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The N96 is Nokia’s multimedia flagship smartphone. As its name suggests, it is the successor to the Nokia N95, and uses the same dual-slider design and includes many of the same features: Symbian S60, 3G, Wi-Fi, etc.
This is not a model that will probably catch the eyes of many in the U.S. these days. It doesn’t look as if there is much with it, but the N96 is a sleekly designed smartphone that offer some pleasant surprises… and some not so pleasant.
Design and Hardware
The N96 is an evolution of the dual-slider design Nokia released with the N95 two years ago. However, compared to the initial N95, the N96 is not as thick, though it’s wider. The slider is more taut, and there are fewer gaps in the build.

This model has a 2.8-inch, QVGA screen. While not a touchscreen, it does offer striking color and a great balance between indoors viewing and outdoors needs.
The screen and buttons area can slide up to reveal the 12-key numeric keypad, or slide down to reveal the multimedia keys, which can double as game controllers with some N-Gage games.
Looking around the outside of this smartphone, the top has a 3.5 mm headset/TV-Out jack, and power and key-lock buttons. The left side is pretty bare with just the covered microSD card slot. The right side, on the other hand is fairly busy with stereo speakers on the top and bottom. the volume up/down buttons under the top speaker, and the camera button above the bottom speaker.
The rear of the N96 houses the Carl Zeiss and dual LED flash-equipped, 5 megapixel digital camera. The single-piece back panel covers the 950 mAh battery.
The bottom of the N96 has the microUSB connector and the Nokia charging port.
Other hardware features include:
* 16 GB of built-in internal memory
* microSDHC card slot supporting up to 16 GB microSDHC cards
* VGA video camera for video calling in supported markets
* Quad-band GSM, regional support for UMTS/HSDPA (the model I have supports European 3G, though there is a North American 3G supported version)
* Accelerometer
* Built-in GPS
* Wi-Fi 802.11b
* Bluetooth 2.0+EDR
* DVB-H digital TV tuner
Overall, the N96 contains more refined hardware features than its predecessor, and pushes the idea of a top-of-the-line smartphone into more of a multimedia computer. The only downsides are a smaller battery than some other recent Nokia devices and some hardware that’s unsupported in the U.S., such as the digital TV feature.
As a Phone
With all of this hardware in one’s pocket, it’s almost impossible to believe that the N96 doesn’t suffer any as a phone. This is largely because while the operating system is new, Symbian S60 Feature Pack 2 (version 3.2), the user interface mostly remains the same from Nokia mobiles of old.
Some of the new tricks picked up with Feature Pack 2 include better power management (hence the smaller battery) and better wireless management options. However, the normal Nokia phone UI still remains intact.

Features such as Call Log, Contacts, and switching profiles are easily accessible via hard buttons.
Voice quality is of the usually high Nokia standard. Accessing phone functions such as additional calls, speakerphone, and muting calls is handled easily when in a call. There’s not much to be learned in terms of how to use it because the user interface is so familiar to many users.
At the same time, this familiarity doesn’t seem to fit well with the device. The UI shows its age, no matter what themes are chosen.
The Active Standby screen houses seven shortcut icons, a calendar, search, and Share on Ovi widgets, and the Wi-Fi discovery utility.
Battery life for phone calls is tolerable. You can expect to get through 3 hours of calls pretty easily. However, at this stage of the software’s development, some on-screen interactions such as bringing up SMS messages seems to take longer than the 332 MHz processor would indicate.
Thankfully, a few firmware updates since I’ve received the N96 has made for some snappier performance for day-to-day usage. That being said, it would have done Nokia well to do more with the user interface and phone aspects.
Connectivity and Multimedia
Where usually I’d take the time to talk about PIM and multimedia separately, the N96 makes no such distinction. Its focus is on multimedia, though it offers the normal suite of organization tools that Nokia’s mobiles are known for.
As noted by Kevin in our preview of this device, the N96 is much more a multimedia computer with a phone attached. Looking at the what comes with the device, Wi-Fi, GPS, 16 GB of space, etc., there’s a lot to take advantage of.
