April 9, 2008 10:51 AM PDT

Details trickle out on Nokia's answer to iPhone

by Tom Krazit
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Nokia Tube, with touch-screen display

This is Nokia's answer to the iPhone, and it's expected later this year.

(Credit: Symbian-Freak.com)

More details about Nokia's upcoming Tube phone have surfaced, days after its existence leaked out at a developer conference.

Nokia's apparent answer to the iPhone will arrive in the second half of this year, according to Symbian Freak. A Nokia spokesman confirmed the timing to Computerworld but didn't offer any further details other than the obvious notion that the "Tube" will use Symbian's S60 operating system. Nokia owns a large stake in Symbian.

According to Symbian Freak, the Tube (real name TBD) will come with 3G, Wi-Fi, and GPS chips and use a screen sized between 3 inches and 3.5 inches. The site's report compared the size of the Tube to a Nokia N73, but perhaps a bit wider. There's a built-in camera that can also support geotagging of photos taken with the camera, the report says.

The iPhone will probably be available in a 3G version by the time the Tube makes an appearance. It's not totally clear what type of touch-screen interface Nokia will be using for this phone. The report says that the Tube won't use "multitouch," but will have "tactility feedback."

Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (9 Comments)
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The Question Is...
by Pixel Kid April 9, 2008 12:00 PM PDT
Can they make it easy to transfer video's, mp3's & podcasts to? The
iPhone is much more than an mp3 player with a phone stuck on.
Reply to this comment
Have you used ActiveSync
by alenas April 9, 2008 4:52 PM PDT
Oh boy. You are from stoneage if you think that iTunes way of transfering things is good.
Have you used Windows Mobile device center?
Or removable media feature in Windows Media Player?
There are many ways to put music/videos on the player or phone way easier than with iTunes...just dumb people do not know about it (cause they do not want to know).
View reply
If its the answer to iphone it must have:
by jamesd553 April 9, 2008 12:09 PM PDT
It must have multi-touch which apple seems to have a lock on for a while at least. It must have a fully operational web browser, sorry the one on symbian now only really works on mobile pages, and using opera mini is also not ideal. It must also be fast. Can it go back and fourth between applications and such quickly and seemlessly... i.e. "Boom it there"
Reply to this comment
It has
by alenas April 9, 2008 4:47 PM PDT
I am using iPhone since day 1.
Opera Mobile 9.5 - could be even better than iPhone browser.
Multi-touch - overrated - it is not that necessary. I use it just to zoom-in/out. It is possible to achive that differently and as effectively.
Symbian is very fast. If it would have processor twice slower than iPhones - it would still be faster...
"put your boom in your a55"
View reply
Nah...
by Bristol Slim April 9, 2008 12:12 PM PDT
It's not working for me.

Another (although better than most) feeble attempt from a bunch
of mobile phone heads.
Reply to this comment
Software
by pgp_protector April 9, 2008 1:30 PM PDT
Can I install my own Custom software without having to use 3rd party hacks ?
Reply to this comment
Most likely...
by dargon19888 April 9, 2008 3:11 PM PDT
The OS is rumored to be Symbian 60 for which there is a large development following.
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