In the same attenuation tests, the N97 mini dropped from seven bars down to two when Apple’s testers gripped it around its antenna.  That’s on AT&T’s network, though it’s not clear what the end result of those dropped bars actually is; as we’ve seen in other testing, just because you only have a few bars, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll not be able to make a call.

Video demo after the cut

Nokia Bots – which is initially available only for the Nokia N97 and N97 mini – consist of four intelligent background apps that track your habits and adjust various elements of the smartphone experience accordingly:

• Profile Bot helps you by automating profile changes during meetings.
• Alarm Bot learns at what time you usually wake up, and suggests alarms and profile changes nightly.
• Shortcut Bot provides quick access to your most frequently used applications. Your preferences are learned in the background, and shortcuts automatically updated.
• Battery Bot lets you know if your battery needs to be charged in the evening before you go to sleep.

Of course, it’s early days and the functionality is still relatively limited.  Still, as smartphones grow more powerful, there’s no reason that they should rely on users to do everything manually; hopefully the autonomous apps will soon be able to take on more complex roles, such as automatically mapping out upcoming appointments or tracking the locations of friends and suggesting mutual gaps in your schedules when you could meet up for coffee.  You can download Nokia Bots here.

[via Nokia Conversations]

As well as photo uploading – complete with GPS geotagging – there’s video uploading to Facebook too. You can also add a Facebook calendar event to your handset’s calendar with one tap, and there’s no full profile support so you can see other users’ walls and photo galleries, and comment on them.

As for Twitter, there’s full reply, direct message and favorites functionality, together with support for links. New tweets are shown on the homescreen alongside Facebook updates in the desktop widget, though there doesn’t appear to be a way to split out the two streams into separate widgets.

There’s more detail on Nokia’s Beta Labs page including links to download the application itself. Nokia’s standard Facebook client was one of the less impressive elements we found in our Nokia N97 mini review, so we’re hoping the whole UI is a lot quicker to go along with the new functionality.

To understand the N97 mini, you have to put it into context with the original N97 it’s a “miniaturised” version of. The Nokia N97 practically epitomises the difficulty in balancing hype, consumer anticipation, cutting-edge hardware and delivery schedules: when it was first announced in December 2008 it promised a compelling package of the latest in smartphone technology, but by the time it hit reviewers’ hands in June 2009 it proved to fall well short of expectations.

Since then Nokia have pushed out a significant new firmware release that addressed many issues with the original smartphone, and of course they’ve also delivered the N97 mini, a more compact version of the N97 intended to address many of its shortcomings. We pulled no punches in our N97 review, so the N97 mini has plenty of work to do in order to impress us.

Physically, as you might imagine, it’s a smaller phone. The original N97 is 117.2 x 55.3 x 15.9 mm, tipping the scales at 150g, while the N97 mini is 113 x 52.5 x 14.2 mm and 138g. That means there’s less room for the display – which slips from 3.5- to 3.2-inches, though sticks at 640 x 360 resolution – but it also means it’s a far more pocket-friendly handset. Interestingly, there are minimal hardware concessions involved elsewhere: the N97 mini doesn’t have a sliding lens cover, but it does keep the 5-megapixel autofocus camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual-LED flash, together with a front-facing camera for video calling. The GPS and A-GPS are still present, together with ambient light, orientation and proximity sensors, and connectivity doesn’t fall short either: the N97 mini is packed with quadband WCMDA 850/900/1900/2100 as well as Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, WiFi b/g, a microUSB 2.0 connection and a 3.5mm headphones socket.

Nokia N97 mini unboxing video:

You also still get the unusual form-factor, with a sliding-tilting display that is strongly spring-loaded. That reveals the redesigned keyboard, the biggest change of which is the removal of the D-pad on the left and the introduction of four regular arrow keys. We were scathing in our feedback of the N97′s keyboard, criticising its lack of travel and poor finger-feedback; the N97 mini’s ‘board is better, with buttons that are certainly more responsive than on its bigger sibling, while the missing D-pad means there’s less reaching to be done with the left thumb. Still, it’s not a home-run by any stretch of the imagination and there’s a sluggishness to the response that makes typing feel slower than on other hardware keyboards. Nokia have increased the size of the spacebar – which is still offset, and sits just underneath where your right thumb rests – and the function key is better placed on the far left rather than the far right.

