November 12, 2008 1:55 PM PST

Nokia E63: Not just for the suits

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Nokia E63

(Credit: Nokia)

On Wednesday, Nokia introduced the latest model in its E series of smartphones, the Nokia E63. Traditionally, the Nokia E series, which includes the Nokia E71 and the Nokia E66, have been very business focused and slightly on the pricey side, but the cell phone manufacturer is hoping to break that mold and bring in more general consumers by selling the E63 at a lower price point.

The Nokia E63 will start shipping in Europe within the next few weeks for 199 Euros, which is about $248 here. Compare that with E71, which goes for $500 unlocked, and you've got a pretty good deal, especially when you consider that the E63 offers a full QWERTY keyboard, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and a 2-megapixel camera.

The Symbian S60-based smartphone also includes support for Microsoft Exchange, POP/IMAP e-mail accounts, basic personal information management tools, and a music and video player. Like the E71, you can toggle between two different home views on the E63, depending on whether you're at work or at home. Other highlights include 2.3-inch, 16 million color QVGA display, Nokia Ovi support, 110MB internal memory, a microSD expansion slot (can accept up to 8GB cards), and a 3.5mm headphone jack. In its current form, the Nokia E63 does not support U.S. 3G bands and there is no built-in GPS.

We are still trying to confirm U.S. availability with Nokia, but we suspect it will be a couple of months after the European launch. Chances are you'll also have to buy it unlocked from online retailers or through Nokia, since we don't see it coming to a U.S. carrier for now.

Bonnie Cha is a senior editor for CNET, covering smartphones and GPS. When she's not testing the latest gadgets, you can find her chasing after her crazy lab or surfing in the chilly waters of Northern California. E-mail Bonnie.