate HTC and want some variety? Here's verizon's droid line. Don't like candy bar touch screens? DROID X and Epic 4G have a slide-out Keyboard. Can't stand android or iOS4? Here's your blackberry torch. Theres even the oddball no-ones-ever-heard-of-it Nokia n900 for those who hate app variety and knowing what carrier they can go with.

The problem? Every single one of those devices retail for $500 sans contract Even if you make good money, thats a lot to drop on a device small enough to lose between the cushions in your car seat or to a thief, and many people aren't willing to set fire to that sort of cash. Not surprising since more times than not going unsub-ed yields no decrease on your monthly bill. Combine those two and you have a market that favors contracts.

Cramming the power of a year old laptop into something a bit larger than a thin bar of soap isn't cheap . Carrier unlocking every phone on earth would not just magically make it cheap. Speaking of cheap, that year-old laptop is probably available on ebay for a fifth of the retail price of your average smart phone. LOL.


RE: Business Models...
By wvh on 8/17/2010 8:45:00 PM , Rating: 2
Nokia = niche player?... The world is larger than the US. Right now the market is pretty saturated in the US. It isn't a loyal market either, very fickle and trend-driven. I don't think there's a point in selling top-tier models at dumping prices just to hold the title of current-hottest-item for a couple of weeks. That's not sustainable, and I don't think Nokia is the sort of manufacturer that wants to go that way.


RE: Business Models...
By XSpeedracerX on 8/18/2010 8:13:55 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Nokia = niche player?


Yes. You can't buy their latest gadget in any of the major retail chains. They aren't allied with any of the major carriers. Go on to your local Best-Wal-Buy-Target-mart and ask them for an N800. Go on. See if you can actually get one.

With no major retailer distributing, and no major partnerships with one of the carriers, that = low market penetration. Plus almost ZERO effort in the marketing department (print ads, online ads, TV spots, etc) and you got a company frimly entrenched in niche player terriory.

quote:
It isn't a loyal market either, very fickle and trend-driven. I don't think there's a point in selling top-tier models at dumping prices just to hold the title of current-hottest-item for a couple of weeks. That's not sustainable


LOL! At launch, Apple moved one million five hundred thousand of their defective iPhone 4's in a day. A freaking day! During this time it was restricted to the fickle-disloyal-nonsustainable US market. Nevermind that the iphone series is unrivaled among apple products in both the volume of units sold, and profitability and has helped apple become one of the most succesful gadget companies in the world...

According to you, there's no point to any of that. But then again, you aren't leading the charge at any of the successful smartphone companies today. I'm pretty sure that's not a coincidence.


can't wait!
By Tamale on 8/17/2010 8:40:03 AM , Rating: 2
Say what you will, but I can still accomplish most smartphone tasks much faster on my E71x than anyone with an android-based phone or iphone. It's all about the workflow, and the halting 'one button, main menu only' interface is a step backward in my opinion.




RE: can't wait!
By Suntan on 8/17/2010 8:46:48 AM , Rating: 2
Define “Much Faster?” Do you mean that you can check your email 3 seconds faster? Wow, that’s proficiency...

-Suntan


RE: can't wait!
By SSDMaster on 8/17/10, Rating: 0
Full specs?
By vortmax2 on 8/17/2010 1:19:50 PM , Rating: 2
I don't see the CPU or GPU used...am I missing it somewhere?




RE: Full specs?
By bernardl on 8/17/2010 8:08:29 PM , Rating: 2
3D applications currently have a hard time running on iPad/iPhone because of the lack of GPU/OpenGL support.

Cheers,
Bernard


What color to buy?
By Funky Santa Clause on 8/18/2010 5:37:02 AM , Rating: 2
- Free maps/navigation all over world..=)




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