Prototype Nokia N97 firmware 'leaked'

It's no secret that Nokia's N97 is a device desired by many mobile enthusiasts around the world. It's also no secret that Nokia are aiming to get the N97 into stores by the end of June 2009. With N97 fans growing ever-more impatient and June edging closer by the minute, it's no surprise that Nokia fans around the world are clamoring for more information about Nokia's flagship device.


With the help of Epicbiznus' excellent Navifirm tool, it's now possible to download the firmware of a prototype Nokia N97. By opening the firmware files (admittedly in Notepad...) I've found references to Photoshop, Psiloc, AP News, Reuters, Amazon, Facebook and Accuweather. I'm sure that there's still plenty of juicy information that I've missed buried in these files so maybe someone with more knowledge of Nokia's firmware images will chime in.

The firmware files also confirm beyond doubt that the N97 is indeed the Ivalo from the leaked roadmap and that the E75 is the Victoria.


Here's a preliminary list of product codes for the three different versions of the N97:
RM-505

0576124: RM-505_APAC_AUSTRALIA Black
0576208: RM-505_APAC_AUSTRALIA White
0576129: RM-505_APAC_Bangladesh Black
0576211: RM-505_APAC_Bangladesh White
0576120: RM-505_APAC_CAMBODIA Black
0576132: RM-505_APAC_CAMBODIA White
0576128: RM-505_APAC_EMERGING ASIA Black
0576210: RM-505_APAC_EMERGING ASIA White
0575297: RM-505_APAC_HONG KONG black
0575841: RM-505_APAC_HONG KONG white
0575724: RM-505_APAC_INDIA Black
0576213: RM-505_APAC_INDIA White
0576121: RM-505_APAC_INDONESIA Black
0576133: RM-505_APAC_INDONESIA White
0576119: RM-505_APAC_MALAYSIA Black
0576131: RM-505_APAC_MALAYSIA White
0576126: RM-505_APAC_NEW ZEALAND Black
0576209: RM-505_APAC_NEW ZEALAND White
0576123: RM-505_APAC_PHILIPPINES Black
0576207: RM-505_APAC_PHILIPPINES White
0575722: RM-505_APAC_SINGAPORE Black
0576130: RM-505_APAC_SINGAPORE White
0575266: RM-505_APAC_TAIWAN black
0575829: RM-505_APAC_TAIWAN white
0575728: RM-505_APAC_THAILAND Black
0576135: RM-505_APAC_THAILAND White
0576122: RM-505_APAC_VIETNAM Black
0576212: RM-505_APAC_VIETNAM White
0576356: RM-505_EMEA_ALPS_QW Black
0576435: RM-505_EMEA_ALPS_QW White
0576364: RM-505_EMEA_BALKANS_QW Black
0576462: RM-505_EMEA_BALKANS_QW White
0576411: RM-505_EMEA_Baltian_QW Black
0576488: RM-505_EMEA_Baltian_QW White
0576351: RM-505_EMEA_Benelux_FR_QW Black
0576420: RM-505_EMEA_Benelux_FR_QW White
0579050: RM-505_EMEA_Benelux_NL_QW Black
0579054: RM-505_EMEA_Benelux_NL_QW White
0579051: RM-505_EMEA_BULGARIA_QW Black
0579055: RM-505_EMEA_BULGARIA_QW White
0576410: RM-505_EMEA_CIS_QW Black
0576487: RM-505_EMEA_CIS_QW White
0581899: RM-505_EMEA_CIS_QW_2 Black
0581901: RM-505_EMEA_CIS_QW_2 White
0576366: RM-505_EMEA_CZECH_QW Black
0576468: RM-505_EMEA_CZECH_QW White
0576412: RM-505_EMEA_Estonian_QW Black
0576489: RM-505_EMEA_Estonian_QW White