Unfortunately you’re still stuck with the one-position screen angle, which is results in plenty of hand-tilting as you try to thumb-type and see the display at the best angle. The touchscreen itself uses a resistive panel rather than the currently fashionable capacitive, but is reasonably responsive and accurate nonetheless. OS is S60 5th edition, Nokia’s attempt to bring finger-friendliness to Symbian, and it remains a mixed bag. The recent firmware 2.0 update for the N97 also applies to the N97 mini, and addresses many of our original complaints, particularly in terms of the visual appeal and the introduction of “kinetic scrolling”.

It’s still not as attractive as, say, Palm’s webOS or the iPhone, and many of the menus still seem to merely be bigger – i.e. finger-sized – than they were before. Lists continue to respond differently to taps depending on whereabouts in the OS you are: settings, for instance, usually respond to a single tap, whereas lists of items (such as email messages) take one tap to select and another to open. We can partly see the logic in this, but when other platforms use the more intuitive press-and-hold to deliver the same, Nokia’s system begins to look unnecessarily fiddly.

The display aspect is less than ideal too, particularly when you’re dealing with emails. We can’t find any way to show the email list with sender and subject split across two lines, and as such you get both a sharply truncated name and very little of the subject line. It’s difficult to triage your inbox without actually going into the message itself, which adds a few unwanted steps to the process. On the plus side, the N97 mini does have extensive email account support, including the basic POP and IMAP together with Mail for Exchange, and where the E72 dropped the ball in dealing with our Exchange-like Kerio Mail Server, the mini handled it with no problems whatsoever. We did experience a couple of odd connection issues, however, where the smartphone would “forget” by which method it was meant to pull in new emails; we wish Nokia would make things a little more straightforward, using whatever the active connection is (whether WiFi or 3G) without the user needing to be so prescriptive.

Like the E72, the N97 mini’s browser supports full HTML with in-page Flash video, which means no separate app is required to play back YouTube content (among others). Of course there’s still no multitouch zooming, and instead the N97 mini uses double-tap to zoom; unfortunately webpage text doesn’t reflow accordingly, and despite the accelerometer the screen orientation doesn’t flip even if you turn the phone on its side, you have to push out the keyboard in order to get a landscape view. Still, pages render pretty much as you’d expect from a desktop browser.

Firmware 2.0 also brought with it the latest version of Nokia Maps, and as with the E72 it’s been a pleasing experience seeing what the rivals of Google Maps have come up with. The N97 mini includes a digital compass and locks onto a GPS signal quickly, while the app itself does a better job than its rival in presenting that data on-screen. Various map-types are provided, including a traffic overlay, and it’s just as easy to pull up walking directions as it is driving (though once the trial licence of pedestrian directions runs out, you’ll need to pay for the functionality). There are still no spoken guidance prompts, however, unlike the Google Maps Navigation beta for Android in the US.

Nokia have won many admirers over the past year or two with the quality of their cameras, and the N97 mini’s 5-megapixel autofocus shooter is reasonable. Our general dislike of LED flashes – which we find have a very narrow “sweet spot” outside of which they either over-saturate the subject or prove hopelessly lacking in power – is tempered by decent low-light performance with the flash switched off. Give the N97 mini an outdoor shot however and you’ll find acceptable results; we were also particularly impressed by the macro close-ups, with the phone automatically switching into the necessary mode to keep nearby subjects in crisp focus. The onboard 8GB of memory is less than the original N97′s 32GB, but slot in a microSD card and you’ll have up to 24GB to play with. You can find sample shots in the gallery below.

The camera will also shoot 30fps 16:9 aspect video in MPEG4 640 x 360 resolution, which turned out to be smooth and reasonably watchable. You can switch on the LED flash to act as a video light, though autofocus no longer works. Once you’ve shot a clip you can upload it to various media sharing sites, including Flickr and Nokia’s own Ovi gallery.

As for consuming media rather than producing it, the N97 mini has the same audio app as on the E72 only with larger, finger-accomodating icons. The interface is lacking in comparison to something like the iPhone, but it’s serviceable and there’s a link directly to Nokia’s Music Store (though not Comes With Music, which the company don’t offer on this handset) for on-device downloads. As with the N97 there’s an FM radio (which requires a wired headset be plugged in) but no FM transmitter; Nokia say the short-range transmitter – handy for in-car use – couldn’t be squeezed into the N97 mini’s reduced casing. Video playback is in a separate app, and consists of a simple folder-browsing UI for local content together with a Video Feeds browser which allows you to access streaming content.