Starting with the wireless connectivity options, there’s Wi-Fi. Using the new Destinations feature in Feature Pack 2, Wi-Fi becomes this automatic switching connectivity option. And while the Nokia SIP has been removed from Feature Pack 2, there’s still a number of VoIP clients that can step up and utilize the Wi-Fi connectivity for more communicative tasks.
Then there’s the very stable and versatile Bluetooth implementation. From dial-up-networking, to A2DP, to file transfers, things are pretty slick and easy to setup. The 2.0 implementation is as solid as any other Nokia devices. My Motorola Bluetooth headphones pair easily, and the sound is a bit clearer than what I get from the N95.
And let’s not forget about the cellular wireless aspect of things. The version that I have is the European model, and therefore the 3G (900/1900 MHz) are not usable here in the US. That being stated, EDGE speeds are a bit faster than what I’ve seen with other EDGE-only mobile devices. And as I mentioned earlier, there’s a U.S. version of this device; I just don’t have it.
The GPS is built in, and applications such as Nokia Maps 2.0 can easily take advantage of it. Lock times are fast outdoors when stationary, averaging about 10-30 secs for a lock. The GPS also takes advantage of A-GPS which makes locking to the satellites faster.
That 16 GB of built-in internal space comes in handy for storing maps. You can download tons of maps to that space, in addition to whatever else you can fit there. And unlike the N95 8 GB model, you actually get to take advantage of the USB 2.0 speeds offered by Feature Pack 2 and the micro USB connector. The microSDHC slot can take up to 16 GB memory cards and transfer at the same speeds as well, making the Nokia PC Suite software look really good for installing applications and multimedia.
Unfortunately, this is where the usable or efficient multimedia ends. The Music Player has not been changed from the previous Symbian OS version. Its really too difficult to add album art still. N-Gage is pretty cool, as are the included games with it. Some of the games are good with portrait or landscape, but the use of the multimedia buttons is iffy due to their stiffness.

Thankfully, the camera doesn’t disappoint. The 5 megapixel, Carl Zeiss-equipped camera has good color balance and quick shutter speed. The integration with the GPS for geo-tagging is pretty slick (when there is a GPS connection). Share on Ovi and Flickr also integrate well with the camera abilities. Given the amount of space on the camera though, it would seem like the N96 should be even more of a multimedia workstation.
The dual LED aspect to the camera seems to work best for video recording, as it gives a better and whiter light to those situations. Night pictures are not that bad, though not as good as the Xenon light that one gets with Nokia’s N82.
The main issue with the N96 has to do with the kernel of its marketing. While it is a very good multimedia device, the digital TV and video aspects are not as exploited as they could be. Sure, part of this has to do with the lack of DVB-H support in the U.S., the difficulty of viewing some sites like Hulu, and a general feeling that the N96 is too early for its time, but the multimedia focus just loses ground to the more polished mobiles out there right now.
That being said, there are some mobile video services that do fit the N96, and they bring to light just the capacity that Nokia probably had in mind when it came to the N96’s video abilities. One service that I tried was the Amazon Video on Demand (VOD) service. With this, you download a video to your PC with Amazon’s Unbox player, and then transfer it to your smartphone. With the video-accelerated graphics of the N96, playback was generally smooth. The only downsides were the inability to directly download videos over a Wi-Fi connection, and the loading speed of the Video Center application once more than a few videos were loaded on to the N96.
Conclusion
Much like the N95 that came out two years ago, the Nokia N96 presents a lot more than what many people will ever want in a mobile device. And at the same time, it represents where mobile devices are going. More than just a simple communications device, it’s a multimedia station and a digital landmark. The N96 just does a lot, and for many people, it might be too much.
It doesn’t help that many of its abilities need polish. From the questionable battery life, to the unpolished user interface, and several performance issues from earlier firmware versions, the N96 more stuttered than stormed out of the gate. As an $800 device, one could expect more, one should expect more.
It’s feature packed, very future proof, and frankly just amazing. However, the N96 leaves you wanting more than what it currently gives. Given Nokia’s history with other models, it might mean that the N96 is a diamond just waiting to be unearthed.

“Here’s something that is sort of under the radar: evidently a company called Mobileyes has teamed up with various local news networks to release customized live Traffic cam apps. Available for for WM Pro and Standard devices, you can download the app for your region and then select via various sub-menus locality and specific highways.”

