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Western Digital enters the router market, higher-end models include built-in hard drives
Western Digital is no stranger to media streaming, but until now its specialty has been moving content off a set-top box and onto your television. Now, though, the company is getting into the wireless game as well: it just announced its first networking products, including four dual-band routers and an Ethernet switch. Across the board, the routers use WD's so-called FasTrack technology to prioritize bandwidth-hogging activities like movie streaming, video chats and online gaming. And, like any modern-day router worth its salt, they include options for parental controls, as well as setting up a guest network. At the high end, the N900 Central (pictured) doubles as network-attached storage, suggesting WD was eager to put its hard drive know-how to good use. That'll be available in 1TB and 2TB flavors, and you can use a WD 2 Go website to access the drive remotely. (There are also iOS and Android apps, with a Windows Phone version coming soon.) Rounding out the list, it has four Ethernet ports and one USB connection. Similarly, the N900 router is rated for top speeds of 900 Mbps, except it lacks the built-in storage. In its place, it has seven Gigabit sockets, along with two USB ports. Moving on down the line, the N750 and N600 each have four Ethernet ports and two USB openings, with the N750 maxing out at 750 Mbps and the N600 -- well, you get the idea. Lastly, that switch has eight Gigabit ports if increasing your wired connections is what you're really after. With the exception of the storage-enhanced N900 Central, these are all available today, with prices ranging form $70 for the switch, $80 for the N600, $120 for the N750 and $180 for the N900. The N900 Central won't be available until next quarter, and will cost either $300 or $350 depending on whether you go for the 1TB or 2TB model.
iPhone N94 prototype's front assembly leaked, set to be an iPhone 4S?
As we approach the rumored September or October launch date for the next batch of iPhones, the web's been spiced up with photos of alleged parts for an "N94" iPhone prototype. We've been rather skeptical about them until the above photos landed in our inbox, courtesy of our friends from uBreakiFix. A little while back we'd already heard from our other sources that the N94 is set to be a cheaper version of the current iPhone 4 (probably the 8GB iPhone 4 mentioned by Reuters last week), which would explain why all these components and cables look super familiar. The only notable difference here is the funny dot right next to the sensor location above the earpiece -- the dotted pattern is very much like that used by the microphone and the webcam LED indicator on Mac computers, but obviously the latter is more likely the case here.That said, do bear in mind that according to the mark along the bottom of this part, we're apparently looking at an "EVT1" (Engineering Verification Test) piece from March 3rd 2011 (making it about three months older than the white N94 back covers that made the rounds last week, assuming they're legit). Additionally, when our sources last checked around June and July, the N94 had yet to hit the DVT stage, so it's hard to determine whether these parts will remain the same in the final design, or whether the N94 will even make it to the production line at all.On the other hand, our sources pointed out that an elusive N97 device -- previously reported by the Wall Street Journal as a tiny iPhone -- had already reached "DVT" (Design Verification Test) stage back in June, though there's little information about it other than that it's been tested with various cellular technologies (though plagued by some bugs related to switching between specific frequencies back then), plus it may sport a camera module supplied by Sony, which was semi-confirmed by Howard Stringer himself back in April. Whatever the N97 ends up being, hopefully we'll have something at least as slim as our little souvenir from Beijing.
WSJ corroborates the mini-iPhone, says Apple may make MobileMe free (update: 'edge-to-edge' screen)
The Wall Street Journal has weighed in on rumors of Apple's smaller iPhone, and citing "people familiar with the matter" the publication says that the rumors are likely true. One such familiar person reportedly saw a device half the size of the iPhone 4, bearing the codename "N97," and said that the handset will be only about half the size of the original, and at only around half the price too. Amazingly, those anonymous sources continued to divulge information, expressing the idea that Apple could finally make its MobileMe cloud service suite free, and that it just might be the platform from which Apple could finally launch a streaming music platform and lessen the need for all those gigabytes of flash storage in your pocket. We'll let you know if or when any of that happens, okay? Update: The WSJ's source proved even more talkative after getting an eyeful of the Samsung and Sony announcements this morn; the publication's article has been updated to read that the device is "significantly lighter" than the iPhone 4, has an "edge-to-edge" touchscreen, and "voice-based navigation" of some sort.