Access to all of these apps is usually through the main menu, called up no matter where you are in the phone by pressing the single hardware button on the fascia. However, like its sibling, the N97 mini’s homescreen is made up of six rectangular widget panels which can be rearranged and edited. Among the options are standard shortcut bars – each offering room for four icons linking to your commonly-accessed apps – as well as frequent contact shortcuts, an AccuWeather forecast widget, Mail for Exchange widget and a clock with links to the alarm settings and calendar. There’s also a Facebook widget which ties into Nokia’s somewhat sluggish Facebook app. This shows galleries, wall posts and offers one-tap access to the camera and on-device gallery so as to make uploading shots easier, but is tardy in its responsiveness – especially when updating the Facebook wall – compared to similar apps on rival platforms.

Phone performance was strong, with the N97 mini tenacious with a signal. We experienced no dropped calls in all of our testing, and both parties reported clear and crackle-free audio. Battery life has proven slightly better than what you’d expect from a current-gen smartphone, capable of going two days with regular use (and judicious use of the peak/off-peak push email settings). Nokia quote up to 430 minutes of GSM talktime (240 minutes of WCDMA) or up to 320 hours of GSM standby (310 hours of WCDMA).

Build quality is better than the N97, with a sturdy case and touches of metal in the screen fascia and battery cover; we’re also quiet fans of the “cherry black” finish (though you can also get the N97 mini in “garnet”). Less impressive is the flex in the plastic screen surround up above the earpiece, though to be fair that’s our only real point of concern about the N97 mini’s construction.

Overall, then, we feel a whole lot warmer toward the Nokia N97 mini than we did toward the original N97. Its slimmed-down design and improved software have taken much of the sting out of ownership, and the compromises – the absence of an FM transmitter and the smaller onboard storage – are minor in comparison to the far better keyboard and sturdier build. Still, none of what it offers is quite a home-run in the smartphone game right now; the OS is improved but still feels drab and mildly clunky in comparison to rival platforms, and the QWERTY ‘board is a long way off the best we’ve played with in recent months.

Bizarrely, if they’ve beaten anything, Nokia have killed off enthusiasm for the N97; the two handsets will go on sale alongside each other, and the UK store even has the N97 mini at £429 and the original at £449. Having lived with the N97 mini we’re not sure why anybody would plump for the original, frankly. As for the mini itself, we must admit to being more enthusiastic about the Maemo OS and its potential than we are about this current device. Nokia obviously have some good ideas left in them, but the N97 mini feels like what the original N97 should have been, rather than a new product in its own right.

The N97 mini is, obviously, a smaller version of the original N97, a device which while laced with promise actually failed to quite deliver when we reviewed it.  In this incarnation – which will go on sale alongside, rather than replacing, its sibling device – Nokia have slimmed down the whole handset, dropped the large D-pad and ousted the FM transmitter.  They’ve also improved build quality and preloaded the new S60 5th Edition 2.0 firmware, which N97 owners are already finding makes a significant difference to usability.  We’re still not 100-percent convinced by the keyboard, but the OS does feel more responsive.

As for the E72, that’s a more traditional form-factor with a non-touchscreen display and compact but highly usable QWERTY keyboard.  Successor to the well-considered E71, it might only measure 10.1mm thick but it still packs a 5-megapixel camera and dual-band HSDPA.  It’s the keyboard that really makes the E72 special; we’ve only had it for a few hours but already we’re faster at typing than we are on the N900.

We’ll be putting both handsets through their paces for a full review, so until then enjoy the unboxing videos and gallery below.

Nokia N97 mini unboxing video:

Nokia E72 unboxing video:

Among the changes for the N97 with firmware 2.0 are “flip scrolling”, similar to the kinetic scroll on the iPhone, the latest Ovi Maps 3.1 with 3D mapping, Nokia Messaging and Ovi Contacts.  There’s also the newest version of the Ovi Store, Nokia’s download center, together with further personalization of the homescreen.  The new firmware can be downloaded via a PC and updated with the Nokia Software Update tool, or directly OTA from the N97 itself.

As for the N97 mini, that has a 3.2-inch resistive touchscreen, full QWERTY keyboard, 3G and WiFi, and will be priced at around €450 ($666).  Anybody tempted?

Nokia N97 mini hands-on:

Press Release:

Nokia N97 gets even better with a new software update
October 28, 2009

Nokia N97 mini now available in stores

Espoo, Finland. – Nokia has released a new Nokia N97 software update 2.0 that adds new user experience elements and functionalities to the device. The standard version of the Nokia N97 software update 2.0 is available immediately through the PC on the Nokia Software Update website (http://www.nokia.com/softwareupdate), and will be followed by a wide range of country and operator versions over the coming weeks as well as possibility to do the update over-the-air.

