Nokia Launches Multi-Function Mobile Gadgets

Nokia showed off a stand-alone multimedia message service camera device Monday at its Nokia Mobile Internet Conference in Munich, along with a variety of other new products.

The Nokia Observation Camera combines a digital VGA (640 pixels by 480 pixels) camera, GSM transceiver, and MMS technology in the same unit, the Espoo, Finland, company said in a statement.

The camera is intended for installation in a user's home, boat, mobile home, or similar environment. When a user wants an image, they send a text message to the camera that then takes an image and sends it to the mobile phone number or an e-mail address, Nokia said. The camera operates within the GSM 900/1800 network coverage area using GPRS technology, the company said.

The Observation Camera, which will be available in Europe, Africa, and Asia, is expected to start shipping in the second quarter of 2003, Nokia said.

Features of the Observation Camera include imaging on demand, imaging by motion detection, automatic timed images, calling the Observation Camera, and listening to the surroundings as well as getting temperature information, Nokia said.

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Nokia also demonstrated five mobile phones, a text messaging device, and a camera headset:

• The Nokia 7250 mobile phone with integrated camera, comes with support for MMS and Java, triband functionality, a stereo FM radio, and full color display. The Nokia 7250 is expected to start shipping globally in the first quarter of 2003.
  
  
• The Nokia 6100 phone, billed as the world's smallest and lightest GPRS and MMS phone. The triband mobile phone functions worldwide wherever GSM/GPRS 900/1800/1900 networks are available and is expected to hit the market by the end of the year.
  
  
• The Nokia 5100, a colorful triband mobile phone with full color display and Java and MMS functionality. Shipments are scheduled to begin globally in the first quarter 2003.
  
  
• The Nokia 8910i mobile phone, featuring a titanium-case and functionality that takes advantage of MMS, Java, and Bluetooth wireless technology, along with "always on" Internet access within GPRS and HSCSD (High Speed Circuit Switched Data) coverage areas. Shipments of the Nokia 8910i are expected to start in the first quarter of 2003 in European, African, and Asian markets.
  
  
• The Nokia 2100, an "affordable and easy-to-use mobile phone" for voice and text messaging aimed at first time mobile phone users in Europe, Africa, and Asia Pacific. The Nokia 2100 is expected to be commercially available during the first quarter of 2003.
  
  
• The Nokia 6800, a dual band messaging device complete with full keyboard, SyncML support, e-mail support, a stereo FM radio, and support for Java and MMS. The Nokia 6800 is expected to start shipping in the first quarter 2003 in Europe, Africa, and Asia.
  
  
• The Nokia Camera Headset HS-1C, a combination digital camera and headset that uses the company's Pop-Port interface connector with compatible Nokia phone models, including the 7210, 6610, 5100, 6100, and 6800 phones. The headset enables users to take digital images with a digital VGA camera and send as MMS images. The headset comes with an answer/end button and an optical viewfinder for snapping pictures. The Camera Headset HS-1C is expected to begin shipping globally in December, Nokia said.
  
  

Nokia did not provide pricing for any of the new products and no one from the company was immediately available to offer that information.