Exclusive: VW's Terminal Mode prototype with a Nokia N97 at the helm, we go hands-on
What if you could plug any smartphone into your car and control your GPS, music and apps with large, vehicular controls? That's the entire idea behind Nokia's Terminal Mode. We trekked over to Volkswagen's research laboratories in Palo Alto, California to test the first working prototype actually integrated into a car -- a VW Passat, to be precise -- and got to put some German pedal to the metal with Ovi Maps guiding our every move. What did we think? Not bad for a product that's nearly two years away. Find out why (and get a video tour!) right after after the break. %Gallery-103637%
Nokia N8 benchmarked against N97, makes it look old and busted
Nokia's new hotness, the N8, is starting our week off in fine style. Finest Fones, what looks to be a Symbian-only mobile news site, is reporting its own tests done with the handset that show it comfortably outpacing its predecessor. Of course, in these fog of war-obscured times (before proper hardware is dished out), we can't really be sure of the veracity of what we read, but Symbian^3's newfound ability to exploit graphics hardware seems to be paying off relative to the more primordial ways of the S60 5th software on the N97. The intrepid investigators found a 180 percent performance delta between the two phones in Speedy Go! tests, while the N8 ran through a cycle of FPC bench 3D with perfect 60fps scores each and every time. We won't be convinced by the purported 680MHz CPU inside till we test it out for ourselves with a load of widget-heavy homescreens, but early signs seem to be encouraging.
Vertu taste on a Nokia budget: meet the N97 Mini Gold Edition
Phone manufacturers usually leave the gilding to jewelers and other specialty shops that are more willing to show complete disregard for taste and common sense than themselves, but once in a while, pure, unadulterated emotion gets the better of someone in a position to make product decisions -- yes, even at Nokia -- and something like this slips through the cracks. Meet the N97 Mini Gold Edition, which is pretty self-explanatory: it's an N97 Mini with 18-carat gold on the important bits. It's coming to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia at the beginning of next quarter; pricing in Poland will run 2,499 zloty (about $851) unlocked, which is a bit of a premium over the 1,999 zloty ($681) charged for the standard model.
Nokia VP: N97 taught company some tough lessons
It's unusual for a company to publicly admit its shortcomings -- particularly a company as big, proud, and resolute as Nokia generally seems to be -- but an All About Symbian / Mobile Industry Review joint interview with Anssi Vanjoki, vice president of markets, at MWC last week painted a very different picture with regard to Espoo's views on the maligned N97. Though he says that the phone absolutely met the company's goals for sales volume and revenue, it was a "tremendous disappointment in terms of the experience quality for the consumers and something [they] did not anticipate." This isn't a sob story, though: he uses the opportunity to note that they've completely closed the gap on software quality for the flagship device, launching new firmware first in Norway where the response has been positive. Considering that the N97 was announced way back in 2008, there's realistically nothing Nokia can do to give the phone a second wind atop the lineup, but Vanjoki seems genuinely convinced that they've learned some hard lessons and swallowed some tough pills throughout its life cycle -- and those lessons will bear fruit when Symbian^3-based products roll around. Here's hoping.
N97 firmware update v21.0.045 ready to download
Get to it N97 owners. In addition to your free Ovi Maps, Nokia just let loose firmware version 21.0.045 that promises to improve call reliability and internet browsing while smoothing out the jumpiness some have seen with kinetic scrolling introduced in v20. It's available now via a Nokia Software Update tether if you just can't wait for it to be set free over the air. As always, let us know how it goes in the comments.