Now this is a handy application. I remember when I was a kid we use to watch this mythical box called the TV that would show us pictures from various “eyes in the sky” so my parents could see how traffic was looking on our always backed up highways. Now you can pretty much do the exact same thing from your phone and a few traffic cams making the days of helicopters recording traffic a thing of the past.

“There has been a few rants posted over the last week or so about the statement that was made on a Microsoft Windows Mobile blog pertaining to the apparent lack of support for existing devices to support the upcoming Internet Explorer Mobile 6 web browser. James is one person not happy about it and echoes many of the comments made on the MSDN blog post. Brett is not happy either and made it a point to show how there are third party browsers that exceed anything Microsoft currently has with Internet Explorer Mobile and what it looks like Internet Explorer Mobile 6 may also support.”
Matt Miller has written up a great article on this rather thorny subject. The whole thing is an unfortunate blow to the Windows Mobile platform, heaping insult upon injury. The insult is that Microsoft has had, literally, 5+ years to take the lead in creating a great mobile browsing experience, and they haven’t. They stuck to their minimalist, “just barely renders HTML” strategy until the iPhone made desktop-like browsing a major factor in the eyes of consumers (not counting connection speed of course - 3G speeds where I am still suck!). Then, a year and a half later, with the iPhone being in its second generation, Microsoft starts to talk about IE Mobile 6 - and I think “OK, it’s been a long wait, but maybe this will be worth it”.
Now comes the injury: apparently Microsoft developers were unable to code something that would work on current generation hardware because it just didn’t have enough grunt. The really “underpowered” HTC Touch Pro, with its 524 Mhz CPU and 288 MB of RAM, just couldn’t handle this “monster” browser. I’m not a developer, but come on Microsoft - if mobile browsers like Opera Mobile and Skyfire can work on our devices today, why can’t IE Mobile 6? This whole issue just makes my blood pressure raise - from the outside looking in, it looks like Microsoft just didn’t realize that mobile browsing was important until it was too late.

Steve Jobs, seen here introducing the original iPhone, is expected to launch the 3G model later today
Speculation over the features of the new 3G iPhone is reaching fever pitch, as the world eagerly awaits the gadget’s unveiling at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference later today.
Apple chief executive Steve Jobs is expected to launch the new and improved version of the iPhone in his keynote speech in San Francisco. Apple has already confirmed some changes to the iPhone’s exterior, such as tapered edges and a glossy plastic backing.
Rumours of the gadget’s new features are running rife - including speculation that there will be a front-facing camera for video calling, GPS, and larger storage capacity than the current eight GB and 16 GB types.
The new iPhone will use third-generation, or 3G, technology, making access to the internet faster. It could be launched in the UK as early as next month and is expected to cost considerably less than the original iPhone (which retailed for £269), because Apple now will allow network providers to subsidise the handset for the first time.
American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu has speculated that the new 3G iPhone may feature an upgraded virtual keyboard and indicated that the price of the handsets may be reduced.
Mr Wu said: “We anticipate pricing for 3G hardware similar to current price points and 2.5G versions to see a $50-$100 discount. Signs indicate Apple has become more focused on driving volume, raising the possibility of carrier subsidies,”
Mr Wu also said that Apple is believed to be working on another device that is a cross between a Mac and an iPod touch. He said: “We see a 50pc chance these are announced at WWDC.”
Apple has sold just 5.4m iPhones, a tiny fraction of the 1.2bn global mobile phone market that is dominated by manufacturers such as Nokia, which alone sold 437m phones last year.

Designed and Optimized for the Russian market, HTC MAXTM 4G Will Be Available in Russia on November 26th
Moscow, Russia – November 12, 2008 – Scartel (brand Yota), Russian provider of Mobile WiMAX, and HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, today announced the HTC MAX 4G, the world’s first integrated GSM/WiMAX handset. Supported by a broad range of services based on Yota’s Mobile WiMAX network, the HTC MAX 4G delivers a rich multimedia and high quality telephony experience in a sleek and powerful touch screen handset.