Also this week, Nokia N97 mini makes its big debut in stores. With its stainless steel cues, the Nokia N97 mini is designed for style-conscious people who are active with social networks. The device features a tilting 3.2″ touch display, QWERTY keyboard and fully customizable homescreen. The Nokia N97 mini features same software with the Nokia N97 and will be in stores with an estimated retail price of EUR 450 before taxes and subsidies.

“In September, 2009, we exceeded 2 million Nokia N97 devices sold, and now introduce the Nokia N97 mini, underscoring the success of the design. We have also listened to consumer feedback about the performance of the device. The Nokia N97 software update 2.0 is a way for us to optimize the device and add new features and functions,” said Jose-Luis Martinez, Vice President, Nokia Nseries. “We are also excited about the early feedback that we have received on the Nokia N97 mini, which carries a very similar feature set to the original Nokia N97 and comes in a pocket-friendly size for those out and about.”

Among the new experiences available with the free 2.0 software update are:
- ‘flip scrolling’ has been added in the entire user interface, making scrolling in all views very smooth
- shortcuts to personalized homescreen
- Ovi Maps 3.1 with 3-D maps
- Nokia e-mail (Nokia Messaging)
- Ovi Contacts
- Ovi Store.

Nokia is constantly updating and enhancing its devices with new features, functions and fixes so people can get even more out of their Nokia device even years after buying it. Nokia owners can automatically check for new software by going to Menu > Applications > SW Update and enable automatic checking, or visit http://www.nokia.com/softwareupdate to download the version that is best for them. Additionally, MyNokia members will also receive an SMS when their local version of the software becomes available. People can register to the service at www.nokia.com/mynokia.

About Nokia
Nokia is a pioneer in mobile telecommunications and the world’s leading maker of mobile devices. Today, we are connecting people in new and different ways – fusing advanced mobile technology with personalized services to enable people to stay close to what matters to them. We also provide comprehensive digital map information through NAVTEQ; and equipment, solutions and services for communications networks through Nokia Siemens Networks.

It also packs WiFi, Bluetooth and Nokia’s latest touch-friendly version of S60, complete with a widget-based homescreen display.  You can check out our hands-on video with the N97 Mini from Nokia World below; there’s also a live gallery and our first-impressions here.

Of the four new devices launched this week, they span much of Nokia’s core range from entry-level through media and topping out at smartphones. However, only one – the X6 – supports Comes With Music. According to Liz Schimel, VP of Nokia Music, the company is planning an “a la carte” music download service that will deliver DRM-free MP3 tracks in the same way that Amazon and iTunes offer; however she also confirmed that Comes With Music will continue to use DRM. The individual track download service should be in operation by the end of 2009.

As for the devices Comes With Music offered on, Schimel suggested that rather than making it an option for all handsets – or indeed an after-purchase add-on – Nokia intend to concentrate on “tightly integrating phone and service”. Meanwhile they are looking at both Booklet 3G and Mac OS X support, but have nothing to announce at present. Over one-third of downloaded tracks are being done OTA (over-the-air) rather than synchronised via a PC, and Nokia are working on polishing the on-device experience to support desktop client features like star ratings.

We also had an opportunity to discuss Nokia’s marketing with Timo Ihamuotila, the company’s Executive VP of Sales. Ihamuotila agreed that Nokia’s previous pattern of announcing devices well in advance of release had in some ways damaged their reception, in contrast to this week’s launches which are all expected to be in stores within the next few months. While stopping short of saying that this would be Nokia’s strategy for all new launches moving forward, Ihamuotila did say that in general there would be less of a wait between announcement and release.

As for the US market, Nokia now have a specific US development group and are focusing on just three carriers: AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Contrary to simply relaunching European devices with US radios, Ihamuotila said Nokia are now creating US-specific handsets; he also agreed that the company has “not been responsive enough [to market movement].” Instead, there is now a focus on explaining services and functionality to buyers and prospective-buyers, a system which both Nokia and the carriers have invested in. Ihamuotila described a store setup in one country where customers could design their ideal N97 menu and app layout, slotting big icons into a huge magnetic N97 board, at which point the customer services team would set up their new smartphone in exactly that way. While that exact system may not be repeated, Nokia are keen to make services both easy to discover and to use.

