Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic goes on sale somewhere in the world

If you've been gritting your teeth and letting the PR onslaught of the iPhone 3G, Storm, and G1 knock you around as you waited for Nokia's entry into the widescreen, touchscreen superphone market -- that wait appears to be nearing it's end. Nokia has gone and gotten all official and release-y with it's anticipated (if somewhat disappointing) 5800 XpressMusic... or as we know it, the Tube. According to the company's PR, the device "is now, or will be soon" available in Russia, Spain, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Finland, "among others." If you'll recall, the phone boasts a 3.2-inch, 16:9 resistive touchscreen (hey, they throw in a guitar pick stylus), a 3.2-megapixel camera, 8GB of on-board storage, and the constant assurance that you're using a phone once called the Tube. No word on price or plans, but we expect cheap, and lots.

[Thanks, Pdexter]

[y3k.nik @ Nov 27th 2008 10:00AM]

I wonder if this can be flashed with android?

[JackBauer @ Nov 27th 2008 10:02AM]

I'll flash you with andriod.

[strider_mt2k @ Nov 27th 2008 10:22AM]

Flash fight everybody!

FLASH!
FLASH!
FLASH!

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 27th 2008 10:41AM]

I think it has flash player. :P

[haX0r @ Nov 27th 2008 12:10PM]

Got Android?

[Shinigami @ Nov 27th 2008 12:59PM]

Why?

[Ethan @ Nov 27th 2008 3:32PM]

As long as you don't do it in public and the phone consents.

[Ankur @ Nov 27th 2008 10:03AM]

Coming to India in January - as per announcement to the press here.

[Renegade Fanboy @ Nov 27th 2008 11:07AM]

Ankur, will it be Rs 21,000?

I've put together a table to track which country is getting the Nokia 5800 (and which will get it in a Comes with Music edition) - I'm trying to update it now :-)

http://www.renegadefanboy.com/2008/11/nokia-5800-comes-with-music-availability-and-prices-per-country/

[aravind @ Nov 27th 2008 11:16PM]

It will be 20000 Rs/- (excluding taxes). It will be on shelves in the last week of december or first week of Jan.

[cheezespread @ Nov 28th 2008 2:47AM]

The phone was unveiled on 25th and as the meeting went , the spokesperson hinted at an early release . Somethin around mid of Dec and a price of 19,999 INR.

[gad get @ Nov 27th 2008 10:04AM]

A guitar pick stylus? What's with that?

[Aaron @ Nov 27th 2008 10:09AM]

I don't know but it's freakin' cool (and probably unusable).

[Renegade Fanboy @ Nov 27th 2008 11:19AM]

I think the idea is to give it a music-y feeling and some distinct mark. Or, honestly, I don't know :-)

[asg84 @ Nov 27th 2008 11:28AM]

guitar pick is just for looks,
every function is fully operatable with fingers (except mini qwerty)

[lman @ Nov 27th 2008 12:22PM]

@gad get

It's there so you have a more convincing air guitar experience.

[Max Angelma @ Nov 27th 2008 10:08AM]

In Finland price will be 380-400€ ($490-$520) and estimated delivery at week 50.

[Almo @ Nov 27th 2008 10:15AM]

This is only the middle-range offering as Nokia's debut into the touchscreen market (well, 6708). But, eventually, they'll take the world by storm (and their market share back) with a plethora of new devices in 2009 for sure!

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 27th 2008 10:24AM]

Can I get it with the Pick of Destiny?

And this phone is crying out for a guitar application :)

[Christy McGrory @ Nov 27th 2008 11:01AM]

Hahaha that would be awesome. Tap Tap Revenge, anyone?

[chickenator @ Nov 27th 2008 11:37AM]

Guitar Zero?

[eggothewaffle @ Nov 27th 2008 5:13PM]

Assuming all the rest of the AT&T subscription plan/taxes/charges is kept constant and you stay on the plan for 24 months for both phones:

iPhone 3G: $199.99 + (24 months * $30 data plan) = $919

Unlocked Nokia phone: $x + (24 months * $15 data plan) = $X + $360

$919 - $360 = $559

Assuming I didn't botch up my math, even if the Tube costs $550 unlocked, it will still cost less than the $199 iPhone. Personally though, I would recommend the Nokia E71 to anyone on AT&T.

Crazy world, isn't it?

[eggothewaffle @ Nov 27th 2008 5:16PM]

*sigh*

Sorry about that; my previous comment was meant for iEye.

[G @ Nov 27th 2008 10:29AM]

"....anticipated (if somewhat disappointing) 5800 XpressMusic...."

what's disappointing about it?

[Aaron @ Nov 27th 2008 10:48AM]

Engadget = North America-centric = No love for Nokia.

Apparently Nokia's market share is "dwindling" from 40% to 39%. I wonder what spin Engadget would put on Apple's mp3 player market share going down 1%?

[WickedEast @ Nov 27th 2008 11:06AM]

It's the obligatory Nokia dissing from Engadget.

[Ignacio @ Nov 27th 2008 11:57AM]

"what's disappointing about it?"

That sentence you quoted is a link.
Click on the link.
You'll find it leads to a review. ;-)

[iEye @ Nov 27th 2008 12:26PM]

disappointing;

-resistive touch screen

-overpriced (anything above $199 unlocked, no contract is way too much)

-Smells like shite when you unbox it.

[fikhl @ Nov 27th 2008 1:45PM]

Tube is OVERPRICED ??? really iEye ??? *jaw dropped*

[Renegade Fanboy @ Nov 27th 2008 2:37PM]

iEye: errr. like my 650 USD unlocked iPhone, which I have sold after 3 weeks of no 3G, dying battery and sluggish messaging in July?

