Sony Ericsson W890

Great looks Plenty of features Decent sound quality

Camera is just okay

One of the things I’ve always admired about Sony Ericsson (SE) is the craftsmanship that goes into the design of its handsets. There are exceptions of course. Many manufacturers don’t bother to integrate new technologies into either the handset or the OS, so the main thing is to see if the existing functions work well.

Form Factor
The mocha brown W890 looks classy from any angle. It’s been a while since I came across an SE with normal keys, so this is a welcome change. The 2-inch screen with a 240 x 320 pixel resolution and 256K colors is perfect for videos and images alike. The navigation pad and corresponding keys are well-placed for comfort and ease of use. I’ve always liked SE’s effective shortcut menu. A secondary camera is located above the display. The instrument is slim, at only 9.9mm.

Ingeniously, the rear panel doesn’t just slide open. It has two little locks on either side that need to be unclasped before the panel drops open. It's quite well-designed; you don't need to worry if the phone will spill its guts in your pocket. On one side are the volume / zoom keys and a dedicated camera key. On the other side is a Walkman key for activating the music player and below that is the proprietary USB, charging and hands-free port.

Thankfully the Walkman range of handsets usually comes with a converter so you can use your own earphones. The 3.2 megapixel camera, which does NOT have an auto-focus feature (odd), is located on the back. The M2 card slot is under the rear panel, and getting at it doesn't require you to remove the battery.

Features and Performance
The menus won't seem new if you’re a SE user, but they are clear and easy to navigate. As with all SE handsets, this too is decently equipped with features like a calendar, notes, timer, stop watch, calculator, and a code memo option for secure data. It has 28MB of internal memory and comes with a 2GB M2 card.

Fly SX210 Hummer

Comes with TV-out Has FM recording scheduler

Network problem Voice reception choppy Sluggish user interface Plagued by quirks Touchscreen redundant

View Specifications
We have seen Fly fight off the competition in the mobile phone vertical in India. Despite a good and viable distribution channel, the only other place Meridian Mobile seems to be concentrating is retail margin pushing. I was told the company plans to use channel partners (both retail and distribution) to push its mobiles. But I see no glowing signboards, no TV spots with Malaika Arora (yes, she's the brand ambassador), nothing at all. That too for what I understand is its flagship product – the Hummer.

I think it's an attention-grabbing gimmick when a mobile phone company buys a merchandising license from General Motors and comes out with the catchily-named Hummer. More so because the design of the phone is entirely independent of the hype surrounding the name. The Hummer (the phone, I mean) has no visible traits of the SUV. I expected a solid-body encasing at least. The finish is decent, but I would have liked to say 'excellent' or 'robust'. The Hummer comes in three colors; the one we got was a military camouflage green.

A bit of aliasing or moire pattern would have been a treat (as in the MotoRAZR V8), but we have to contend with a not so elegant finish. The phone is a slider, but the face is absent of any ridges to aid the slide. This makes it a bit difficult to push the phone up. Many a times your thumb will end up straining against the screen and even slipping off altogether.

The keypad is mildly recessed and responsive enough. The buttons are evenly spaced, and nails or no nails makes no difference, you will find the keypad to be the most perfectly designed element of the phone. Having said that, one would expect messaging and other functions of the keypad to be fun. But unfortunately the phone's sluggish performance sort of kills the experience.

The right side of the Hummer is bare save an IR port, while the left has only the volume keys and a single proprietary slot for USB, headphones, and charging. I forgot the charger on a visit to Goa, and I couldn't locate one even in the whole of Calangute and Baga. This is exactly why it's necessary to stick to an industry standard. A simple miniUSB interface would have been much appreciated.

Sony Ericsson W380

Great looks Gesture control feature Walkman player is loud and clear

Keypad is a bit hard Speaker phone too low

View Specifications

Sony’s Walkman brand of cell phones often bring a little more to the table in terms of design, and the W380 is no exception. As mobiles go, the W380 is not designed for those of us who crave hi-tech features, but it should appeal to the funky, style-conscious youth of today. So, for all the cool dudes out there, here’s my take on the W380.