We also asked Ihamuotila about Nokia’s fledgling use of capacitive touchscreens in the X6, whether this was a sign of a change in overall strategy, and why the Nokia N900 still uses resistive. He described the nature of phone technology as “cyclical” – likely a reference to the long development time in producing new handset designs – but suggested that, like the circular zoom control in the N900′s browser, there was still a lot you could get out of a resistive panel. However there was also a suggestion that Nokia is moving toward greater use of capacitive touchscreens.

Turning to the Booklet 3G, something of a departure from Nokia’s existing line-up, Ihamuotila concurred with other executives we spoke to in describing it as the company injecting their core skills – anywhere-connectivity, long battery life – into a new market. According to John Hwang, general manager of Connected Computers at Nokia and key designer of the Booklet 3G, the netbook represents the company’s chosen balance between battery life, price and performance; for instance, when we asked why Nokia had not used NVIDIA’s Ion chipset to give the Booklet 3G more capable graphics, Hwang told us that battery life took priority – at least in this first-gen model. Consumer response, meanwhile, will shape the next generation of models.

In a similar way, Maemo will continue its push into the high-end, with Symbian progressing down the scale to the mainstream market.  We covered the Linux-based OS and Nokia’s plans for it earlier in the week, after meeting with Ari Jaaksi, the company’s VP of software. The N900, like the Booklet 3G, is being treated as a test bed for user opinion, and while not confirming any specific hardware plans Nokia did tell us that unlike the Internet Tablets – which generally hit the market one at a time – several newer Maemo devices could coexist in sales channels, better positioning Maemo 5 and then version 6 next year.

We’re glad to hear that, as we remain unconvinced with Symbian S60 in comparison to the latest smartphone platforms from rivals. Lined up against Android, webOS, OS X on the iPhone and others, especially on touchscreen devices, we’re not sure S60 can hold up its end of the battle; despite the pre-production status of the N900 devices we used at Nokia World, though, we’re tentatively more confident in the Maemo platform and its powerful underlying open-source building blocks.

Throw into the mixture Nokia’s Ovi SDK developments – which arguably incorporates (or at least will as the roadmap progresses) the best of on-device integration and the relative ease of webapp programming – and, as the range of compatible platforms broadens, they may have hit a sweet spot. What remains to be seen is how quickly they can roll out the rest of the APIs; Nokia may be saying that location-based services are what people are clamouring for first, but for their hybrid webapps to really take on native software and hold their own they’ll need further integration with the core phone systems. Right now you can trigger calls and the like from records in webapps, but there’s no true embedded contacts access, say, or imaging from the phone’s camera.

So much, then, depends on timing. Nokia president and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo repeatedly said during his opening keynote that the company was fighting, innovating and not reacting, and it’s certainly true that much of what was announced this week has potential. Maemo, the N900 redefining Nokia’s smartphone niche, the use of a capacitive display in the X6, the Booklet 3G and the new Ovi SDK, all are interesting beginnings to a new phase in the Finnish company’s strategy. If they can capitalise on those beginnings and deliver the second- and third-gen products smoothly and swiftly then it goes beyond potential and into standing a real chance of success. The question, then, is whether Nokia can do that before the rest of the mobile industry game accelerates ahead.

For the product highlights from this week, check out our Nokia N900 hands-on video and browser demo, Nokia X6 video, Nokia X3 video and Nokia N97 mini video; there’s also our live Booklet 3G gallery. You can find all of our show coverage via the Nokia World tag. SlashGear would like to thank the Nokia Social Media team for inviting us to Stuttgart and Nokia World, and for covering expenses; sites taking part in the trip were under no obligation with regards the tone, attitude or opinion of their coverage.

Video hands-on after the cut

What’s notable is the improvement in build quality and the far more pocketable size.  The N97 mini has slimmed down both in length – dropping the D-pad in the process – and thickness, partly thanks to the absence of a sliding camera cover.  The screen is also smaller; several Nokia executives independently told us that they see the N97/N97 mini duo as offering people a direct choice between a larger display at the expense of size, or a smaller display in a more compact body.  Considering the opinion of the other Nokia World attendees we spoke to was split between those categories, it seems the Finns may have a point.