“Yota was established to provide a unique set of mobile communication services to millions of people in Russia and today we have launched the first device and services to realise its full potential,” said Denis Sverdlov, General Director of Yota’s parent company, Scartel LLC (brand Yota). “We really believe that these innovative services, high-speed Internet and stylish HTC MAX 4G will completely change the communications industry, just as the introduction of cellular communications did many years ago.”
HTC MAX 4G: A New World of Entertainment
The Yota Mobile WiMAX network offers high-speed wireless Internet access that opens a new realm of entertainment and communication possibilities. The basic Yota Home package will provide subscribers with instant access to online games, maps, messaging and file exchange applications while on the move. In addition, the high-capacity Mobile WiMAX network with traffic prioritisation algorithms, allows online films, video and TV programmes to be viewed on the large WVGA screen.
Thanks to mobile WiMAX, high-quality multimedia entertainment is no longer limited. With Yota Video, a full video on demand (VOD) service, users can watch their favourite movies and videos from their personal Yota catalogue anytime, anywhere.
Broadcasting 14 free channels at launch and 23 channels by the end of 2008, Yota TV introduces a powerful mobile television experience. The vibrant, 3.8 inch 800×480 screen of the HTC MAX 4G can display up to nine TV channels simultaneously, allowing quick and easy channel surfing and programme selection. Thanks to the device’s TV-out capability, users can also watch content on the big screen, putting the HTC MAX 4G at the very heart of the mobile entertainment experience.
For music-lovers, Yota Music offers an extensive online music catalogue of more than 50,000 titles, including a wide range of music from both international and independent music labels. Users can choose to either play the tracks direct from the online catalogue, or download them to the HTC MAX 4G’s 8GB of onboard flash memory.
In addition, a separate catalogue of electronic books is available, so users can download, read and enjoy a broad range of books while on the move.
”The introduction of the HTC MAX 4G represents the culmination of a close partnership between HTC and Yota to develop the world’s first integrated mobile GSM/WIMAX handset,” said Peter Chou, CEO and President, HTC Corporation. “Russia is a key strategic market for HTC and Yota’s Mobile WiMAX network sets a new global benchmark for next-generation mobile services.”
HTC MAX 4G: Flexible Communication
The HTC MAX 4G supports GSM calls using a SIM card from any Russian network operator and when both callers are Yota subscribers, the call will automatically be routed as a VoIP call over the Yota Mobile WiMAX network. The Yota Phone service also supports more business applications, allowing users to switch between English and Russian contact records while providing functionality such as call holding, conference calling and video calling using the VGA camera on the front of the device.
HTC MAX 4G: Unparalleled Performance With Intuitive Usability
The HTC MAX 4G was created to take full advantage of Yota’s high-speed Mobile WiMAX network without compromising style or ease of use. The device is sleek and elegant and includes a vibrant, large 3.8 inch, 800×480 WVGA touch screen display. Running Windows Mobile 6.1, the HTC MAX 4G incorporates HTC’s proprietary Touch FLO 3D user interface, allowing swift and intuitive navigation to key applications such as dialling calls, listening to music, taking picture and more.
Introduction of Yota Yap-yap
HTC MAX 4G users can now record their lives through a lens thanks to Yota’s Yap-yap service. This allows contacts to be synchronised and edited through the Web and video clips and photos can also be uploaded. Images taken with the integrated 5MP camera can also be geo-tagged using coordinates from the integrated GPS.