Form Factor
When I say ‘cutting-edge’ design, I mean something that looks really funky. By that yardstick, the W380 is definitely cutting-edge! It even looks as if its edge could cut you. I couldn’t resist that, sorry, but what I meant was the W380 seems a bit incomplete – when it’s open it has a very (how shall I put this?) cut-off-at-the-top look. But I loved the design ever since I first saw it last year.

The 1.9 inch TFT display (which I think could easily have been larger) has a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and there's an external OLED mono display with a 128 x 36 pixel resolution. There are three audio player keys located under the external display that also provide haptic feedback when used.

The 1.3 megapixel camera is in the front. There's a cool sensor under the camera that lights up when a call comes in. What’s interesting about this is, if you wish to silence the handset, a gesture control feature lets you simply slide your hand up and down over the sensor to switch it to silent.

There's a proprietary slot on one side for USB, charging, and handsfree connectivity. On the other side is the volume control that could also be used to silence incoming calls without cutting the call. A small key-lock slider is located on the rear just above the battery panel.

Though Sony Ericsson provides hot-swap slots for its handsets you still need to remove the back panel to access it. So should we consider this hot-swap or lukewarm-swap? Nevertheless, the W380 supports M2 cards though the slot is unfortunately under the rear panel.

The W380 has a nice large keypad with a 5 way nav-pad and shortcut keys for the internet and other functions. The problem is that for some reason the keys are a bit hard to depress. Not that it’s in any way much of a hindrance; it just slows down message typing a wee bit.

Nokia N78

Improved Nseries music player Camera quality is quite good Good battery life

GPS takes too long to activate Handset tends to hang if memory card is overloaded

View Specifications

We have seen the N95 evolve and take on a new skin, some design alterations, and a load of memory. It did fairly well in both guises. Next we got a glimpse of the N96, touted as the next best thing. But in my opinion the next best thing to launch soon after the N95 was the N82. I’ve been waiting to see what Nokia would do with a different version of this handset. I think the N78 is it, so here’s what I have to say.

Form Factor
This candy bar handset is not particularly sleek or slim but it does have a certain something that makes it rather eye-catching. Its all-black, glossy faceplate may be a magnet for fingerprints and dust, but when it’s clean... that’s a whole 'nother story.

The N78 has a large 2.4 inch TFT display, above which is the secondary camera for video calls. As in the N81 and N96, the N78 uses Nokia’s touch-sensitive Navi Wheel feature not just for the multimedia display (dedicated key located next to the Navi Wheel) but for the entire menu system navigation. The keypad may look really small and the keys clustered, but it’s not a problem using it at all.

On one side of the N78 is the USB port, microSD card slot, and the charging port. The dedicated camera key and volume/zoom control keys are located on the other side. The N78 also has stereo speakers located on either side. The 3.2 megapixel camera with a flash is at the rear of the handset. Thankfully the N78, like others in the Nseries, has a 3.5mm earphone socket on the top near the power key. In case your earphone wire is too short you can use the bundled headset with a remote that also has a 3.5mm socket.

Features and Performance
New Interface
The N78 is a feature rich handset and is loaded with goodies. But let’s talk about the few new features the interface comes with. Oddly the handset doesn’t have an accelerometer like the N82 does, but it does have auto screen rotation for the image viewer and video player. What makes the interface really come alive is the Breathing addition.

It's a little hard to explain in words, what it implies is this: the interface displays smooth transition animations when you move from one screen to another, or switch applications. Another new feature is the Open Application viewer that allows users to see which applications are open or running in the background. This is the first Nokia handset I’ve come across that has this feature. Other new S60 handsets have a small indicator near the application icon as well as the folder to indicate that it’s still open/running.

Another great feature is that the N78, unlike other S60 handsets (thank goodness), allows users to access SIM contacts as default. No more copying all the contacts to the handset and having to choose whether or not to save new ones in the SIM or phone! The Standby menu also has a new feel with a vertical shortcut bar that I think is great – the icons won’t end up hiding too much of the wallpaper. Though the Navi Wheel makes it fun to navigate the menus, the sensitivity can’t be adjusted so it can get a bit annoying as your thumb may move too quickly and you’ll end up activating the application near the one you actually aimed for.

