The flagship handset in Nokia’s Supernova Range, the Nokia 7610 Supernova sports a 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus and dual LED flash, capable of capturing VGA resolution video clips at up to 15 frames per second. As well as having an FM radio and multimedia player, the 7610 comes with a 2.5mm AV connector and TV output capability, so it is quite a capable media phone.

Despite the strong multimedia capabilities, the 7610 Supernova is primarily a fashion phone. A combination of mirrored surfaces and interchangeable covers mean that you can keep the 7610 looking fresh, and you can also customise the handset’s key illumination and wallpaper to match. In the past, we’ve tended to see these features with 3G phones, but the Nokia 7610 is not a 3G device, although it does support EDGE data which is OK as long as your mobile network actually uses it. The display is a 2″ 240 x 320 pixel panel in 16 million colours, which is perhaps a little smaller than we would like to see. Talktime is pretty decent at up to 5.4 hours with a maximum of 12 days standby time. Overall, the 7610 Supernova measures 98 x 48 x 15mm and weighs 99 grams which is pretty typical for this type of device.

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Google has released the web-based version of its Google Talk optimized for the iPhone/iPod Touch. The application works from Safari and looks pretty much the same as the GTalk desktop client.

Feature wise, Google made sure you can easily select people you want to chat (add them to “quicklist”), search contacts and manage multiple conversations. However, because it’s a web-based app, there are downsides too. For instance, when you navigate away to another browser window or application, your status will be change to “unavailable” and the GTalk session will be restarted when you return. It’s nice and everything but a surprise to see Google optimizing a whole array of its apps for the iPhone. However, I would suggest using some of the existing native chat applications (in case you have a jailbroken iPhone/iPod Touch), or web-based meebo.com which allows you to chat with your buddies who use other IM clients, too. To use GTalk on your iPhone/iPod Touch, simple point Safari to www.google.com/talk and take it from there.

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Verizon Wireless, Real Networks’ Rhapsody and MTV Networks announced the launch of V CAST Music with Rhapsody service today.  This new service will deliver “unlimited monthly access to music on up to three Rhapsody-compatible mobile phones and players and online on multiple PCs and Web browsers, for about the cost of a single CD.”

 For only $14.99 customers will be given access to Rhapsody’s 5 million songs.  You will also be able to purchase individual songs.  A single song for PC downloads will only cost you 99 cents and OTA music will cost $1.99 but also includes a complementary DRM-free master copy file. V CAST Music with Rhapsody works on V CAST- compatible phones.

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The LG Dare from Verizon Wireless is now available online for $199 after a $50 mail in rebate with a two-year contract. For a limited time only Verizon is including a free 8GB memory card with all Dare orders placed on-line with a $79 Nationwide Basic plan or $99 Nationwide Basic Unlimited plan. You will be able to pick up the latest device from LG in stores on July 3rd.

Features include a 3″ WQVGA touchscreen display with light sensor to automatically adjust brightness, 3.2MP autofocus camera and flash with face detection, VGA video recording, built-in photo and video editing capabilities, HTML Browser,  movie quality video playback from memory card, updated media player with equalizer and Rhapsody support, handwriting recognition, drag and drop contacts with a unique photo interface, Bluetooth 2.1,  EVDO Rev A, microUSB, and support for up to 8GB microSDHC memory cards. All of this is packaged into a device measuring 4.10″H x 2.20″W x 0.50″D and with a weight of 3.76 oz.

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Slifter is the first mobile local product search tool, so you can get relevant local information while you are at your computer or out-and-about shopping.

LOCAL: Slifter offers you local availablity information, not just online product listings. You can use Slifter to find products and promotions that are available at stores nearby.

MOBILE: Slifter is available for your mobile phone. All the power of online plus a Shopping List to save and share finds. See images, call the store or get a map - all in the palm of your hand.

Free Download…

The LG KC550 (also known as the LG Orsay) is probably the best camera phone that you have never heard of.While most manufacturers still make a song and dance about 5.0 Megapixels camera phones, LG have been very low key with their launch of the KC550, which has sneaked into the shops without much fuss.

Essentially, the LG KC550 can be thought of as a cut down version of the Viewty, retaining almost all of the Viewty’s camera features but scaling back elsewhere. Before we look at the camera in more detail, we will quickly look at the rest of the KC550’s specifications. This is a GSM only phone with a 2.4″ 240 x 320 pixel display, FM radio microSD expandable memory and a built-in accelerometer. There’s a TV output too, so video clips and stills photos can be displayed on a television set.

