Nokia Unveils Symbian N8 Smartphone

(click image for larger view)
Nokia N8 Smartphone

Hoping to capture some of the smartphone limelight shining on Apple and Google's Android devices, Nokia Tues announced the N8, which will allow users to create content, connect to social networking sites, watch on-demand Web TV programs and Ovi Store apps.

The Nokia N8 is the company's first phone to be powered by the latest edition of the Symbian smartphone operating system, Symbian ^3, which includes several updates such as multi-touch, flick scrolling, pinch-zoom, and the ability to run more applications in parallel for faster multi-tasking.

The company is positioning the N8 as a "portable entertainment center," according to a statement. Users can plug the phone into their home theater system for HD-quality video with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound.

The Nokia N8 enables access to Web TV services from CNN, E! Entertainment, Paramount and National Geographic. Additional Web TV content is available from the Ovi Store.

Nokia's latest smartphone comes with a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor akin to those found in compact digital cameras. Users will have the ability to make and edit HD-quality videos on the phone.

The N8 features Wi-Fi b, g and n standards in addition to Bluetooth 2.1. The handset has 256MB of RAM and a 512MB ROM, and the phone measures 4.47" x 2.33" x 0.51" and weighs 4.76 ounces. The N8 comes standard with a 1200mAh battery. It also features 16GB of built-in storage and an FM receiver and transmitter, which will eliminate the need for cables to listen to music from the phone in a car.

The device's social networking features include the ability to update status, share locations and photos and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter. Users will be able to transfer calendar events from social networks as well.

The N8 is the first Nokia device to be integrated with Qt, a software development environment that makes application development easier to deploy across Symbian and other software platforms, the company said.

Available in select markets in the third quarter of 2010 and priced under $500, the N8 will be available in dark gray, silver white, green, blue, and orange.