One of the weirdest things about this handset is the Images screen in the Gallery, which automatically rotates. In normal handsets you have the option of rotating the image to portrait mode if it shows up in landscape. The N78 isn't altogether different. Well, actually it is. When you switch the image to portrait mode, you're also going to have to turn the phone around – and by that I mean upside down.

Tags: [ Nokia ] [ N78 ]

HTC Touch Dual

Improved screen Office tools very functional Helpful keypad Can open attachments

Slow and sluggish Touchscreen doesn't work properly Slow speed undermines TouchFLO ActiveSync doesn't work properly Bad battery life No Wi-fi

View Specifications

HTC Touch was pitted as one of the iPhone killers. It was also, as we found out, one of HTC's quirkiest launches. However, soon after the original design failure (do read the previous review, if you want to know what I am talking about) word got around about the HTC Dual, a better, more robust avatar of its predecessor.

The new HTC Touch Dual features significant changes, not only with regard to the form factor, which is a welcome relief (I shall explain later); it has at the same time tweaked some existing features. Having said all this, I expected HTC to work up the magic and deliver a clear winner this time. Yet it's not all in vain. Let's dig deeper.

Form Factor
To begin with, the Touch Dual is taller, and some extra ounces have been gained in the process. It feels bulky than the original though, and a bit narrower too. If you compare the dimensions, here is what they look like: 107 x 55 x 15.8 mm (Touch Dual) as against 99.9 x 58 x 13.9 mm (Touch). The Dual weighs 120g, while the predecessor came in at 112g. It isn't that big a difference.

What has changed is the addition of the 12-key numeric keypad, which opens up once the front portion is slid. This makes it really convenient to type messages, even while negotiating bumpy roads. I have written in my previous review about the downsides of having a small QWERTY keypad and trying to write anything while you are traveling. This is true especially in a country like India, where bad roads are a big problem. You just cant keep your hands steady even for a second.

One of the silliest quirks of the HTC Touch happened to be the hot-swap slots. This time the side housing has been shifted to a more conventional encasing. For the SIM card you will need to go past the battery cover and the battery itself. Objectively, this isn't that bad, considering the problem one had to access the the SIM card HSS. At least, this time you don't need to grow long nails to get it out. The memory card slot is round the bend on the left side.

The Touch Dual makes use of the MiniUSB interface (on the left), and on top you will see the volume keys. Having the USB slot, charging slot, and earphone jack all in one spot is a bad idea. You can't use one while using the other. The right side has only the camera key, while the back has the camera, self-portrait mirror and speaker.

The problem with having the speaker at the back is that when the phone is kept on a soft surface, the sound gets absorbed or muffled, so if you get a call when you phone is on the bed, you may not hear it in the next room. The front panel is equipped with a 2.6-inch screen that has a resolution of 240 x 320 pixels, and thats about it.

Bleu 453x

Simple but good design Feature-rich Camera can be used as a webcam Has call recording feature Advanced mobile tracker

Music player is a bit low FM recording quality not too great

I’m feeling increasingly pleased by the simple solutions mobile manufacturers come up with nowadays. These are simple phones with simple features that cater to those who don’t need or want too much form their handsets than what they were originally created to do. The Bleu 453x is just that, a simple handset with simple features and a few more tossed in just to make things interesting.

Form Factor
The Bleu has a 1.5 inch TFT display with a 128 x 128 pixel resolution. The VGA camera is located on the rear and I have to say that although the keypad may look a bit small it’s comfortable to use. The five-way nav-pad makes navigation really easy as well.

The 453x has a simple, cool exterior for a compact entry-level handset. It’s so simple that there’s nothing more to the exterior except for a 2.5mm handsfree socket on one side, a microSD card slot on the other, and a mini USB port on the bottom for PC connectivity and the charger.

