By Reuben Lee
29/11/2006
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39050603,61970857,00.htm

	Nokia's 3G smart phone, the 6290 (click for more images)

AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS--At its annual Capital Market Days, Nokia revealed to the media four new handsets for its 2007 product lineup.

Three of them (Nokia 6086, 6290 and 6300) are targeted at midrange users, while the 2626, an entry-level candy bar, will cater to consumers in the emerging markets.

According to a press statement from Kai Oistamo, Nokia's executive vice president and general manager for Mobile Phones: "These new products underscore our commitment to offer a range of mobile phones that give consumers a choice in selecting the right balance of technology and design to meet their lifestyle and budget."

The highlight at the launch was undoubtedly the Nokia 6300. Measuring just 13.1mm thin, the new candy bar is one of the first slim phone offerings in recent years from the Finnish company. More significantly, many industry observers see the 6300 as an indication of Nokia's decision to finally follow the thin phone trend.

The 6290, meanwhile, is touted as the company's first midrange Series 60 3G smart phone, while the 6086 is its latest Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) handset. UMA handsets allow users to switch seamlessly between GSM and wireless LAN for mobile service coverage. While information on the 2626 remains sketchy for now, the handset is expected to come in several colors and include an FM radio.

All four models are expected to ship in the first quarter of 2007. However, according to a Nokia spokesperson, the 6086 is unlikely to make its way to the Asia-Pacific region due to the lack of mobile operators supporting the UMA service. The good news, though, is that the 6086 is almost identical in design and features to the 6085 that was announced, except for the UMA connectivity.

Company representatives at the Nokia World 2006 also revealed to CNET Asia that more colors will be introduced for the 6300 after its initial launch as the current silver option is expected to appeal mainly to male users.

Model name	In a nutshell
Nokia 6300 Click for more details	Cool factor: One of Nokia's slimmest phones in the current product lineup. Notable features: Triband 106.4 x 43.6 x 13.1mm; 91g 2-inch QVGA screen with 16-million-color support 2-megapixel CMOS camera USB and Bluetooth connectivity Onboard 135MB; microSD card slot MP3 player, FM radio Speakerphone Availability: 1st quarter of 2007 Estimated retail price: 250 euros (US$330)
Nokia 6290 Click for more details	Cool factor: Nokia's first midrange 3G smart phone running on the Series 60 Symbian platform. Notable features: Quadband with 3G Series 60 Symbian OS 3rd Edition Feature Pack 1 2-megapixel CMOS camera with LED light 2.2-inch QVGA internal screen with 16 million-color support Supports email attachments MP3 player with stereo surround sound Two-way video calling Infrared, Bluetooth and USB connectivity Availability: 1st quarter of 2007 Estimated retail price: 325 euros (US$429)
Nokia 6086 Click for more details	Cool factor: Nokia's latest Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) handset. The 6086 is the UMA version of the 6085. Notable features: Quadband with EDGE +UMA over wireless LAN VGA camera Onboard 6MB, microSD card slot Bluetooth and USB connectivity Camcorder and video player Stereo FM tuner with Visual Radio Macromedia Flash Player 2.0 Flight and demo mode Availability: 1st quarter of 2007 (Not expected in Asia Pacific region) Estimated retail price: 200 euros (US$264)
Nokia 2626 Click for more details	Cool factor: Entry-level phone for the emerging markets. Notable features: Dualband One-touch FM radio Nokia Xpress Audio Messaging Voice recorder 128 x 128-pixel, 65K-color screen Available in various colors Email client Speakerphone Availability: 1st quarter of 2007 Estimated retail price: 75 euros (US$99)