0570817: RM-505_EMEA_EURO_QW1 Black
0576350: RM-505_EMEA_EURO_QW1 White
0574380: RM-505_EMEA_FRANCE_QW Black
0576423: RM-505_EMEA_FRANCE_QW White
0576355: RM-505_EMEA_GERMAN_QW Black
0576430: RM-505_EMEA_GERMAN_QW White
0576375: RM-505_EMEA_GREECE_QW Black
0576474: RM-505_EMEA_GREECE_QW White
0576377: RM-505_EMEA_HUNGARY_QW Black
0576480: RM-505_EMEA_HUNGARY_QW White
0576413: RM-505_EMEA_ISRAEL_QW Black
0576490: RM-505_EMEA_ISRAEL_QW White
0576358: RM-505_EMEA_ITALY_QW Black
0576459: RM-505_EMEA_ITALY_QW White
0579053: RM-505_EMEA_MALTA_QW Black
0579056: RM-505_EMEA_MALTA_QW White
0576406: RM-505_EMEA_MOLDOVA_QW Black
0576486: RM-505_EMEA_MOLDOVA_QW White
0576368: RM-505_EMEA_POLAND_QW Black
0576472: RM-505_EMEA_POLAND_QW White
0576363: RM-505_EMEA_PORTUGAL_QW Black
0576461: RM-505_EMEA_PORTUGAL_QW White
0576402: RM-505_EMEA_ROMANIA_QW Black
0576481: RM-505_EMEA_ROMANIA_QW White
0576403: RM-505_EMEA_RUSSIA_QW Black
0576484: RM-505_EMEA_RUSSIA_QW White
0576352: RM-505_EMEA_SCAND_QW1 Black
0576425: RM-505_EMEA_SCAND_QW1 White
0576353: RM-505_EMEA_SCAND_QW2 Black
0576428: RM-505_EMEA_SCAND_QW2 White
0576365: RM-505_EMEA_SERBIA_QW Black
0576467: RM-505_EMEA_SERBIA_QW White
0576367: RM-505_EMEA_SLOVAKIA_QW Black
0576470: RM-505_EMEA_SLOVAKIA_QW White
0576360: RM-505_EMEA_SPAIN_QW Black
0576460: RM-505_EMEA_SPAIN_QW White
0580747: RM-505_EMEA_Swiss_QW Black
0580748: RM-505_EMEA_Swiss_QW White
0576357: RM-505_EMEA_TURKEY_QW Black
0576458: RM-505_EMEA_TURKEY_QW White
0576405: RM-505_EMEA_UKRAINE_QW Black
0576485: RM-505_EMEA_UKRAINE_QW White
0576554: RM-505_MENA_ALGERIA black
0576573: RM-505_MENA_ALGERIA white
0575743: RM-505_MENA_ARABIC 1 black
0576558: RM-505_MENA_ARABIC 1 white
0576503: RM-505_MENA_ARABIC 2 black
0576569: RM-505_MENA_ARABIC 2 white
0576505: RM-505_MENA_EGYPT NON GPS black
0576571: RM-505_MENA_EGYPT NON GPS white
0576504: RM-505_MENA_EMBARGO NON GPS black
0576570: RM-505_MENA_EMBARGO NON GPS white
0576556: RM-505_MENA_FARSI black
0576575: RM-505_MENA_FARSI white
0576500: RM-505_MENA_KSA black
0576567: RM-505_MENA_KSA white
0576502: RM-505_MENA_LEVANT black
0580177: RM-505_MENA_LEVANT COMMON ENGLISH BLACK
0580187: RM-505_MENA_LEVANT COMMON ENGLISH WHITE
0576568: RM-505_MENA_LEVANT white
0576555: RM-505_MENA_MEA B black
0576574: RM-505_MENA_MEA B white
0576553: RM-505_MENA_NORTH AFRICA black
0576572: RM-505_MENA_NORTH AFRICA white
0576562: RM-505_MENA_SSA FRENCH Black
0576578: RM-505_MENA_SSA FRENCH White
0576560: RM-505_MENA_SSA Multi Black
0576566: RM-505_MENA_SSA Multi White
0576561: RM-505_MENA_SSA PT Black
0576577: RM-505_MENA_SSA PT White
0576559: RM-505_MENA_SSA1 Black
0576565: RM-505_MENA_SSA1 White
0576563: RM-505_MENA_SSA10 Black
0576579: RM-505_MENA_SSA10 White
0576564: RM-505_MENA_SSA11 Black
0576580: RM-505_MENA_SSA11 White
0575744: RM-505_MENA_UAE black
0576576: RM-505_MENA_UAE white
0580749: RM-505_MENA_Venezuela black
0580750: RM-505_MENA_Venezuela white

