Nokia's Communicator launched in S'pore
Singapore is the second market after Hong Kong where the 9210 was launched last Friday. The Finnish telco giant plans to roll out the device in Taiwan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand in August.
The 244g device has the same form factor as its predecessor, the 9110 Communicator, launched in 1998. It is a cellphone which opens up into a handheld computer with a full keyboard.
However, the 9210 is more than simply an update.
For one, it comes with a high-quality screen that supports up to 4,096 colors. The built-in video player also lets users view short video clips in full color on the device.
The 9210 is also one of the few Symbian open platform products. This means third parties can now develop applications for the handset. The Communicator also scores as the first Nokia device to support Personal Java, a version of Sun's Java programming language for mobile devices.
As a dualband phone, the 9210 offers a talktime of up to 10 hours and a maximum standby of 230 hours on a lithium-ion battery. The Communicator also has a conference call feature where up to five people can communicate at one time.
High Speed Ciruit Switch Data (HSCSD) provides high-speed data transfer of up to 43.2Kbps on a standard GSM network. Mobile users can browse the Internet and use WAP services as well.
As a PDA, Nokia's latest offering comes with standard Personal Information Management features such as calendar and contact lists. Its SyncML remote synchronization support lets users sync their schedules and contacts over the air.
The Communicator also allows sending and receiving of emails with attachments, and is able to read Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint files.
If storage space is a concern, Nokia has built in a MultiMedia Card (MMC) slot for expanded memory space. The retail package ships with a 16MB MMC, travel charger and hands-free headset.