Key HTC MAX 4G specifications:
* Processor: Qualcomm® ESM7206A™ 528 MHz
* Platform: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
* Memory: ROM: 256MB / RAM: 288MB / Flash: 8 GB
* Dimensions: 113.5mm X 63.1mm X 13.9mm
* Weight: 151 grams (with battery)
* Display: 3.8-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with 480 x 800 WVGA resolution
* Network:
* Tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:900/1800/1900 MHz
* Yota Mobile WiMAX 2,5-2.7 GHz
* Device Control: TouchFLO™ 3D
* GPS: Inbuilt GPS
* Connections:
* VoIP
* Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g
* Bluetooth® 2.0 with EDR
* HTC ExtUSB™
* Main camera: High-resolution with autofocus
* Second: VGA-camera
* Additional:
* Motion G-sensor (automatically rotating picture)
* Proximity sensor (saving energy while talking due to the switching the display off)
* FM-radio
* Audio: Ring tone formats:
* AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, QCP, MP3, WMA, WAV
* 40 polyphonic and standard MIDI format 0 and 1 (SMF)/SP MIDI
* Battery: Li-Pol, 1500 mAh
* Talk time:
* GSM: up to 420 minutes
* VoIP: up to 230 minutes
* Standby time:
* GSM: up to 350 hours
* VoIP: up to 50 hours
* AC Adapter: Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz
* DC output: 5V and 1A

The name of Google probably makes you think about web searching, free email and the Android operating system. While web searching is easy and comfortable on a computer, but entering a long expression is not that fun, even on a standard keyboard. Google has already been looking into voice searching, which has already been available from Microsoft and Yahoo. Fort example Microsoft Tellme helps in getting directions, while Yahoo OneSearch is a much more complex search engine. Still, the new Google voice search service tries to be much better than the rivals. In order to activate it, we just have to put the handset to our ear, as a sensor automatically turns the service on. After this we just have to say out loud the expression we want to search for and the Google servers, after processing the request, yield standard text results. This search method won’t be perfect in the beginning, but according to analysts, Google’s advantage is that they can store and analyse huge databases very fast and they already store billions of queries, and by creating the appropriate statistical models search results can be refined.

T-Mobile Phone Boasts an Intuitive Touch Screen and QWERTY Keyboard,
Plus Popular Google Products and Fresh, New Applications
NEW YORK – Sept. 23, 2008 – T-Mobile today announced the international launch of the world’s first Android™-powered mobile phone in partnership with Google. Available soon only for T-Mobile customers spanning two continents, the T-Mobile G1 combines full touch-screen functionality and a QWERTY keyboard with a mobile Web experience that includes the popular Google products that millions have enjoyed on the desktop, including Google Maps Street View™, Gmail™, YouTube™
and others.
“We are proud that T-Mobile is the first operator in the world to launch an Android-powered mobile device,” said Christopher Schläffer, group product and innovation officer of Deutsche Telekom. “Since 2005, Google has been an established partner in T-Mobile’s groundbreaking approach to bringing the open mobile Internet to the mass market. With the T-Mobile G1, we are continuing our strong tradition of being pioneers in the world of the open Internet.”
Cole Brodman, chief technology and innovation officer, T-Mobile USA, said, “The Internet and the mobile phone are both indispensable tools for our hectic lives, but only a fraction of us access the Web on our phones. The T-Mobile G1 is our opportunity in the U.S. to accelerate the mass adoption of the mobile Web, by unleashing Google innovation with a unique software experience that mobilizes the Google services hundreds of millions of consumers rely on every day.”
“Increasingly, connectivity does not just mean a phone call, but rather access to the world’s information,” said Andy Rubin, senior director of mobile platforms for Google. “Today’s news signifies an important first step for the Open Handset Alliance: With Android, we’ve opened the mobile Web not only for millions of users, but also to mobilize the developer community that understands the next most important platform in the world rests in the palm of our hand.”
With a fun and intuitive user interface and one-touch access to Google Search, the T-Mobile G1 is also the first phone to provide access to Android Market, where customers can find and download unique applications to expand and personalize their phone to fit their lifestyle.
T-Mobile customers in the U.S. have the opportunity to pre-order the T-Mobile G1, in limited quantities, beginning today at T-Mobile G1 and be among the first to experience this game-changing phone. The device will be available at select T-Mobile retail stores and online in the U.S. beginning Oct. 22, for a price of $179 with a two-year voice and data agreement. The T-Mobile G1 will also be available in the United Kingdom beginning in November, and across Europe in the first quarter of 2009. Countries include Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and the Netherlands.
Delivering the Familiarity of Google for a Superior Mobile Internet Experience:
The T-Mobile G1 with Google delivers a premium, easy-to-use mobile Web and communications experience in one device. Working together, T-Mobile, Google and HTC integrated Android and T-Mobile services into the phone’s form and function. The T-Mobile G1’s vibrant, high-quality screen slides open to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard, great for communicating with friends online or using the phone’s e-mail, IM and mobile messaging capabilities. As another option for accessing the device, the T-Mobile G1 comes equipped with a convenient trackball for more precise, one-handed navigation.
