Countdown to Nokia's new product announcement

(Credit: Nokia)

In the tech world, it's rare that a new product remains a complete secret from the prying eyes of gadget enthusiasts and bloggers, but somehow Nokia has done it. On Tuesday, in conjunction with the Nokia World 2008 Conference in Barcelona, Spain, the Finnish cell phone manufacturer will reveal a new device, and it's a complete mystery.

According to Robert Scoble, Nokia executives have been bragging that "the Internet has no clue" what it's about to announce, and that all guesses, including a new touch-screen cell phone (Engadget Mobile thinks it could possibly be a touch-based Communicator) have all been wrong. However, the popular thought seems to be that the gadget will be something to rival the Apple iPhone and T-Mobile G1.

OK, Nokia, we'll bite. The announcement is planned for Tuesday at 12:15 a.m. PST; coincidentally, CNET editor David Carnoy also says there's an event planned at Nokia's New York flagship store Monday night. Related? Perhaps. We'll have all the details for you Tuesday, and Nokia has also set up a countdown site so you can be notified of the news. Any guesses as to what the mystery product could be?

[UKStory1355]

Like it matters to US citizens, we won't see it for 18 months anyway. Nokia makes great products, but they hate American conumers more than Osama bin Laden.

[UKStory1355]

I mean Consumers, I hate it when I misspell >:[

[totallyprocrastinating]

Telegraph machine? (crosses fingers)

[BrujoSalazar]

no idea but i hope it has cdma and future lte.

[ajwatt12]

I will guess it will be called the n900 and it will be an OMAP3, HSPA, WiFi, GPS, XpressMusic, multitouch version of the internet tablet. It won't be called an "internet tablet" any more, though, because they will rebrand that platform as "multimedia computers."

[Someone-else]

Maybe it's a cellphone using the Android OS...
But it would change NOTHING for me, as here on Brazil, cellphone take too long to get here and when they come, they are just too expensive, the iPhone is the equivalent to US$800 + contract, and the G1 is set to arrive next year...

[nathan_addicted_to_cnet]

This article isnt entirely true, there are sites on the internet with alleged pics.
http://erazer007.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/nokia-mystery-phone/
Thanks for the heads up though, I never would have heard about this without the article. Maybe companys that leak there pics get more buzz, any thoughts.

[emarido]

that is the picture of the scrapped 5 megapixel camera, furthermore, that's not going to change the game, it's a regular phone...

[jtklein]

A decent phone for verizon. Now wouldn`t that be a kick in the pants. Think about it. If VZW had the i-phone AT&T would probably fold.

[robertorosco]

I bet it's another iPhone clone. Meh

[Mark_Anderson]

Shouldn't that read "another LG Prada clone"? :)

[robertorosco]

Ha! You're right :)

[cbaisa]

i always like when someone knows which came first.

[Andres_A]

Sooner or later a photo is going to be leaked...that's the world of tech nowadays, can't keep anything from anybody before it comes out.

[canberra_photographer]

Alright, Nokia's going to finally release mobile Telex!!!

[heymikemason]

I'm crossing my fingers for MMS, copy & paste, and A2DP. Oh, wait- every Nokia media phone has that already! Get over yourselves, iPhone clones.

[ofmyony]

A 4g touchscreen phone with app store on the Android platform. Or a new flip phone that just makes calls!

[JoachimIII]

Looks like a new N Series phone... probably something to counter Apple and RIM's current choke-hold on the smartphone market