Just let us be fanboys for the Tube - you can be a fanboy somewhere else ;-)

[jah @ Nov 27th 2008 3:08PM]

Official price is less then €300 + tax but with CMW and tax means it may be about €450. At these prices SIM free it is a good price compared to a SIM free (haha!) 3G iPhone or Omnia or X1 or HTC HD

[iEye @ Nov 27th 2008 5:02PM]

"Eye: errr. like my 650 USD unlocked iPhone"

I paid $299 for a fresh 1st gen iPhone, $199 was for the refurbs... Too bad you owned yourself by getting wallet raped! how does it feel?

3G is over rated.

[CWOT @ Nov 27th 2008 10:34AM]

In Russia first sales starts yesterday, limited number of phones.
The price is 15.000 roubles (~$530)

photos and report (text in russian)

http://sholademi.livejournal.com/1008453.html
http://aleksandrinacom.livejournal.com/46149.html

[MacMan @ Nov 27th 2008 12:36PM]

In Soviet Russia, sale starts you!

[Muhammed @ Nov 27th 2008 10:36AM]

It is far from disappointing, engadget, you wanted a nokia branded iPhone, didn't you?
Well guess what ITS BETTER and it's certainly NOT DISAPPOINTING for its price, I heard it's going on a little more than 400$, and -speaking for myself- I would get it even if it was more expensive, hopefully its not.
I LOVE IT !!! and I'm certainly getting it this Christmas!!

[ZIG @ Nov 27th 2008 10:37AM]

Capacitive touch screens FTW!

[rainygrass @ Nov 27th 2008 10:49AM]

and Nokia needs the little blue pill to explore the magic feeling of cellphone market?

[Sorz @ Nov 27th 2008 11:07AM]

Can't wait!!
Was going to buy it anyways mainly because of camera and screen, but after seeing mobileburn.com review with the new firmware i think i'm going to pay some extra to get it early because like always with Nokia's, after the craze have settled down the price goes down to normal.

[Wurch @ Nov 27th 2008 11:10AM]

Pre-orders are overbooked already so i have to wait till December :(

[Renegade Fanboy @ Nov 27th 2008 11:15AM]

It's funny how Nokia has announced "availability" and then forgot to give any new information. :-)
I mean, these supposed releases were listed before - in October - and now the only addition is a hot air filled sentence:

"5800 XpressMusic is now, or soon will be, available in select markets globally, including Russia, Spain, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Finland, among others." - So it's now. Definitely maybe.

Anyway, I'm member of the Pathetic Tube Fanboy Club and I've put together a table to track the different country availabilities and estimates:

http://www.renegadefanboy.com/2008/11/nokia-5800-comes-with-music-availability-and-prices-per-country/

[S.L @ Nov 27th 2008 11:24AM]

5800 has been selling in Russia since yesterday and sold out those about those 150 shippments when they have arrived today and yesterday.

[Renegade Fanboy @ Nov 27th 2008 11:37AM]

@S.L.

were those official shipments?
The Russian Nokia site (http://www.nokia.ru/A41273444) is still displaying a countdown to 5th December...

[S.L @ Nov 27th 2008 12:00PM]

They have started selling 5800 in Nokia flagship store since yesterday. Like above already posted.
http://sholademi.livejournal.com/1008453.html
http://aleksandrinacom.livejournal.com/46149.html
http://www.symbian-freak.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=26185

Hong Kong has been said to have some 5800 out too, but really don't know about that.

[E Blues @ Nov 27th 2008 11:58AM]

Finland wasen't included example at the orginal and Nokia does this always when product starts shipping like it at least started in Russia and Hong Kong.

In Finland 5800 sells for 380-499€ and starts selling in 8th of December.

[asg84 @ Nov 27th 2008 11:44AM]

this phone is having a bigger impact than anticipated.........
in russia and every other places, so many are waiting to get hands on this........

think this will be the nokia best selling smartphone in no time (beating n73 with 22 million)

[digitallysick @ Nov 27th 2008 11:48AM]

Its not a captive touch screen? ouch, meaning you have to use the pic stylus to touch the screen, which defeats the whole reason of a touch screen

[Renegade Fanboy @ Nov 27th 2008 11:54AM]

You can use a resistive touch screen with your finger. You don't need the stylus.

So it still doesn't defeat the reason of a touch screen ;-)

[Pdexter @ Nov 27th 2008 11:58AM]

Nope, it's all for finger TS. Like seen in here for example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Es_bAOBx6o&eurl=http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Page=2&Id=5734
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_kE11yIyKI&eurl=http://www.mobileburn.com/review.jsp?Id=5734

Stulys is mainly for Asian market because of the handwiritng needed for Asian symbols.

[BFish @ Nov 27th 2008 12:32PM]

Finland price is 475€, including 25 songs download + 3months navigation of Nokia Maps + on nGage game.

Quite far away from the 279€ + VAT (22%) that they told in the launch.

[E Blues @ Nov 27th 2008 12:42PM]

http://www.verkkokauppa.com/popups/prodinfo.php?id=9591
389 for example
or
http://www.netanttila.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?storeId=1444&searchTerm=nokia+5800&searchTagName=hakutulos_pika&jspStoreDir=Anttila&shopId=&catalogId=1444&ddkey=Search
399,00 €

It's just that Nokia can't control those priceys same like Apple(att, Apple store or Sonera here in Finland). There are so many different shops and carriers where 5800 will be sold so countrie will have differencies in price, but it will be certain that after the craze has gone down price will drop to "normal" like any other high selling Nokia phone.... some phones have turned more expensive too thought :D

Just remember that Nokia's own store isn't anything official... it's not even held directly by Nokia, but it's own firm and they always sell overpriced. Everyone on their own countries know where to get their unlocked Nokia's cheap, but carriers will probally have about same price inside the countrie.