Features and Performance
The 453x is a simple phone but Bleu has managed to incorporate some pretty good features. For starters the 453x has a decent (but not loud enough for my taste) music player. The player has a few EQ presets to choose from, although the adjustment cannot be heard unless you select it by pressing the ‘OK’ option (I didn’t like that).

The FM radio was pretty good though. The reception was good in most places and there's a recording feature as well. It allows users to record files in WAV or AMR, but unfortunately doesn’t deliver too well on reproduction. The playback of those files sounded a bit hollow.

The 453x has a voice recorder and a video player that reads 3GP and reportedly AVI and MP4 files, though I couldn’t get them (except 3GP) to read. Then again it does depend on the encoding and of course, whether you would really watch a video on a handset with this reception is also a BIG question.

Other entertainment features include a melody composer and a couple of games including Sudoku.

A Budget PC Under Rs 25,000

Though the market for dual-core processors has seen some rapid development this year with regard to price drops and VFM status, this trend has not reflected in budget dual-core processors. Since the last time we featured this roundup, prices have not dropped much – the only things to change were the processor and a couple of accessories. Keeping this in mind, we shall unveil the latest avatar of our sub-Rs 25,000 machine. As usual, wherever prices/specs have remained unchanged, we have simply carried the products forward.

CPU:Intel E2180

The E2180 is similar to the E2140 that we used in our earlier roundup. The only difference is the clock speed – it runs at 2GHz. Other specifications are similar to the previous model: it’s based on a 65nm process, offers 1MB L2 cache and runs at a FSB of 800MHz. Like all its previous predecessors, this processor is also 64-bit capable, and at its cost is the perfect base of our budget system.

Motherboard: Zotac NF610i

Our first choice had been to retain the board we had used previously – the Biostar. However, on checking up, we found that most retailers were no longer stocking the board. Hence began the search for a replacement. Luckily we didn’t need to look far. The answer lay in Zotac’s NF610i board. For those who have not heard the name, Zotac is a long-time PC-based OEM company that has recently entered India. Since their entry they have introduced a bunch of Nvidia-based products, in both GPUs and motherboards.

We at Tech2 have been using their products and found them to be top-notch, easily rivaling products from other manufacturers – and at competitive price points. The NF610i is based on Nvidia’s GeForce 7050 / nForce 610i chipset, offers full support for Intel’s C2D processors, and comes with a single PCIe 16x slot, 1 PCIe x1 slot, 8 USB slots, 2 PCI slots, and 4 SATA 2 (3.0 GB) slots along with a single IDE connector.

RAM: Kingston DDR2 (2x1GB)

Kingston is a well-known brand, offering significant value for money products. We have chosen one of their budget RAM sticks in a 2GB package. This way if your budget permits, its possible to upgrade to 4 GB of system memory at a later date and extend the life of your PC.

Nokia E71, 6220 Classic Now Available

For those Nokia fans that have been eagerly awaiting the new line up in the E class range of business handsets, the E71 is out in the market and I don’t mean Gray. I happened to be passing by a Nokia Priority dealer and noticed a few of the new handsets and what do you know, I saw dummy pieces of the E66 and E71. I was informed that the E66 has not yet been launched but the E71 was and was priced at Rs. 23,000 but it’s also available in the gray market for Rs. 21,500.

I thought it a bit pricey but then recollected that it comes with a 3.2ZMP, auto-focus camera, GPS with A-GPS support, Bluetooth with A2DP, Wi-Fi, 3G with HSDPA speeds, USB v2,0 support and a full QWERTY keypad. Although it does have a chin that could give Jay Leno a complex, it’s quite a slim handset and looks quite good with its sliver and black finish.

Another handset I saw was the 6220 classic that was priced at Rs. 19,900. In the gray market however, it’s priced at Rs. 18,000. The 6220 classic comes with a 5MP auto-focus camera with a Xenon flash. It also has a GPS receiver built in and also supports A-GPs. It has a TV out, supports Bluetooth with A2DP, 3G with HSDPA but doesn’t have Wi-Fi. I liked the look and feel of the handset except for its 2.2 inch display that, in my opinion was too small.