“T-Mobile, Google and HTC share a similar vision for making the mobile Internet practical, relevant and fun,” said Peter Chou, president and CEO, HTC Corp. “The T-Mobile G1 represents the culmination of this vision by offering a variety of services, applications and content that introduces an Internet experience that everyone can enjoy. We are honored to be joining T-Mobile and Google today for this historic unveiling of the T-Mobile G1.”
With one-click contextual search, T-Mobile G1 customers in a flash can search for relevant information with a touch of a finger. A full HTML Web browser allows users to see any Web page the way it was designed to be seen, and then easily zoom in to expand any section by simply tapping on the screen. With built-in support for T-Mobile’s 3G and EDGE network as well as Wi-Fi, the T-Mobile G1 can connect to the best available high-speed data connection for surfing the Web and downloading information quickly and effortlessly.
Google Maps Street View:
With Google Maps, Google’s groundbreaking maps service, T-Mobile G1 users can instantly view maps and satellite imagery, as well as find local business and get driving directions, all from the phone’s easy-to-use touch interface. The T-Mobile G1 also includes Google Maps Street View, allowing customers to explore cities at street-level virtually while on the go. Without taking a step, customers can tour a far-away place as if they were there — standing on the street corner. Even better, the Google Maps feature syncs with the built-in compass on the phone — an industry first — to allow users to view locations and navigate 360 degrees by simply moving the phone with their hand. Google Maps Street View is available today in many U.S. locations and soon in European countries.
Communicating on the Go:
The T-Mobile G1 features a rich HTML e-mail client, which seamlessly syncs your e-mail, calendar and contacts from Gmail as well as most other POP3 or IMAP e-mail services. The T-Mobile G1 multitasks, so you can read a Web page while also downloading your e-mail in the background. It combines Instant Messaging support for Google Talk™, as well as AOL®, Yahoo! Messenger ® and Windows Live Messenger in the U.S. With access to high-speed Web browsing and a 3-megapixel camera with photo-sharing capabilities, the T-Mobile G1 is ideal for balancing a busy lifestyle, whether sharing pictures, checking the latest sports scores or accessing social networking sites.
Embracing User-Generated Content:
Customers can use the T-Mobile G1’s 3G and Wi-Fi connection to attach and share pictures over email and MMS or download music from their favorite Web sites, and soon, upload and post pictures to their personal blog. Built-in support for YouTube allows customers to enjoy YouTube’s originally-created content, easily navigate through YouTube’s familiar video browsing categories or search for specific videos.
Music at Your Fingertips:
The T-Mobile G1 comes pre-loaded with a new application developed by Amazon.com that gives customers easy access to Amazon MP3, Amazon.com’s digital music download store with more than 6 million DRM-free MP3 tracks. Using the new application, T-Mobile G1 customers are able to search, sample, purchase and download music from Amazon MP3 directly to their device (downloading music from Amazon MP3 using the T-Mobile G1 requires a Wi-Fi connection; searching, sampling and purchasing music can be done anywhere with a cellular connection). The T-Mobile G1 will be the first device with the Amazon MP3 mobile application pre-loaded.
Android Market:
The T-Mobile G1 is the first phone to offer access to Android Market, which hosts unique applications and mash ups of existing and new services from developers around the world. With just a couple of short clicks, customers can find and download a wide range of innovative software applications — from games to social networking and on-the-go shopping — to personalize their phone and enhance their mobile lifestyle. When the phone launches next month, dozens of unique, first-of-a-kind Android applications will be available for download on Android Market, including:
* ShopSavvy: an application designed to help people do comparative shopping. Users scan the UPC code of a product with their phone’s camera while they are shopping, and can instantly compare prices from online merchants and nearby local stores.
* Ecorio: a new application developed to help people keep track of their daily travels and view what their carbon footprint looks like. With access to tips and tricks, Ecorio allows users to record the steps they take throughout their day to help offset their impact on the environment.
* BreadCrumbz: a new application that enables people to create a step-by-step visual map using photos. Customers can create their own routes, share them with friends or with the world.