Nokia has launched what it has said its the first phone to include a built in DVB-H receiver. The N92 was launched at the company’s annual press jamboree, held this year in Barcelona, and is aimed at a convergence market that Nokia thinks is set for rapid expansion.
The N92 was one of three “converged” devices launched at the event, along with stable mates the N71 and N80.
This latest launch follows the announcement in October of the Nokia Eseries, a new family of Nokia smartphones targeted at the business world. The Nseries, first launched in April, and the Eseries are the manifestation of Nokia’s convergence pitch to operators.
Nokia Chairman and departing CEO Jorma Ollila said devices like these lie at the heart of digital convergence, which is set to take off during 2006.
“We expect the market for convergence devices to double to 100 million units in 2006.” said Ollila. “Convergence is opening up a world of opportunities for our customers and partners, and Nokia is committed to developing the tools, solutions and products to make the promise of the digital industry a reality.”
Nokia said the N92 is the world’s first mobile device with a built-in DVB-H receiver, making it possible for users to watch and record live TV. DVB-H is the mobile-TV broadcasting technology tipped for most widespread adoption.
The Nokia N92 enables users to watch and search for TV programs, create personal channel lists, subscribe to TV-channel packages, set program reminders and access interactive TV services. The device includes media keys, a view mode and a large 2.8″ anti-glare QVGA screen supporting 16 million colours.
The N71 is aimed at the music market and has a stereo FM radio and support for digital music and videos, as well as the new Nokia Web Browser with Mini Map. This allows a semi-transparent, zoomed-out view of a web page, so that users can quickly orientate themselves on a handset screen.
The N80, equipped with WLAN and 3G, is the first handset to feature UPnP technology. This allows it to be used as a remote control for wirelessly swapping content between compatible PCs, audio equipment and TVs. Images and video stored on the Nokia N80 or on a compatible PC can be viewed on a TV, for instance, while music stored on the device can be played through an audio system
….Nokia has said it has completed both voice and data calls with Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology in a Nokia Solutions Experience Center in the United States.
UMA, a 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Program) standard, is an access technology that allows seamless handover of mobile voice and data from a cellular network to a wireless local area network (WLAN/WiFi). The UMA standard defines how mobile operators can turn home, office and public WLANs into extensions of their cellular networks. With UMA, operators can deliver voice and data services to subscribers over WiFi access networks.
The voice calls were conducted from a live cellular network to WLAN and from WLAN to cellular. In addition, a data call was conducted from cellular to WLAN. Both voice and data calls were completed using a Nokia test phone.
Mark Louison, senior vice president, Networks, North America, Nokia, said, “UMA is poised to open up a number of new opportunities and choices for operators. We’re one step closer to simplifying the end-user mobile experience to access voice, personal information, and multimedia services on one device irrespective of their location.”