Techie Gadgets » nokia n97

Nokia N97 is Now in the Philippines

Noemi — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:57:01 +0000

The Nokia N97 is finally here in the Philippines. I first played around with the Nokia N97 in an Ovi Adventure in Singapore last June 16. I loved it the moment I tinkered with the touch screen and qwerty keyboard that I am so familiar with. Nokia Philippines General Manager William Hamilton-Whyte also lent me his N97 unit briefly as he showed me the vast features and possibilties. Just so you know, I own an iPhone because I find it very pretty and functional for my mobile internet needs. It serves as a my miniature laptop on the go. That’s about to change in the next few months with the launch of the N97 in the Philippines.

William finally unveilled the N97 to the media who were eagerly waiting to try it out.

“The Nokia N97 is an important step towards our vision of delivering a highly personalized online experience,” said William Hamilton-Whyte, General Manager, Nokia Philippines. “Fuelled by a multitude of music, maps, games, media and applications via Ovi, the Nokia N97 transforms the Internet into YOUR internet, an experience that’s completely tailored to the tastes and interests of its owner.”

The N97 that I am familiar with is the black colored model but today I finally saw the white version and gasped “I want the white N97″. Look at it. I just find it so classy. My photos don’t do justice so I will show you stock photos after the entry. As Globe Telecoms bring this phone out to Loyal subscribers like myself, I am going to switch.

In the following days, I am going to do a more in-depth review of the Nokia N97 as soon as my review unit arrives. What I can show you now is a preview of the features that’s specific to the Philippines.

The Nokia N97 is Nokia’s first device to feature a fully customizable home screen, which can be personalized with a range of widgets which bring live information directly to the device. These widgets include key social networking destinations like Facebook and Hi5, news services like the Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters, local sites such as Clickthecity, and shopping and weather information. The Nokia N97 is the first device to ship with the Ovi Store, which offers easy access to applications, games, videos, podcasts, productivity tools, web and location-based services, and much more. With easy and quick access to Ovi, you can back up your contacts and calendar online. You can also download fun stuff through Ovi Store which has free content from a range of global and local content providers and developers, including Paramount Pictures, Facebook and Qik, as well as a selection of Twitter applications.

The Nokia N97 also has multiple high-speed connectivity options and 32GB of storage (up to 48GB using a microSD card) so it’s possible to directly download hot new tracks from Nokia Independent Artists Club and store tens of thousands of songs on the handset.

High-quality images and video clips at 30 frames per second (fps) can be captured using the 5 megapixel camera with integrated Carl Zeiss optics. Images can also be geo-tagged to specific locations and shared instantly with friends or uploaded online to Ovi Share, Twitter or Flickr. There’s more to write about the N97 and you will know more in the following days so stay tuned.

As usual, Nokia events are so much fun. I even got a Facebook pillow during their game portion and a pig to super-poke you in Facebook. (Add me at facebook.com/noemidado)

You can also review the background of Nseries.

Nokia Nseries Backgrounder

Suggested retail price is PhP34,000.

Ovi Adventure in Singapore with a Nokia N97 & Nokia N86 8MP

Noemi — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:47:36 +0000

Imagine running like mad, huffing and puffing along the Central Business District of Singapore! On June 14 – June 16, I was in Singapore as a media guest for the Nokia Connection 2009. I thought the event would involve a lot of press conferences, but it turns out that the Ovi Adventure on June 16 was part of our activities. Which was why I was running like a raving lunatic all over Singapore last week. I exaggerate but really, I didn’t expect the Ovi Adventure to demand a lot of physical activity and speed from me. Which is not to say that it wasn’t fun – it really was quite the adventure, and what added to it was the little surprises that unfolded along the way.

Standing Left to right: Michelle Callanta (Gadgets Magazine), Jacs Sampayan (Metro Magazine), me for TechieGadgets.com, Alexei Villaraza (Manila Bulletin), Jayvee Fernandez (AbuggedLife.com), Manny de los Reyes (Philippine Star/Speed Magazine), Lawrence Agacaoili (Manila Standard Today), Nikka Abbes (Corporate Communications Manager, Nokia) and Charles Buban (Philippine Daily Inquirer)

The day before, I told Nokia Philippines General Manager William Hamilton-Whyte that I joined a similar Amazing Race-type contest in Island Cove and proudly added that my team garnered third place despite breaking my ankle and having leg surgery four years ago. Ever since the surgery, blood flow to the ankle hasn’t been that great, and doctors warned me against straining it or doing strenuous physical activity that will require its movement. Three days after the Ovi Adventure my ankle was so swollen, I couldn’t leave the house. But thanks to bed rest and an ice pack, I’m now up and about. Here’s how the Ovi Adventure played out:

At the VIP room of the Swissotel Stamford, 11 teams from countries like Australia, Malaysia, Emerging Asia (Bangladesh), Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines were formed by the organizers, with the Philippine media delegation getting divided into two teams. Mine was Team 1. Each team assigned a leader who was in charge of our supplies. We got a backpack containing 3 umbrellas, water supplies, Nokia N97 and a Nokia N86 8MP.