Nokia updates N97 with free Ovi Maps, just as promised
It was only a week ago when Nokia shook us with its free turn-by-turn navigation update, but the poor old N97 got left out in the cold. Not any more though, folks! In fact, the new Ovi Maps for N97 was delivered one day earlier than promised, and can be found "through the software update client in the device." Thanks, Nokia, but don't forget your N900 fans, too. [Thanks, @old_no_7uk]
Nokia N97's Brain Maze requires steady hand, typical mind-control equipment
Not everyone has one of NeuroSky's MindSet brainwave interface headsets lying around, but in the off chance you do -- and you've got an N97 handy -- this could finally be your ticket to a sharper wit, improved hand-eye coordination, better-smelling breath, and frankly, a whole new you. Forum Nokia regular Paul Coulton has recently thrown together the appropriately-titled Brain Maze for Nokia's flagship S60 5th Edition set, reinterpreting the staple Labyrinth game for accelerometer-equipped handsets by adding in checkpoints controlled by the MindSet's input -- in other words, you've got to (gulp) think to advance through the course. It looks like it could be a blast, we admit -- but considering how talented we are at completely disabling and unplugging our brains when we sit down in front of a video game, we could be spending months making it past level one. Follow the break for a little video of Brain Maze in thought-controlled action.
Nokia Messaging for social networks hits beta, brings Twitter, and leaves out the N900
See, this is what we were saying. It's not that we're not excited about Maemo, or that we hate S60, or even that we dislike it when a company like Nokia builds a free messaging app that integrates social networks like Facebook (and now Twitter) into the handset experience. It's just that Nokia has just built an app that only works on the N97, N97 Mini and the 5800, leaving the company's quasi-flagship handset the N900 out in the cold. The new app can upload pictures and videos, integrates with email and the dialer, and pushes Facebook and Twitter updates live to the homescreen. It also serves as a all-too-timely example of how hard it is to support two operating systems at once. Alright, we're done preaching, time to fire up the N97 and tell some people about our day. A video demo is after the break.
Samsung Galaxy, Nokia N97 go where no man has ever gone before: Bell's HSPA network
Okay, that's not quite true -- Bell's HSPA network has been live for a few weeks now -- but the Galaxy from Samsung and Nokia N97 become two of the first few devices to take advantage of it now that it has made the bold jump from rumor to reality. The Galaxy looks to be a near-perfect replica of the Galaxy found internationally, bringing over the same 3.2-inch glass AMOLED display, 8GB of internal storage expandable to 40GB, 5 megapixel camera, and Android guts (1.5, we sadly presume) that you find elsewhere. What makes this one a little special, though, is the fact that it's got HSPA 850 / 1900 instead of the T-Mobile-friendly AWS bands that you find on the version sold unlocked in the US, so we imagine you'd be able to find a way to sneak this onto AT&T in the States if you were really desperate for it. The N97, meanwhile, looks to be a dead ringer for the version offered in the States; it runs a staggering CAD $199.95 (about $190) on a three-year contract, while the Galaxy is a little closer to reality at CAD $99.95 ($95) for the same duration.
Nokia N97 Mini now shipping to American lovers, haters
The miniaturized version of Nokia's N97 began shipping to eager consumers in Europe in late October, but for those unable to save their pennies in America while waiting for the N900, today's the day to unload. As of right now, the (obviously unlocked) N97 Mini is shipping from both Dell and Amazon here in the States, with the former offering it for $430 (after coupon) and the latter selling it for $479.99. Any takers? Or has the full-sized N97 already claimed that piece of your heart?
Keepin' it real fake, part CCXLV: the Nokia iPhone
Alright, so iPhone and N97 knock-offs probably aren't the rarest of gems around these days, but how many handsets do you know that can lay claim to being both? The Cooli902 takes the iPhone's 3.5-inch touchscreen, spit-shines a pretty realistic iPhone OS clone-job, and then adds the Nokia flavor with a fully fledged QWERTY keypad ripped straight from the heart of the N97. Not only does it open to that familiar angle, it also sports the same layout and what we can only imagine to be the same violent opening mechanism as found on the original Nokia handset. And to think that poor Philippe Starck had to pick between these two phones, when for only $143 we could have had both. More pics after the break, or hit the read link to get your own.