RM-506

0572794: RM-506_CHINA _CTR CHINA black
0575821: RM-506_CHINA _CTR CHINA white

RM-507

0576117: RM-507_NAM_ARGENTINA black
0576118: RM-507_NAM_ARGENTINA white
0580761: RM-507_NAM_AUSTRALIA_850 Black
0580762: RM-507_NAM_AUSTRALIA_850 White
0575402: RM-507_NAM_BRAZIL black
0576116: RM-507_NAM_BRAZIL white
0575401: RM-507_NAM_LTA black
0576114: RM-507_NAM_LTA white
0575400: RM-507_NAM_NAM black
0576111: RM-507_NAM_NAM white
0583786: RM-507_NAM_NEW_ZEALAND_850 Black
0583788: RM-507_NAM_NEW_ZEALAND_850 White
0583785: RM-507_NAM_PHILIPPINES_850 Black
0583787: RM-507_NAM_PHILIPPINES_850 White
0583324: RM-507_NAM_THAILAND_850 Black
0583325: RM-507_NAM_THAILAND_850 White

Do note that there is a chance that this list will not be 100% accurate once the N97 is released.

Read More......

N97 coming to the UK on the 31st of March?

According to Play.com's N97 pre-order page, the N97 is scheduled for release on the 31st of March 2009. Nokia have gotten into the habit of giving their flagship stores one week exclusives on popular new phones so it's possible that the N97 will be first available in the UK at around the 23rd/24th of March. Play.com have the N97 listed for £479.99, I'd be willing to pay that much for the N97 if it had a capacitive screen.

Read More......

Wherefore art thou Nokia N97 capacitive screen edition?

During 2008, Nokia announced the 5800 XpressMusic and the flagship N97 ‘mobile computer’. Both of these devices boasted large, high-resolution touch screens but with those screens came a major weakness and disappointment in my humble opinion – They’re resistive touch screens.

According to Wikipedia, resistive touch screens are ‘composed of two flexible sheets coated with a resistive material and separated by an air gap or microdots. When contact is made to the surface of the touch screen, the two sheets are pressed together, registering the precise location of the touch.’ There are many other devices that feature resistive touch screens such as the HTC Touch HD, Touch Pro and Touch Diamond.

I see resistive touch screens as being a weakness because they are horrible to use in comparison to capacitive touch screens. In my experiences with the 5800, Touch HD and Touch Pro, I’ve come away with a poor impression of the device due to the screen. Having to push down on the screen to get a response is not what I want. There’s also the squishy feeling you get when pressing the screen and the two layers meet. Sometimes, the top layer of the touch screen sticks on to your finger while you’re trying to lift your finger off. These things don’t happen with phones that boast a capacitive screen like the iPhone for example.

Once again according to Wikipedia, ‘A capacitive touch screen panel is coated with a material, typically indium tin oxide, that conducts a continuous electrical current across the sensor. The sensor therefore exhibits a precisely controlled field of stored electrons in both the horizontal and vertical axes - it achieves capacitance. The human body is also an electrical device which has stored electrons and therefore also exhibits capacitance. Capacitive sensors work based on proximity, and do not have to be directly touched to be triggered.’ Phones with capacitive touch screens allow you to gently tap the screen, there’s no need to apply any force. Using a Nokia 5800 XpressMusic and then using a Samsung F480 or LG Prada really demonstrates the massive difference in ease of use between resistive and capacitive screens. In comparison to the F480, it feels like I need to punch the screen of the 5800 with all my strength just to get a response!