Along with my team is Sumire, Forum Nokia to assist us but she was not allowed to handle our Nokia phones. Nikka joined the first half of the race with us and then caught up with Team 2. The first three teams that clock the shortest time WINS. I wanted my team to win a place, of course! I was excited to start this amazing type of race.

So what was our first mission?

Mission 1- Create an Ovi Account

Instructions:

1. Using your N97, access www.ovi.com.
2. Follow instructions to set up an OVI account.
3. Your mobile number can be found at the back of the phone.
4. Once the account is set-up successfully, an SMS will be sent shortly.

Show the SMS to the Game Master in the VIP Lounge A to get your next clue.
Smile and be polite to the Game Master for a tip on how to use your next clue.

(We were allowed to call a hotline if we encountered problems but that will add 1 minute to our final time)

Second Mission – Entertainment Made Easy

To give you a little perspective of our location, the Swissotel Stamford hotel is located at the Central Business District of Singapore. I took this photo from the 17th floor of my hotel room shortly before the Ovi Adventure.

To the right of the hotel, you can view the Esplanade.

With that perspective, our next clue was this:

Clue: for some entertainment, catch a movie at the nearest cinema!

1. Time to whip up your Nokia N97

Go to the Ovi store and download the Golden Village widget. To download, you need to sign in using your Ovi account

2. Using the Golden Village widget, locate GV Marina and make your way there by foot.
3. Using the Golden Village Widget, search for the showtimes of “Ghost of Girlfriends Past” for today.
4. To get your clue, go to the Clue Master standing near the Ticket Office and show him the showtimes in your Nokia N97.

As our team leader Manny fiddled with the N97, the rest of our team started to run to the Marina Square which was right across the hotel (see perspective above). It seemed near but it is a good 10 minute run. I could feel my heart pounding like crazy and my head hurting from the burst of speed. We knew we had to use the overpass to cross towards Marina but took the risk and crossed illegally. Well, we saw someone cross in front of us so we threw caution to the wind. I was slow compared to my team mates but I managed to stay within 15 meters away from them. I just couldn’t catch up. Looks like our risk-taking paid off because we were the first team to arrive.

Mission 3 Share your Favorite Destination

1. Find your way to one of Singapore’s most interesting landmarks – Esplanades Theaters by the bay.

2. Head to the outdoor amphitheater and look out for the Singapore icon – The Merlion a beautiful hybrid of Lion and fish, it was built in 1972 and stands a strong 8 meter structure located at the mouth of the Singapore river.

3. From the Ampitheatre, use your Nokia N86 8MP to take a creatively zany picture with at least 4 group members and the Merlion as a keepsake from your visit in Singapore.

Creativity earns you a deduction in time.
OK- no time added or deducted
Good- 1 minute deducted from final time
Very Good- 2 minutes deducted from Final time

We were surprised to see the Australian team ahead of us. Later we found out that they used the tunnel which made it faster for them to reach the Esplanade. We decided to form the word N-O-K-I-A and this was the result.

(Wow, the photo quality of the N86 is amazing. I downloaded this photo after the adventure. You will see where I downloaded it from.)

But we weren’t done yet – there was one more thing left to do.

4. Share your photo online by uploading it onto OVI Share, the premier Ovi adventure channel. A username and password were provided for http://share.ovi.com/users/ovi_adventure
Username:
Password:

Alexei tried to upload the photo to the Ovi Channel but encountered technical difficulties in the upload. This needed to be done before we could proceed to the next step.

5. To get your next clue, go to the Clue master standing near the Courtesy Lion about 200 meters from the outdoor ampitheatre and show him the photo on Ovi Adventure channel from the Nokia 86 8MP

We stand by the Courtesy Lion as we waited in vain for our photo to be uploaded.

And here is the wacky Team 2 composed of Jayvee, Michelle, Lawrence and Charles. Funny photo! You can view the rest of the photos in this Ovi Adventure channel

So off with our fourth Mission.

Mission 4 Get Hot News while You Cool Off

1. You will find S$40 and some drink coupons in your envelope. Take a taxi to Jones the Grocer
Address: Block 9, Dempsey Road, Dempsey Hill #01-12. Note: taxis in Singapore can take only 4 passengers at a time, so our team had to split up and take two cabs.

I was in a cab with Sumire and was left holding the N97. I took this opportunity to login to Facebook and typed out “In a cab waiting for my next stop at Dempsey hill for an amazing race. Hope my team wins a place!”

At long last, we reached Jones the Grocer.

