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3GSM Congress. Nokia or race for the leadership in the middle price segment

Nokia isn't trying to present all of its new models at once, but demonstrates them as soon as they are ready, varying our life with various events in this way. At the congress the company announced only three models and almost failed to attract attention of the masses. Many people had an impression that the introduced phones are targeted at competing with middle-end clamshells of the other manufacturers. But it isn't true when it comes to describing Nokia 6136. The model will be sold only for Orange mobile operator users, since the device requires the operator to provide UMA (Unlicensed Mobile Access) technology support. UMA allows users to easily switch between GSM-network and WLAN-connection, this definitely opens wide possibilities of usage. In the presence of WLAN-network, the handset can be used for transferring voice even while making a call. The UMA technology is a big step into the future, where various networks will be integrated into each other, and users' terminal devices will be at liberty to choose the most suiting connection.

Nokia 6136

The second innovation, featured in the device is a unique network part – DARP (Downlink Advanced Receiver Performance). For the operators, applying this technology means better capacity of radio frequencies usage, and consequently increase of bandwidth by 40-70 per cents. Users will be provided with better sound quality. If this feature will prove to be a success in the near future, it can be widely used in other handsets.

The other specifications of the model are rather common: a slot for microSD cards, a 1.3 mpx camera, stereo FM-radio. The product is powered by the third edition of S40 interface, though it feels to be out of place with the resolution of 128x160 pixels (TFT, 262K) featured in the device. It's interesting to see that these technologies are featured not in a top model, but in a middle-end clamshell, which doesn't have even Bluetooth on board. And this means a lot – actually by doing so, Nokia showed that it's switching to the mass market and offer innovative solutions in mass models already. Adaptation period of new technologies in this case is reduced to the minimum. The model's price is rather high though – 275 Euros, but this is a charge for an exclusive technology.

As to the middle-end market share, here the company introduced a successor of Nokia 6030 - Nokia 6070. It has a bigger screen with 128x160 pixels resolution, EDGE support, a VGA camera, IrDA port and still features FM-radio. This device is aimed at those, who don't look for high functionality and is satisfied with a standard set, but is exigent when it comes to choosing a brand and design. The model will appear in retail stores in the end of April at the price of 135 Euro.

Nokia 6070

Clamshell form-factor is quite a new field for the company, but the model of Nokia 6131 is remarkable because it's the first device of this type for Nokia featuring a true color display (up to 16 mln colors).

Nokia 6131

The interior TFT screen has QVGA resolution. The exterior TFT display offers only 128 х 160 pixels resolution and is capable of reflecting up to 262k colors. One more unique feature for products of Nokia – varying backlighting for different events.

The model can be considered as an mp3-player, since it supports MP3, MP4, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, H.263, H.264 codecs. The device has a slot for microSD memory extension cards. Hot swap is supported. The polyphony has 64 tones, an integrated FM-radio is also on board. The handset supports IrDA, Bluetooth (with A2DP profile, so you can use wireless headphones) and independent voice recognition system, therefore you don't have to record voice labels in the phonebook.

Functionality of the product puts it into limelight – the release date is scheduled for May, starting price is set on the level of 275 Euro. This solution is a really interesting one, capable of competing with the products of Samsung, featuring the same form-factor.