Samsung unveils slider phones

NEW DELHI: Samsung has unveiled two slider phones, J800 Luxe and L870 at the recently held Singapore Telecommunications Exhibition 2008. Samsung J800 Luxe First up is the Samsung J800 Luxe. Measuring 15mm, a 2.2 inch, the phone comes with slider form, TFT display with a resolution of 176 x 220 pixels and 256K colors. Featuring a 2 megapixel camera, the phone supports photo blog which allows image uploading to blogs over 3G. Among key features, the phone packs FM radio with RDS, Bluetooth with an A2DP profile, music and video player, external memory support via microSD cards, HTML browser, POP3/IMAP4 mail client, RSS reader, built-in document viewer and tri-band HSPDA. Also, the company’s mobile tracker is also part of the Luxe’s make-up. Samsung L870 The second slider, L870 runs on a Symbian operating system. At just 13.5mm, the phone comes with a 3 megapixel auto-focus camera. It has a 2.4-inch TFT display with QVGA resolution and 16 million colours. Samsung L870 also offers tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDG with HSDPA support, but doesn’t support WiFi. Other features include FM radio, Bluetooth, USB, 100MB internal memory and microSD expansion slot.

Asus debuts P320 PDA in India

NEW DELHI: Asus has launched the P320 Mini Stylish PDA phone in India. The P320 boasts an ultra-compact slim body with rounded curves and a circular navigation key and is targeted at fashion-conscious customers.

Weighing around 105 grams and measuring 99mm by 54.5mm by 13.35mm, the mini PDA comes with a 2.6-inches TFT touch-screen with 240 x 320 pixels resolution, a 2 mega pixels camera and 128MB flash memory plus 64MB DDR RAM.

It operates on Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional platform and offers features such as GPS navigation; EDGE/GPRS and WiFi, Bluetooth and USB.

The P320 also packs exclusive applications such as 'Asus Today' featuring icons like time, calendar, messages, weather, and the media player; and RSS Reader for receiving news updates and current events. Another exclusive application is Ur Time that allows users set default times for four different countries on the phone. The P320 also offers an auto-cleaner function which ensures that intended applications are closed when not in use.

The P320 is priced at Rs 12,900,

Nokia unveils four phones

NEW DELHI: World's top cell phone maker, Nokia, has unveiled four new mobile phones under Supernova series.




The new models, 7210, 7310, 7510, and 7610 boasts of multimedia features and target fashion conscious audience.

Supernova 7210 handset has 2 megapixel camera, tri-band GSM plus EDGE support. The phone will be available in shades of pink and blue with glossy finish.

The other handset Supernova 7310 features a 2 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, TV out for image sharing, instant messaging and pre-installed games on TV

The handset makes image sharing easy and user friendly. Also, the phone comes with FM RDS radio and MP3 music.

The phone will has 3D textured designs in shades of blue, green and candy pink.

GPS-enabled phone, supernova 7510 allows access to Nokia Maps 1.2 and Nokia Widsets service.

With 2.2 inch QVGA display, the model has 2 megapixel camera with LED flash and 4xdigital zoom, 512 MB microSD card, MP3 player, FM radio, Nokia music PC client, Nokia search and Flickr.

The other model 7610 has a 3.2 megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom, powered by a dual-LED flash.

Other features include instant messaging, TV out for image sharing, FM-radio, MP3 player and access to Nokia music store through the Nokia music PC client

Motorola and Kodak Launch MOTOZINE ZN5

It's official. Motorola and KODAK’s collaborative 5 megapixel auto-focus camera phone the MOTOZINE ZN5 has been launched. Unveiled in Beijing, the ZINE ZN5 is the first mobile phone to combine Motorola’s ModeShift Technology and Kodak Imaging Technology. With Kodak Easyshare Software and easy access to Kodak Gallery or other web sharing sites, pictures are easily moved off the device, allowing consumers to print, share and enjoy their favorite photos whenever they want.