Nokia continue to use resistive touch screens in their devices, despite other manufacturers moving on to capacitive technology. Some argue that Nokia are doing this to satisfy their customers in Asia who like handwriting recognition as a form of text input (capacitive screens can’t use styli). That’s fine by me but why can’t Nokia release a capacitive screened version of the 5800 or N97? Nokia are happy to make devices tailored to a specific market, as seen in the N95-3 (North American edition of the N95). I’ll bet that with the right marketing, a capacitive screened version of the N97 or 5800 would sell more in the UK alone than the N95-3 has ever sold in the whole of the United States.

Come on Nokia! It’s not like phones with capacitive screens are more expensive anyway, look at the LG KS360, it’s got a capacitive screen that is a joy to use yet it’s still as cheap as chips! S60 Touch is supposedly optimised for use with fingers so there shouldn’t be any software issues either.

Capacitive screens are taking over. They’re easier to use, they’re nicer to look at and they allow you to slide your phone into your pocket without worrying about it making accidental calls. Please Nokia. A N97 Capacitive screen edition would make me cry with happiness.

Read More......

Nokia 6208 classic: S40 touchscreen device?

Chlettn at Mobile-Review forums has posted pictures of what seems to be a leaked(?) S40 touchscreen device. The device is apparently the 6208 classic, meaning that it's an Asia-exclusive device. Despite it featuring a touchscreen, the 6208 classic also has a numerical keypad below which is a welcome addition in my books. The supposed specs for the 6208 classic(according to Unwiredview) are as follows:

-2.8 inch QVGA TFT resistive touch display. This sounds wrong to me. Looking at the N95 8GB and then the 6208, it's clear the device would need to be MASSIVE to house a 2.8" screen. Looks more like 2.4".
-Quad band GSM connectivity with GPRS, EDGE.
-27MB of internal memory.
-MicroSD card support.
-3.2MP camera with autofocus and flash.
-130 grams.
-109.8 x 49.3 x 14.7 millimeters.

Notice the stylus housed in the back cover of the 6208... No capacative screen.

We're still unsure if this thing runs on S40 or Symbian. It wouldn't be too silly to say that Nokia might be toying with a completely new OS for this device since Nokia haven't announced a 'S40 Touch' OS/UI as far as I know.

Read More......

Nokia N97 and 5800 on their way to Orange

The fine chaps over at Mobile Industry Review have been attending a 'partner camp' hosted by Orange(the phone network) and have spotted a little something that bodes well for those of us in Europe... Ewan was kind enough to take pictures of some of the devices displayed in Orange's phone line-up at the event which included the 5800 XpressMusic and the recently announced N97. No official word is given on when we'll be seeing these devices here in the UK but atleast now we know that free N97s aren't too far off!

Read More......

Google Maps is looking good on the 5800

Tnkgrl has uploaded a video of Google Maps running on the 5800 XpressMusic. The video shows smooth navigation through maps, street view and some other standard features like satellite view with Tnkgrl providing commentary throughout. I must say, Google Maps looks much better on the 5800 than it ever has on my N95 8GB.

Read More......

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic selling well in Russia

News comes from Eldar Murtazin that the Nokia 5800 is flying off the shelves in Russia. Apparently, Nokia provided various outlets with 74,000 5800s and between November the 26th and December the 7th, 58,000(what a coincidence, eh?) of them were sold. That's a mean average of 4,833 per day, one 5800 sold in Russia every 18 seconds. Eldar also mentions that there were 'confirmed orders' of 46,000 more 5800s. I wonder if the demand will be this large in other countries?

Read More......