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Engadget Podcast 113 - 10.13.2008: The Engadget Podcast returns!
You read that right -- the Engadget Podcast is back... with a vengeance. Recently we've been getting a ton of emails and comments suggesting we bring back the show, and since we're all as much a fan of it as you are, that's just what we did. We've been dying to get the podcast back in action -- especially with the holidays, CES, and Macworld on the very near horizon -- so now seemed like the ideal time. We've just wrapped the official reintroduction, and you can listen in via the links below. This week we cover quite a few exciting developments in the world of gadgetry, including (but certainly not limited to) RIM's new Storm, the upcoming Apple laptop event, and Nintendo's unveiling of the DSi. We hope you enjoy, and stay tuned for more! Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel Guest: Ryan Block (gdgt) Producer: Trent Wolbe Music: Professor Murder -- Dutch Hex (Brothers) 01:02 - BlackBerry Storm 9500 hands-on 14:06 - T-Mobile G1 launch day roundup 20:10 - Nokia 5800 XpressMusic hands-on 26:58 - Apple "notebook" event is on, October 14th! 48:21 - Nintendo announces DSi with dual cameras, "DSi Shop" content store (updated) LISTEN (MP3) LISTEN (AAC) We're working on getting the proper iTunes / Zune / AAC / OGG feeds up and running -- hopefully they'll be ready for next week's show! [RSS MP3] Add the Engadget Podcast feed (in MP3) to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically. Contact the podcast: 1-888-ENGADGET or podcast (at) engadget (dot) com
Nokia shocks no one, confirms N-Series touchscreen handset
Hey, it's not like you really expected Nokia to ride the coattails of its N95 / N96 forever without adding in a dash of innovation, right? At a recent Nokia event held in New Delhi, Devinder Kishore (the director of marketing for Nokia India) was quoted as saying that "We will have lots of touchscreen phones coming up, including an N-series device very soon." Granted, it's not at all shocking to hear that the engineers in Espoo are already conjuring up touch-friendly N-series handsets, but at least you know there's a fingertip-lovin' Nokia coming for you if the XpressMusic 5800 just ain't rubbing you the right way.
Screen Grabs: Nokia 5800-branding womanizer snaps pics of Britney Spears
Screen grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. We're not quite sure what Britney is trying to say here. It would help if she could be more specific about what she thinks of this guy. If only there was a word she could use to describe him, over and over and over. Regardless, she absolutely doesn't want any pictures snapped of her on Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic. Who knows where those might end up? Full video after the break.[Thanks, Sam]
Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic gets reviewed, coddled
Given that most of the world won't see Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic until 2009, you may be better off just forcing yourself to overlook this here review until you can snag one without importing. If you're just too impatient for all that, however, you should know that an early critique of the affectionately dubbed Tube deemed it mighty impressive. Call quality was solid, the OS was stable in most areas, and the display was a joy to look at and interact with. In fact, reviewers had a difficult time finding anything exceptionally negative to say, noting that this is the handset for anyone after a "well-rounded, do-it-all solution." It was also made clear that this phone and the iPhone were really two different animals not worth comparing (advantage, Tube), but that didn't stop critics from confessing that the 5800 packs an "unparalleled price / quality ratio that changes the rules for all phone makers out there, including Nokia itself."
Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic to mature markets: see you in 2009
The Foundations said it best in their 1968 classic, but seriously, why let us down like this? Nokia didn't mind busting out a litany of press shots and all the specifications one could need to get amped up about the 5800 XpressMusic, but it obviously has something holding it back from launching in "mature markets" before 2009. In an announcement that's just as disappointing to the suits in Espoo as it is to those in North America and Down Under (just to name a couple), we've now learned that the touchscreen-dominated handset will only be available in seven countries in Asia, the Middle East and Europe before 2009 dawns. Even worse? Not knowing how deep into next year we'll have to wait for this thing here in the US of A. Catch our feelings spelled out in video form after the break.
Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic phone intimately detailed on video
If you've been enjoying those still pictures of Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic touchscreen phone, but feel you're lacking an in-depth experience, we think we can help. A slew of demo and instruction videos have just been slapped up on the Ovi Share site, allowing you to get a better idea of just how the device works, and what it looks like when it's doing it. Luckily for you, we've taken the trouble of including all of the videos after the break for your viewing pleasure, saving you the painful and laborious experience of hitting a read link. Enjoy.[Via Cellpassion]
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic hands-on
She's arrived at last, the 5800 XpressMusic, Nokia's tardy entry into the (modern) touchscreen phone space, and we've gotten some quality face time with the device. Appropriately nicknamed the Tube, the device has a number of Nokia peculiarities that could appeal to certain sensibilities, but probably won't be taking a big bite out of existing touchphone market share -- at least in the S60-phobic United States. Let's dig in, shall we?%Gallery-33249%
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
While it may not be Nokia's first touchscreen phone (anyone out there remember the 7710?), the 5800 XpressMusic is certainly the first to come out of Finland with a mainstream appeal. What we've alternately known as the "Tube" throughout much of its development cycle is the first production device to run S60 5th Edition -- the fourth major overhaul of Nokia's ubiquitous smartphone platform since 2002 and the first to support fingers, styli, and high-res displays. Speaking of high-res displays, the 5800 comes equipped with an impressive 3.2-inch 640 x 360 resistive touchscreen to go along with its 3.2-megapixel autofocus cam, Carl Zeiss optics, dual LED flash, GPS, WiFi, 3.5mm jack, and a microSD slot with support for 16GB cards. It'll be available in three versions -- European HSDPA, North American HSDPA, and GSM only -- and ships this quarter in black, red, and blue for €279 (about $392) unlocked with an 8GB card thrown in for good measure. Music fans with voracious appetites for new tunes might want to hold out, though, for the Comes With Music-equipped version that follows on "early next year" at a to-be-announced price.%Gallery-33266%
Reuters: October 2nd is go for Nokia Tube launch
October 2nd: mark it down 'cause Reuters says that's the date that Nokia will launch its Nokia Tube -- aka, 5800 XpressMusic. According to a pair of industry sources, Nokia will launch the much anticipated, long overdue, S60 touchscreen device at a media and analyst event in London -- exactly as Pocket-lint's source told us earlier. All that's left now is for the invites to be distributed.
Nokia 5800 Tube press shot leaks into the wilds
One day after Google goes touchscreen, along comes what looks to be an official press shot of Nokia's 5800 XpressMusic -- aka, the Tube. No new details here, though Nokia appears to have cleaned up the industrial design around the buttons of some of those earlier prototypes we've seen. October 2nd looks like the date that we'll finally get our fill of the first S60 Touch handset. Though given the number of leaks and rabid competition Nokia faces in the touchscreen OS space -- our appetite for this device might be quickly satiated. [Via unwired view]
Nokia's XpressMusic 5800 Tube launching October 2nd?
Okay, so first we heard that Nokia's Comes with Music service would be good and ready by October 2nd. Then we heard October 17th. Now, a certain "anonymous industry source" has revealed that the long-awaited XpressMusic 5800 (or the Tube, as it were) will be launching on the 2nd of next month. With so much conflicting evidence out and about, we're firmly in "wait and see" mode at this point, and considering that "launch" gives no indication of a ship date, we reckon you're better off doing the same.[Thanks, Mikkel]
Nokia 5800 "Tube" rolling into Britannia next month?
Ah yeah, that's right -- wasn't Nokia supposed to be coming out with a touchscreen smartphone at some point? Citing an unnamed source, a delightfully unsubstantiated rumor has popped up on Just Another Mobile Phone Blog claiming that Nokia's first S60 Touch device, the 5800, will get a British launch just a month from now on October 8. Given Nokia's historically epic spans between announcement and launch, putting a device on retail shelves that hasn't even been revealed yet in just four short weeks seems improbable -- but on the flip, we can certainly imagine Espoo wanting this one available in plenty of time for the holidays. Our fingers remain firmly crossed, both for an October release and for a right-quick unlock and ship across the pond.[Via Engadget Spanish]
Nokia 5800 Tube browser screenshots appear, underwhelm
Well, we've seen the Nokia 5800 Tube's keyboard, home screen, video player, and uh, Bat-Sonar, so we might as well keep going with these shots of the browser. Kudos to Nokia for delivering something just slightly more impressive this time around than we're used to from S60 Touch, but we're still not feeling the super-90s aesthetic -- check out those icons at the bottom. We're still hoping to be blown away when this thing finally launches, but it's looking less and less likely with each new screenshot.[Thanks, Marie]
Nokia 5800 gets touched in the wild -- again
At this point, we've seen the Tube from everyone but Nokia -- heck, even Morgan Freeman got a chance to show it off -- and it looks like that trend isn't going to abate any time soon. Another round of in-the-wild shots of the supposed XpressMusic 5800 have popped up (yes, the latest prototype seems to have dropped the "XpressMedia" badge), showing off a pretty uninspiring keyboard that we can only hope has no bearing on the final product. Guess that's why they haven't announced this sucker yet, eh? We hope?[Via The Nokia Blog]
Nokia's XpressMedia 5800 "Tube" makes cameo in The Dark Knight
So apparently a healthy exchange of cash and a captive audience glued to one of the biggest flicks of the year are all it takes to land early dibs on Nokia's elusive Tube. The Tube -- which will likely be branded either XpressMusic or XpressMedia and carry model number 5800 -- represents Nokia's first serious foray into the wide world of touchscreen smartphones (don't even try to pull the Series 90 card, people), so there's quite a bit of buzz building around it. Just like there's lots of buzz aroudn this new Batman joint. Coincidence? We think not!
