Dawn of a new Epoc
Nokia has unveiled the third incarnation of its Communicator smart phone. The 9210, which will go on sale in spring priced at around £400, keeps its predecessors' keyboard, but adds a colour screen, high-speed data access and Symbian's EPOC32 operating system.
In a surprise move, the Communicator not only supports GSM networks but is also compatible with the faster high speed circuit switch data (HSCSD) network, which offers internet connection speeds of up to 43kbps. In the UK the only network expected to offer HSCSD services is Orange.
As with previous Communicators, the 9210 offers phone, fax, email, internet and Wap facilities. It sports personal organiser features including a calendar, voice recorder, contact management system and playback of Wav files and video clips. It can also be used to create Microsoft Word and Excel documents and view PowerPoint slides.
The Communicator is the first Nokia product to feature the Epoc operating platform developed by the Symbian group. Symbian, a joint venture between Ericsson, Motorola, Matsushita, Psion and Nokia, hopes its software will become the industry standard for mobile devices like smart phones. Other Nokia products that use Epoc operating system will follow in 2001.
Also debuting on the 9210 is an innovative data synchronisation facility called Sync ML. This enables the user to import contacts directory and calendar data from other platforms and devices including Palm, Psion and Starfish software.
The 9210 comes with a 16MB memory card, has a talk time of up to 10 hours and an operating time of 230 hours.
At its mobile internet press conference in Prague last week, Nokia also stressed its commitment to GPRS packet radio system but added that GPRS phones were unlikely to arrive until well into next year.
Nokia also confirmed that a personal organiser/ phone device which uses the Palm handheld PC interface, though not the operating system, will be available in 2001.
Rolling out
In the stores this week is Motorola's latest take on its Timeport series of mobile phones. The Ti-250 updates the original design by offering a choice of finishes (silver, graphite and marine), a new user interface and an apparently easy to use rolling menu switch. Like other phones in the Timeport series, the Ti-250 is a triple band model (GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz) that will work in most European countries and the United States. It also boasts Wap browsing facilities, an integrated modem, ITAP predictive text and selection of three games including; Baccarat, Brick and Tower of Hanoi. Standby time is rated at 140 hours, while talk time is around 180 minutes. It is available now for around £100 on all networks. Also in the stores now, priced at around £150 and available on all networks, is the Motorola V100 Personal Communicator. Targeted at SMS-mad teenagers and 20-somethings, the model is a small clamshell type dual band phone that sports a miniature QWERTY keyboard and a large-ish screen. It features a Wap browser, will send e-mails and has voice recognition software and vibra call options. In between SMSes, users can also play one of a trio of games Motorola has also confirmed that its first GPRS phone, the Timeport Ti-260, has been pencilled in for a spring 2001 launch
Extended play
JVC has unveiled what it hopes is MiniDisc's secret weapon in the battle for the personal stereo market. It is introducing MDLP (MiniDisc Long Play), a new technology that enables users to record four times the usual amount on a standard MD.
Due to debut on the XM-R700 personal recorder and MX-S6MDR lifestyle hi-fi system, the MDLP facility uses data compression technology to store up to 320 minutes of music on a standard 80 minute MiniDisc. JVC claims that there is no noticeable reduction in sound reproduction from conventional MD recording.
Due in the stores later this year, the XR-M70 is the company's top of the range personal MD recorder. Features include a selection of editing functions, DACB (Digital Active Clear Bass) technology, and a 40-second anti-shock memory.
The MX-S6MDR component system features a triple tray CD player and an RDS tuner in addition to its MD recorder.
JVC has also confirmed that it is bringing its hybrid hard disk/S-VHS video recorder to the UK next year. Already on sale in Japan the HM-HDS1 allows users to make temporary recordings on a 20 gigabyte hard drive which can then be transferred to S-VHS, or VHS tapes, for archiving via an integrated S-VHS deck. Like the new TiVo system, the model allows users to pause and rewind live TV. It is expected to retail for around £1,000.