Eston's 7-inch Android MID believes it's an N97, can play full HD
We'll go out on a limb here and suggest that Nokia probably doesn't care about Shenzhen Eston's N97-branded device, but what really matters is whether you should care about it. Positioned slap bang in the middle between smartphones and netbooks, this Android-driven MID offers 7 inches of viewing real estate and 4 hours of battery, as well as integrated WiFi, 3G, Flash player, web browser, and ebook reader, plus the purported ability to play back full HD content. Don't ask us how anyone can squeeze that kind of processing power out of a Marvell PXA303 chip, but if you want to know more, the read link is your ever-loyal best friend. [Via Cloned in China]
Nokia's N97 mini gets its shipping papers
Right on cue, the smaller-but-just-barely N97 mini is now ready for public consumption over in Europe. Granted, we're certainly at the tail end of October, but we can't say that we caught Nokia in a lie or anything based on what was said last month in Stuttgart. You've already committed the specifications to memory and read all about firmware 2.0, so now all that's left to do is run along, fork out €450 ($667) and wonder forever if this decision will positively or negatively change the course of your life.
Nokia N97 firmware 2.0 hits the tubes, is ready for your attention
Got an N97? Yeah? Reckoned that Nokia has forgotten about your loyalty and moved all of its focus onto the N900? Fret not, dearest early adopter -- the engineers in Espoo are making good on a promise to clear out lots of bugs in the aforesaid handset with firmware 2.0, and if we're seeing this right, it's available now to download all over the world. We know, you 5800 owners are clamoring for the same type of TLC, but for now it looks like the pricier sibling is getting its due. Hit the read link and get your download going, and make sure to report back on your kinetic scrolling experience, cool? [Thanks, Daniel]
Ultra-limited edition Nokia N97 mini RAOUL launched for Nokia Singapore
Nokia's teamed up with fashion house RAOUL for a special, limited edition N97 mini. The leather-heavy pack will contain a stripe-emblazoned N97 mini with a custom designed Fashion Asia widget and a calf-skin leather case. The whole shebang will come in a leather bound RAOUL box. The production will be limited to just 1000 units (sort of good news for the calves, we suppose), so if you live in Singapore and want to get one, we'd suggest getting a move on: they're up for pre-order right now for 400 euro -- about $589. [Via GSM Arena]
Nokia N97 firmware 2.0 looks to squash major pain points
As QWERTY-equipped Nokias go we're having a hard time taking our eyes off the N900 (and the E72, come to think of it) -- but it might be worth keeping the N97 hanging around on the back burner, because Nokia certainly hasn't moved on yet. In fact, the company is crafting a rather hefty new update that'll be available next month, and on video, it seems to directly address a few areas that should immediately make the phone more usable, chiefly kinetic scrolling which makes lists behave in a way that's more natural and obvious for a full-touch device. There's also a smattering of bug fixes and performance improvements, more stock widgets available, alternate keyboard characters are now available via long press, and amazingly, they've managed to do all of this while still leaving more phone memory available. We'd venture to say it's still not an "N900 killer" by any stretch, but it's definitely a new lease on life. Follow the break for a video demo of the new firmware in action. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Nokia X6 video hands-on: proof that capacitive touchscreens are better
While Nokia wouldn't invite us to Nokia World this year, we were fortunate enough to discover a pair of its new X6 handsets on the IFA floor here in Berlin. On hand were two engineering prototypes, one of which was peeling away from its plastic shell while the other seemed less responsive to our finger-taps. Still, it's clear that the capacitive touchscreen is far more responsive to human touch than the resistive screens found on its N97, or the 5800 XpressMusic especially. This was made abundantly clear when using the on-screen keyboard although some of our swiping gestures were inexplicably ignored in other elements of the interface. But given the choice of the screen being awesome or super-awesome (remember, we're comparing it to Nokia's resistive touchscreen legacy), we'll have to settle on the former for now. Of course, underneath you've still got S60 5th, for better or worse, pumping away inside a chubby little candybar -- no screen tech can change that. See the action in the video after the break then jump into the gallery to see it sized up with a few of its S60 cousins five times removed.