“Today’s creative consumers not only want to be the photographer, but also the retoucher, the exhibitor and the critic,” said Jeremy Dale, corporate vice president, mobile devices marketing, Motorola, Inc. “The MOTOZINE ZN5 lets them be all the things they want to be.”

The ZN5 also comes with a Xenon flash and optimized settings for low-light environments. The built-in Kodak Imaging Technology combined with Kodak Perfect Touch Technology, should enable the handset to take some really vivid images. Other camera features include multiple capture modes, like multi-shot and panorama, which automatically stitches together continuous shots taken on the horizon line into a single, extended image. Pictures can also be uploaded via Gallery Link in one click and instantly sent to the Kodak Gallery to be viewed, stored and shared. Users can transfer pictures to a computer via USB, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and print wirelessly on Bluetooth-compatible Kodak All-in-One Printers and at Kodak Picture Kiosks.

In phone mode, ZN5 features Motorola’s patented CrystalTalk technology to help callers hear and be heard, even in noisy environments. With dual compatibility for GSM and Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), users can connect in more areas around the world and enjoy high-speed wireless connections to surf the Web via a full HTML browser. To complete the communications experience, ZN5 also supports SMS, MMS, IM and personal e-mail.

MOTOZINE ZN5 will be first available in China in July 2008 and is expected to roll out around the globe throughout the remainder of the year. No prices have been made available yet.

Nikon’s new camera range

NEW DELHI: The new range of Nikon’s Coolpix offers the consumer the opportunity to not only express themselves with their photos but with their cameras as well. The Nikon D60 makes stepping up to digital SLR photography easy for anyone and is also a wonderful choice for photo enthusiasts looking for remarkable performance in a compact package.

Available in irresistible colours, the Coolpix range and D60 boasts of innovative technologies to ensure the picture is bright, in focus and the subject is free of red-eye. Each camera is powered with Expeed, Nikon's image processing engine to produce sharp photos with outstanding clarity.

The D60 comes with 10.2 effective megapixels and shares a form factor similar to the D40. The D60 is available across India at a retail price of Rs 36,680.

Nikon has also added the new Coolpix S52, S210, S520, S550 and S600 to its Style Series line of compact digital cameras.

The super thin, just 18mm, (less than 3/4-inch) Coolpix S210 offers 8 effective megapixel resolution, a 3x Zoom-Nikkor glass lens, Electronic Vibration Reduction (VR) Image Stabilisation technology and a quality-crafted aluminum body.

The cameras come in an array of color options such as black, silver, blue and pink.

The S210 will retail for Rs 11,950, the Coolpix S520 will retail for Rs 14,450, S550 will retail for Rs 15950, the S600 will retail for Rs 18,450 and the S52 will retail for Rs 14,950

Bill Gates to retire this week

SAN FRANCISCO: A Harvard University dropout who ushered in the home computer age and made billions of dollars along the way will have his last official day of work at Microsoft on June 27. Three people will essentially fill the void left behind when Bill Gates retires from the company he and friend Paul Allen co-founded in 1975. Since Gate's began his transition from leading Microsoft to heading his personally-bankrolled charity, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , his job as chief software architect has been handled by Ray Ozzie. Craig Mundie inherited Gate's chief research and strategy officer duties, while former Harvard classmate Steve Ballmer became chief executive officer at the Seattle-based software colossus. Gates left Harvard after two years to found the firm that became global powerhouse Microsoft. He later received honorary degrees from Harvard and other universities. After retiring, Gates will remain chairman of the Microsoft board of directors and its largest shareholder. "I don't think anything is going to drastically change the day he leaves," said Matt Rosoff of the private analyst firm Directions On Microsoft. "If he thinks something is important and tells Steve Ballmer, Ballmer will listen to him." Still, Gates's bespectacled nerdish visage is an integral part of Microsoft's image and his departure is symbolic, according to analysts. "The challenge Microsoft has when the founder departs is remembering its heart," said analyst Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group in Silicon Valley. "At some point the firm has to take the essence of what made Bill Gates successful and make sure that is preserved. Whether it is a company or a person, once you've lost your heart there isn't much left but a shell." Analysts say there are signs that Microsoft has been struggling since Gates stepped away from managing operations several years ago. Microsoft has "missed a number of opportunities" and the Windows and Office software on which its fortune is built have stumbled.