Screen Grabs: Nokia's XpressMedia 5800 "Tube" plays big role in The Dark Knight
Screen grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. Even for gadget freaks, it was tough to take one's attention away from the outstanding action that filled The Dark Knight from beginning to end, but when Morgan Freeman had to hand over his Nokia XpressMedia 5800 (or Tube, as it were) at a stop in Hong Kong, we had to take a moment and gush. Nokia's still-not-official handset had a few critical scenes where it was highlighted, though we'd wager it was only viewable for 4 to 5 seconds in total. Beyond that, Nokia's peculiarly designed 6630 (circa 2004) was Gordon's handset of choice, which we risked an MPAA thug kneecapping in order to also snag and host up below. It's not really important that you go see it for a live shot of the Tube (though the incentive is nice), just make sure you go. Soon.[Thanks to everyone who kept us on the lookout!] %Gallery-28089%
Nokia XpressMusic 5800 "Tube" turns up in German poster
Nokia's 5800 "Tube" handset hasn't exactly been doing the best job staying under cover, and it's now turned up yet again to offer another sign of its presumably imminent launch, this time in a poster for Germany's SMS Shop. Somewhat curiously, the touchscreen-based device (S60, specifically) is now apparently branded with the XpressMusic moniker, rather than XpressMedia, although your guess is as good as ours as to what that might indicate. Otherwise, the only tidbits the poster has to offer is that the device does in fact boast WLAN and HSDPA capabilities, although given that all the other phones in the poster have been officially announced, it seems safe to bet that we should be hearing more about the 5800 straight from Nokia sooner rather than later.[Thanks, Dax]
Nokia's N79, N85, and XpressMedia 5800 "Tube" exposed?
Random flickr feeds aren't the typical way for hot new Nokias to be discovered out in the environs, but hey, who are we to question a good thing when we see it? Pictures of one totally unknown Nseries have emerged -- alleged to be the N79 -- showing a sublime S60 candybar in a pair of colors. Next, we have more of the just-scooped N85, including some of a white version, so we're definitely feeling more confident by the minute that it's the real deal and not some ridiculously sophisticated fake. Last but certainly not least, we have some shots of the XpressMedia 5800 affectionately known as the "Tube," a device that'll likely come to be Nokia's first to use S60 Touch. This one is Vodafone branded (doesn't really surprise us, we guess) and features a 3.2 megapixel sensor with Carl Zeiss optics, a stylus, and the key to our hearts. How much longer do we have to wait for these, Nokia?[Via Talk About Nseries]
Like the XV6800, but not: shots of Verizon's branded XV5800
We've been patiently waiting for a national US carrier to launch a version of HTC's Libra for nearly a year, and by golly, it looks like it might finally happen (and not in the hideous green Verizon was showing back in the day, either). The UTStarcom-sourced XV5800 lies somewhere between the Vox and the S730; although it shares 3G functionality with the S730, it's from the same vintage as the Vox (its GSM cousin) and has launched on a number of carriers. No word on a price or release date just yet, but it'd be a nice Festivus gift if we got 'er before the end of the year, yeah?[Thanks, anonymous tipster]%Gallery-11137%
Bell reels in HTC 5800
Canada and the US regionals are now officially pwning Sprint and Verizon on this one. Bell becomes the latest carrier to offer the Windows Mobile 2006-based QWERTY slider -- Libra -- as the HTC 5800, offering EV-DO, a 2 megapixel cam, stereo Bluetooth, tethering capability, and microSD expansion. Come on Verizon, we're getting impatient! Grab it now north of the border for a nice, round $149.95 CAD (about $141) on a three-year agreement.[Via cell phones etc.]
