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.
Correction at 10 a.m. PDT: The story incorrectly listed which push e-mail solutions the E71 works with. It does not work with BlackBerry Connect or GoodLink.
Nokia E66
(Credit: Nokia)It may be that the Nokia E series sometimes suffers from Jan Brady syndrome as it gets overshadowed by a flashier member of its family--the Nokia N series (aka Marcia Brady). But the E series is just as bright and deserves some recognition too.
Traditionally, the E series devices have been very corporate centric and serious in design, but now Nokia is updating the line with the introduction of the Nokia E66 and Nokia E71, bringing with them a modernized look and a fresh set of features. Here's the breakdown:
Nokia E66: The successor to the Nokia E65, the E66 continues to offer a cool slider design, but it's been trimmed down and comes in gray or white with steel accents. The smartphone also has "turn-to-full view," which is similar to the iPhone's accelerometer feature in that when you turn the device on its side, the screen orientation will automatically switch from portrait to landscape mode. You can also alternate between Business and Personal mode. In Business mode, you'll have all your productivity tools readily accessible on your home screen, such as e-mail, calendar, and documents. Meanwhile, when you switch to Personal view, you'll get access to your multimedia files, the Web, and so forth.
The Nokia E66 will continue to run the third edition of the S60 platform on the Symbian operating system and has integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 (with A2DP support). Plus, it now offers assisted GPS and U.S. 3G support (850/1900; HSDPA). Other goodies include a 3.2-megapixel camera, support for Nokia's Ovi Internet service, 110MB internal memory plus microSD slot (supports up to 8GB cards), and a 2.4-inch QVGA nontouch display.
Nokia E71
(Credit: Nokia)Nokia E71: The E71 represents the more dramatic design makeover of the two. Taking over for the Nokia E61i, the E71 is still very much a messaging-centric device with its full QWERTY keyboard but it's not as bulky or dull-looking anymore. The smartphone measures 4.4 inches tall by 2.2 inches wide by 0.4 inch deep and weighs 4.4 ounces, compared with the E61i's dimensions of 4.6 inches tall by 2.7 inches wide by 0.5 inch deep and 5.3 ounces. The E71 will also come in gray or white, and have a 2.36-inch, 16 million-color QVGA display.
Feature wise, the Symbian smartphone supports Mail for Exchange, POP/IMAP accounts, and works with a number of push e-mail solutions, including Intellisync Wireless E-mail, Visto, and Seven Always-On Mail. The E71 will also have integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, HSDPA, assisted GPS, and the Business and Personal home screens.
Outlook: Both the Nokia E65 and E61i have a loyal following and have garnered good user reviews, so I'm sure current owners will be interested in the upgrade. However, as with Nokia's other high-end phones, the Nokia E66 and Nokia E71 have not been picked up by a U.S. carrier and will only be sold as unlocked handsets, meaning they'll carry a steep price tag (pricing has not been finalized but we suspect somewhere in the $300 to $500 range) and thus, limit the reach of the smartphones. Still, the E66 and E71 are shaping up to be some strong workhorses for the business community, and we'll, of course, give them a workout when we get them in for review. Both mobiles are slated to be available in the third quarter (around July/August) with the Nokia E71 expected to ship slightly ahead of the Nokia E66.
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