Motorola Rokr E8

MUMBAI:Motorola has launched the newest addition to its Rokr family, the Rokr E8, which is an advanced audio player mobile device that offers access to Motorola's new music portal Motomusic through GPRS.

Motomusic is a result of the company's recent acquisition of Soundbuzz, an online and mobile music retailer. The Web site offers a range of down-loadable digital content (music and other) including full song tracks, ring tones, and music videos. Users can download the content directly on their mobile phones or PCs.

The phone features a first with technologies like "Morphing", which basically entails illuminating only those keys on the keypad that are needed to work - like Camera, Music etc.

The Rokr E8 includes ModeShift technology, a FastScroll navigation wheel, and haptics technology. ModeShift technology transforms the device from a phone to a music player with the touch of a button.

The FastScroll navigation wheel allows scrolling through songs with the slide of a thumb. Meanwhile, haptics technology provides tactile response on pressing a virtual key.

The new Rokr features a virtual numeric keypad, which disappears when the phone is turned off, displaying a smooth surface with no visible keys. With pressing any virtual music key once, the numeric keypad disappears and control keys for the music player offering functions such as play, pause, fast forward, and rewind appear in place. Users also get a tactile feedback confirmation when they've pressed a virtual key.

Other features of the phone include a 2 GB internal memory with an option to extend it further by another 4 GB.

Supplementing the music player is a 3.5mm stereo earphone jack with support for A2DP (a Bluetooth profile for wireless headsets).

The supported music formats include MIDI, MP3, AAC, AAC+, Enhanced AAC+, WMA, WAV, AMR-NB and Real Audio (RA) v10.

The camera is a 2 mega pixel one with 8x zoom, and connectivity features include USB 2.0 Hi-speed, GPRS Class 12 and EDGE Class 12.

The Rokr E8 is available for Rs 15, 455.

HELSINKI: The world's top cell phone maker Nokia said that it has agreed to buy social networking start-up Plazes as part of its major push into offering Internet services.Plazes provides a location-aware service that people can use to plan, record, and share their social activities.

"This acquisition helps Nokia to accelerate its vision of bringing people and places closer together, in line with our broader services strategy," Niklas Savander, the head of Nokia's Internet services, said in a statement.

Plazes has staff of 13, and its main operations are in Berlin. Nokia did not disclose the value of the deal.

"This acquisition will help Nokia to accelerate its vision of bringing people and places closer together, in line with our broader services strategy," Niklas Savander, the head of Nokia's Internet services, said in a statement.

Companies such as Plazes are trying to tap into the potential for new services as more mobile phones get equipped with technology to pinpoint their location.

Nokia has said it would have dozens of such phones to offer by the end of this year.

To achieve new growth as the cell phone business is set to mature in coming years Nokia started to invest heavily in building up its presence in Internet service.

It has offered $8.1 billion for US digital maps firm Navteq -- a cornerstone of its services push -- and has said it would invest millions more this year and next.

How iPhone will hit rivals

Mail to friend Price cuts to combat the new iPhone have already begun. Samsung's Instinct, sold by Sprint Nextel Corp, will go for $130 with a rebate and a two-year contract later this month, down from earlier expectations of above $200. LG's Voyager, sold through Verizon Communications Inc, was offered at $199 this month, after being launched at $400, and then later reduced to $299 with a two-year contract. CJ Investment & Securities analyst Kim Ik-sang said he has cut his handset shipment and operating profit margin forecasts for LG this year by 4 percentage points. "Before the new iPhone, I expected LG to sell 121.68 million phones -- now my forecast is 116.8 million units. LG's North American market share will also take a hit," he said, cutting his 2008 US market share forecast to 18 per cent from 20 per cent.