The accelerometer can be used to flip the screen orientation from portrait (tall) to landscape (wide) modes as you rotate the handset, and it can also be used for games.. although we think that this is of limited use. Unlike the Viewty, the LG KC550 has a standard display and lacks a touchscreen. Of course, the really interesting part of the KC550 is the camera. This is a 5 megapixel unit with a “Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens”. We’re not sure what certified means in this context, but having the name plastered over the back of the phone should guarantee the quality of the KC550’s optics. The camera has autofocus and what appears to be an LED flash. The maximum video capture resolution is 720 x 480 pixels at 30 frames per second, so it’s certainly one of the best phones on the market for video Recording.

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Nokia today announced it has launched a cash offer to acquire all of the shares of Symbian Limited that Nokia does not already own, at a price of EUR 3.647 per share.  The net cash outlay from Nokia to purchase the approximately 52% of Symbian Limited shares it does not already own will be approximately EUR 264 million.

Nokia has received irrevocable undertakings from Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB, Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (publ), Panasonic Mobile Communications Co. Ltd. and Siemens International Holding BV to accept the offer, representing approximately 91% of the Symbian shares subject to the offer.  Nokia also expects Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. to accept the offer.

The acquisition is a fundamental step in the establishment of the Symbian Foundation, announced today by Nokia, together with AT&T, LG Electronics, Motorola, NTT DOCOMO, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone. More information about the planned foundation can be found at www.symbianfoundation.org.

The ambition, says Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, is to create “the most attractive platform for mobile innovation and drive the development of new and compelling web-enabled applications.”

To achieve this, Nokia will join other industry players, initially AT&T, LG Electronics, Motorola, NTT DOCOMO, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone, to form the non-profit Symbian Foundation, although any company can join.

Together the foundation will unify the Symbian OS with its various competing User Interface layers - primarily Nokia’s S60 and Motorola and Sony Ericsson’s UIQ - into a single open platform for “converged mobile devices”. The new foundation, in which Nokia has the biggest seat since it will swallow up all of Symbian’s current employees, will oversee the process of releasing the new OS under the Eclipse Public License (EPL) 1.0 open source license - a transition that will take two years - and become its long-term custodian.  Source…

T-Mobile have announced a further two handsets for its Hotspot@Home service, the Nokia 6301 and Samsung SGH-t339.  Both use WiFi for VoIP; T-Mobile’s package offers unlimited nationwide VoIP calls made from any accessible hotspot.  In addition, the handsets both feature cameras, microSD slots for memory expansion, myFaves compatibility and triband GSM/GPRS/EDGE.

The Nokia 6301 measures in at 4.2 x 1.7 x 0.5 inches and weighs 3.2 ounces. A slim candybar, it comes with a desktop recharging stand. Its media player features A2DP stereo Bluetooth and can cope with WMA, MP3, AAC and eAAC+ files. It has a 240 x 320 pixel, 16-million color display as well as a 2.0 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom and video capture.

Meanwhile, the t339 also has stereo Bluetooth (and plays MP3, AAC and AAC+ files). It has a 176 x 220 pixel, 262k color display and a 1.3 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom and video capture. Both handsets should be available today, June 23rd 2008. You’ll need a T-Mobile @Home VoIP plan to take advantage of the WiFi calls.

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Symbian, the popular Operting System, used mainly on Nokia phones, but on Sony Ericsson, Samsung, and Motorola as well, has turned ten years old.. To celebrate this, Symbian has opened a dedicated site for its ten years of activeness.

On the site, you can browse a timeline, detailing various events, and devices. There are also several things you can listen to on the site – detailing Research and Development, as well as developers, and bonding with customers. You can also express you experience of Symbian, and sign the sites birthday card too.

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With competition in the mobile phone market heating up, Nokia unveiled two exciting handsets yesterday that look shockingly similar to a BlackBerry, and also have some pretty nice entertainment services that meet or exceed features on the iPhone. Nokia released the Nokia E71, and the Nokia E66, which are both expected to begin shipping in July and cost about $543 (EUR 350) before taxes and any carrier subsidies. “The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 were designed for people who lead a mobile lifestyle and want quick and easy access to their personal and work email. With both of these devices, we have responded to consumer feedback by making calendar and contacts available at the touch of a button,” said Søren Petersen, Senior Vice President, Devices, Nokia. “Equally important, people want well-crafted devices that are as beautiful to use as they are to behold. Stainless steel was chosen as the core material for these devices, giving them additional strength and a touch of class. Furthermore, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 offer all the latest multimedia features that people desire.” Nokia Press Release…

E71: This is the one that looks most like a Blackberry because it has a full Qwerty keyboard, a fairly large screen and is thin. As required these days, it has enterprise features including Microsoft Exchange email support, along with support for Microsoft Office documents. Some of the high-end features that rival or beat the iPhone include: 3G, built in GPS, 3.2 megapixel camera with flash, music player, online sharing with Ovi, the ability to to use the device as a modem and stereo Bluetooth support.

E66: The device has all the same features—it’s just looks different. The phone is a slider and the screen slides up to reveal a standard keypad. Source…