Is this the Nokia N98, or the twisted brainchild of a Sidekick fanatic?
By Chris Ziegler 
posted February 11th 2010 1:52PM
posted February 11th 2010 1:52PM
Anyhow, rumor has it the so-called N98 features a 4-inch touchscreen (likely capacitive, considering the precedent set by the X6) with 32GB of internal storage and a launch date in time for holiday 2010 at around €450 ($617) -- and we're even seeing an HDMI logo silkscreened on the side, too. This actually mixes pretty closely with another recent rumor that says we can expect an N8 model this Summer with a 3.5-inch capacitive display, 12 megapixel sensor, and Symbian^3, so an alternate possibility is that we're actually looking at that N8 here. Either way, if any of it is real, it could see a debut anywhere between MWC next week and Nokia World later in the year -- but admittedly, our fake-o-meter's reading pretty high on this one until we see an announcement. Nokia fans: is this what you're looking for in a next-gen device?
Phones just keep getting better.
@forrealdood
It would be rather surprising if they started to get worse, wouldn't you say?
@LeJay
i wouldn't say...
http://www.dialaphone.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/alienware_mockup_1a.jpg
@forrealdood
I call it a fake. The interface is s60 5th edition, exactly like on the N97, even though we've heard there's a revamp coming. There's no way they'd replace their flagship without implementing that interface. The details are pretty different from the N97 style and don't get me started on the freakish color. Have we ever seen an N-series with a color like that? That looks straight out of some older Nokia everyone had a few years ago...
@forrealdood
it should be much better than the current crop of nokia symbian phones, i would however wait and watch if it would turn out to be a killer phone.
I am not impressed easily, and i am not buying a new phone until i am!
- from my "never-locked" e71 (which i love to death)
.....i like. alot.
@skyblaze
i like turtles
not bad actually.... not bad at all!
Woah.......Killer design!!!
I don't particularly enjoy the color but I'm sure it will be offered in more choices besides puke-green.
@DoctarPeppar
you know... i kinda dig the colour... unique at least... different from the black, white or grey designs from everyone else...
@DoctarPeppar would be cool if they would make it rubberized.
if not, would be good to have the option to buy different cases.
@DoctarPeppar
You got me here, Doc! I thought exactly the same. Seems that the Finns got some pretty nice designers on board for this one! It totally rocks!!
@Kensai ya, that color makes it feel more natural and ruggedized
finally a THIN nokia N-series!
It is looking pretty slick and damn good. If it is real hope one can change the cases.
I cant say anything about Symbian^3, but the specs are very interesting. Hope they just ditch LCD for the screen and come with some *LED version.
You forgot to mention the rumor that is cooking about the streaming of movies from Ovi straight to the phones.
Wait a minute, I call BS -- the space bar is in the middle on the bottom row. No way would Nokia actually listen to people and actually do that and throw away the N97\N900 design :P
@DoctarPeppar Wow... very well spotted.
Ranked up dude :)
@DoctarPeppar
And where are the speakers? All recent Nseries and Xseries have had visible speaker slots on the left side (when holding phone upright in hand), so the side you can see w the screenlock
@DoctarPeppar i understand that looking from the pictures it might seem weird, but i haven't heard anybody who actually owns N97, N97 mini or N900 device complaining about it. Actually the opposite.
Imo it's good design.
@Pdexter
I've used both the N900 and N97, and I don't like it.
Also the engadget reviews here, the editors don't like it, and most of the comments agreed with them.
The key here is standardization, so you don't have to learn some "new and improved design" which doesn't really offer any benefit at all.
The same argument was made in 1932 by Dvorak -- claiming his keyboard layout was more efficient; really none was a "better" design than the other, it's simple an annoyance to learn a new layout other than the one that has been around forever and people are already used to :)
@DoctarPeppar I have a N900 and a E72. Constantly using them both and I actually dont mind the spacebar position.
It was very weird in the beginning but with time this stops being an issue and, I might be wrong, but I type faster this way. The mostly used keys are on the right side keeping the fewer ones to the left, along with space bar... So typing is faster.
Just buy a N900, you will love it :D
Come to the good side with us brother...
@Mr w00t
I will if this drawing here is the actual N98 with a normal keyboard layout and a tilt screen :)
@DoctarPeppar : And it says "NOKIA SECRET (C) 04 2009" right across it as a watermark. It's not just fake, it's a fake from last year.
@DoctarPeppar
I've got the N900 and don't care about the spacebar, but 3 rows is definitely not enough.
Well the design looks great, but is this what I am looking in a phone? I am more concerned with the OS -S^3 should be good, Maemo 6 will be awesome, Processor -OMAP 4 atleast OMAP 3 , Screen- High resolution capacitive. It's a Nokia, so other things are going to be fine.
this is what i'm looking for in any device! hopefully, it can fit in my jeans pocket without creating another massive bulge.
the whole look is good, but the quility of the flip looks unstable. Just wish the competition is stronger, so consumers will be benefited at the end. hopefully!
Ooh shiny! Good lookin' Nokia? No way?!
This looks amazing.
Nokia, do it.
Do it and you'll win me back.
Very nice!
Really nice render anyway...
If it's a fake Nokia should give it a look, because the is pretty amazing.
But how does it help poor farmers in India?
@linus816 I hope you are not making fun of the condition people live in other countries... I bet if you tell me where you are from I can also mock it.
What a total unnecessary comment this one. I hope you are down ranked into oblivion.
@Mr w00t
It was a contextual joke about the focus that nokia has made on its emerging markets, principally India.
I likey. But like Engadget my fake alarm is ringing.
Looks awesome, Maemo please.
Where are the speakers? All recent Nseries and Xseries have had visible speaker slots on the left side (when holding phone upright in hand), so the side you can see w the screenlock
@wsh03370
I'm also missing a micro-USB port and the supposed mini-HDMI port, along with the regular 3.5mm jack, which I doubt are all crammed on two sides of the phone
Lime green?
Oh life...
Nokia has confirmed in finnish financial papers today that they wont be announcing new models in next week fair.
@BFish They are not even attending MWC. They will have own event 15-16 this month in Barcelona.
@Pdexter
Yeh, they were speaking about their Barcelona thingy, no new models there.
@BFish That would be a shame, but wouldn't be too surprised.
@BFish
Nope.
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fi&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.taloussanomat.fi%2Finformaatioteknologia%2F2010%2F02%2F11%2Fnokia-ei-julkista-uusia-puhelinmalleja-barcelonassa%2F20102136%2F12
"Nokian viestinnästä ei kommentoitu uutistoimisto tietoja. Nokia's news agency did not comment on communications data. "
Nokia hasn't confirmed no new models in barcelona, or confirmed that there will be new models. They are silent on the new models, until barcelona.
Looks too good for a fake render imho...the watermark is extremely fishy though.
Anyway, looks pretty cool. Hopefully it's real.
That font, my god that font.
Up and down,
Over and through,
Back around -
the joke's on you (Nokia nay sayers).
sincerely Nokia
Nokia- SECRET... I think I will pick no. 2.
It's a real deal, quite.
This site had this image (alongside some other images of the alleged N87) almost 3 days back, and when I checked again today, it was all gone, with a note from the author:
http://ragsnram.com/?p=1981
Google search and viewing the Cache reveals the older post without the updates, but still worth the read..