Posted on 11/03/2003 10:31:34 PM PST by FairOpinion
NOKIA has given a sneak preview of its first truly mobile multimedia device — the 7700.
Optimised for internet browsing over high-speed wireless networks, this remarkable gizmo features an integrated VGA still/video camera, a new "visual" FM radio service, an MP3 player, voice recorder and on-screen keyboard, along with full multimedia messaging and email capabilities. But that's not all. The 7700 packs MS Office applications plus personal organiser/calendar functions, so it may be possible to persuade the boss (or the taxman) that it is an essential work tool.
Certainly, it will be one of next year's hottest toys for cashed-up boys and girls who respond to Nokia's urban rebel-style "We never stop challenging the future" branding campaign.
Looking slightly like a 1950s radio, the 7700 fits comfortably into the palm of the hand.
It takes just a tap to navigate the menu, the 65,000-colour touch-screen providing a crisp display for images and streaming video.
At 640x320 pixels, the full-width screen browser can handle content direct from the web — without customisation.
With 64MB of internal memory and hot-swappable memory cards, users can store a huge range of rich content on board. It is possible to synchronise the device with your PC, and support for Bluetooth audio allows connection to wireless headsets for hands-free use.
Documents and emails are easily created via a stylus and the virtual keyboard, or through handwriting recognition.
And the 7700 is a phone, too.
Altogether, the package offers users an attractive set of features, and Gartner analyst Robin Simpson predicts it will be a big hit with the youth market.
"The most interesting thing here is the ability to create content that can be shared, and that's the basis of a lot of the traffic between kids who adopted SMS so strongly and are now adopting MMS," he says.
"So the ability to create fun content to send to your friends is an interesting opportunity — and of course that's probably the one of most interest to the operators because they'll actually generate airtime revenue from that."
But the retro-radio styling gives a clue to one of the 7700's best features — a platform that lets FM stations broadcast a complementary visual stream with the music.
Some US and European stations are testing tantalising real-time interactions with listeners. Possibilities include online competitions, special offers and ticket or CD sales, or the ability to download a favourite song/video clip.
Meanwhile, a film distributor is considering streaming movie trailers in a weekly update of the latest releases.
Nokia hopes the 7700 will be the device that cracks open a new mass market for mobile multimedia, not just mobile voice or mobile data.
If it does, we can expect a flood of exciting new content applications and services from a wide range of vendors — for entertainment and business — to follow.
But IDC Australia analyst Warren Chaisatien says Nokia faces challenges in its attempt to move into the entertainment arena.
"Every vendor competing in the converged device market has to trade off functionality, because you are trying to put a lot of things into one small device," he says.
"Players like Sony and Microsoft, digital camera vendors and Apple's iPod will say, look, we are specialist developers: if you want to download MP3 music from the internet, buy us; if you want to play games, buy a PlayStation2 or an Xbox."
The Nokia 7700 is due to ship next autumn. Pricing and availability are yet to be advised.
Here is a picture ( the article didn't have one)
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