Our next step was:

2. Take a cool break at Jones the Grocer by redeeming the vouchers for a cup of iced latte or iced berries each.

What a cool break indeed. By this time, I was sweating like anything already. I chose an iced latte to keep me perky for the rest of the race.

3. What better way to enjoy your beverage than to catch up on the latest news. At the bottom of your cups, you will find the logo of a news widget. Using the Nokia N97, add the widget to your home screen and check out the latest headline. (Yes the Nokia N97 has a customizable homescreen)

Instructions:

From the Home screen: click options
click Edit Content
Click on the blank space (for widgets or apps)
Click Add Content
Select AP News

4. To show your next clue, show the Clue Master the latest headlines on your Nokia N97.

But that before getting our next clue, we needed to solve a mystery task involving exponential equation.

The Mystery Task
1. Go to Ovi Store.

2. Go to Application, find the Nokia Handwriting Calculator and download it.

3. Click on Launch and work out this questionL

5^2 x 6^3=?

4. Give your answer to the Clue master from your N97 and get your bonus points for the correct answer.

Bonus points: 2 minutes deducted from the final times.

Jacs solved the equation using a ballpen as a stylus since the N97 didn’t have stylus pen with it.

Mission 5 – Lunching with Friends? Let Nokia Maps show you the way.

Fancy a French Restaurant for lunch? Find your way to Au Petit Salut where a sumptuous lunch awaits you.

1. Use your Nokia N86 8MP and find your way to Au Petit Salut, a short distance away, using Nokia Maps

Click on Map Icons on your device
Find your position on the map and click “Save”
Explore nearby restaurants and search for Au Petit Salut/ Harding Road
You can plot your walk route from your position to Au Petit Salit
Let Nokia Maps guide you there

And down the road we hiked towards Au Petit Salud. My feet and legs were getting tired already that I could barely run. Jacs looks back at me and I tell the team to just run ahead of me.

I finally caught up with them and with my last ounce of energy left, I run as fast as I could but took this photo first.

It is our final stop. Guess what? My Team won THIRD PLACE at 1 hour and 7 minutes. Australia won first place while Malaysia got second place.

A glass of cold water is handed out to us and all we could do was sigh with relief. Good thing the clouds covered the sun or we would have been more exhausted.

Finally we had that sumptuous lunch with the rest of the Philippine team.

Despite my swollen ankle which I nursed for three days, I enjoyed this Ovi Adventure very much. I learned so much of myself that I could hurdle challenges beyond my imagination. It really pushed me to be competitive despite my physical handicap. What fascinated me the most is that the “amazing race” involved the use of mobile technology. My hands-on experience with the Nokia N97 gave me the opportunity to check out its amazing features at work like tilting 3.5in touch screen, qwerty keyboard and a fully customisable home screen and the range of applications via Nokia’s Ovi store. And after spending just an hour using the Nokia N97, I would definitely want it to replace my iPhone (my main phone) once Globe gives me a good deal for their Loyalty Rewards program.

I surely had the time of my life.

Oh, and the prize a Nokia Bluetooth Headset (BH-800)

The Nokia BH-800 is a tiny little headset that looks like a piece of candy, measuring only 1.6 by 0.7 by 0.35 inches and weighing an airy 0.3 ounce. Because it’s so cute, it’s not obvious to when I wear it.

Nokia N97 Available for Preorder Online

lauren — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:42:47 +0000

The Nokia N97 brings a whole new dimension to mobile convenience and usability. Easy and fast access to the Internet, a full touch screen to view movies and photos with ease, a full QWERTY keyboard that will make you type messages faster, 32GB memory expandable to 48GB, support for multiple music formats, and a customizable home screen with widgets for real time updates from your favorite websites – all of these can happen in the palm of your hand.

Other features include Nokia Maps with voice-guided instructions, 5 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED flash, DVD-grade video recording, 3G, GPS, WLAN, and TV connectivity.

Be one of the first in the country to own a Nokia N97! Between June 16 to June 18, 2009, log on to www.nokia.com.ph/n97preorder to reserve one of these amazing multimedia mobile phones for yourself. All online buyers will have the chance to win one of 500 Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Routers worth P 2,995 and free delivery. You can pay through Paypal or over-the-counter bank transactions. For more details, log into the website.

The Making of the Nokia N97

lauren — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:21:58 +0000

There’s no doubt that the making of a device like the Nokia N97 from scratch requires collective effort and insight on what a flagship device should contain. The Nokia N97 is the child of several parents – a global team based in Tokyo, with the design team in Finland, the mechanics team in Tokyo, and software teams from India, China, Singapore, and Boston. Below is a video of the making of the Nokia N97, where many of the key players of the team go in front of the camera to tell their story, including designer Shunjiro Eguchi and Product Program Manager Tomi Kuparinen. It’s very cheesy in that inspirational bullshit sense, but if you’re excited about the N97 then this video will probably give you the goosebumps.

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