Unfortunately the keyboard still lacks the sort of tactile responsiveness we’d like from a QWERTY smartphone, though it’s a little better than the N97.  It’s still clicky and stiff, and the offset spacebar – while falling neatly under the right thumb – pushes the rest of the letter keys across and can make correctly hitting “N” and “M” a mixed bag.  The screen is bright and clear, with great colors, but S60 5th edition remains a less than ideal OS for touchscreen use; still, here the N97 mini has an obvious advantage over the original N97, using version 2.0 of Nokia’s firmware which does make a difference to usability.  Happily that firmware will drop for current owners sometime in October, and should not only improve touchscreen use but overall stability.

Whether it’s a matter of positioning or one of size, we’re disappointed Nokia dropped the N97 mini’s internal storage from the 32GB of its bigger brother to just 8GB.  Yes, there’s a microSD card slot, but given the high standard capacity was one of the factors we most lauded about the original phone it’s a shame to see it undermined that way.  We’ll reserve our final judgement until we have a finalised review unit, so until then enjoy the hands-on images (including a few comparison shots with the N97 mini and the N900) and video.

There’ll also be Comes With Music media downloads on the X6, as well as 32GB of onboard storage to keep it all.  As for the Nokia X3, that will have a 3.2-megapixel camera and FM radio, together with a slide-out numeric keypad and integrated stereo speakers.

The Nokia N97 Mini is expected to be priced at €450 ($639) pre-subsidies when it lands in October 2009.  Meanwhile the Nokias X3 and X6 will land in Q4 2009, priced at €450 ($639) and €115 ($163) respectively.

Press Release:

Nokia seizes social internet and amplifies music experience
September 02, 2009

Stuttgart, Germany – Today, at Nokia World, the annual destination for people with passion for mobility, Nokia unveiled a combo that can change how people connect with each other and offer new and exciting ways to give everyone, everywhere, the power to make the most of every moment. With today’s news, together with Nokia’s recent announcements – Nokia Money, the Nokia N900, Nokia Booklet 3G, Nokia 5230 and Nokia 5800 Navigation Edition – Nokia expands in new directions for changing the ways people go about their lives.

Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, CEO, Nokia, commented: “Nokia aims at reaching the many, not the few, with our rich portfolio of services. We are doing this through an increasing number of open partnerships with world leaders in many fields. We are proud to lead the charge in smartphones and beyond as manifested in the Nokia N900 and Nokia Booklet 3G, two great examples of how the world is changing and Nokia is driving this change.”

Opening up the next innovative chapter of personal and location-aware internet, Nokia announced lifecasting with Ovi, a partnership with the world’s largest social network, Facebook. Lifecasting with Ovi is the first application to let people publish their location and status updates directly to their Facebook account from the home screen of a mobile device. Lifecasting goes beyond just publishing your status – it is about building deeper and closer connections between people. It triggers new kinds of communication patterns, such as sending messages or status updates or even navigating to a friend or a place.

Lifecasting will premiere on the new Nokia N97 mini, companion to the successful Nokia N97. Designed with a social and style-conscious consumer in mind, the Nokia N97 mini is a smaller mobile computer with stylish stainless steel cues, featuring a tilting 3.2″ touch display, QWERTY keyboard and fully customizable homescreen that makes each Nokia N97 mini as unique as a fingerprint. The Nokia N97 mini delivers a truly personal internet experience in a compact handset based on the iconic design of the Nokia N97.

Jonas Geust, Vice President of Nokia Nseries, commented: “People want to bring their physical and online worlds together via the internet. The Nokia N97 mini is designed for this new social internet and to help navigate people and places. With lifecasting, the Nokia N97 mini and Ovi usher in the next chapter of personal and location-aware internet.”

Lifecasting with Ovi will be available for both the Nokia N97 and Nokia N97 mini via Nokia Beta Labs. The Nokia N97 mini features new software which will be released in October as a free update for the Nokia N97. The new software brings compelling new experiences to both devices, including new homescreen widgets and additional usability improvements including flick scrolling.

The Nokia N97 mini is powered by a new Ovi Maps experience which makes searching, finding and navigating even easier. In addition to global pedestrian navigation, people can access premium content from Lonely Planet, Michelin and Wcities, turning the Nokia N97 mini into the world’s smallest travel companion.

Users can personalise the homescreen of their device even further with thousands of different applications and services available from the Ovi Store. From games, videos and podcasts to productivity tools and web services, Ovi Store is the easiest way to fill the Nokia N97 mini’s homescreen with applications that reflect individual tastes. The Nokia N97 mini is expected to begin shipping in October 2009 for an estimated retail price of EUR 450 before taxes and subsidies.

The Comes With Music story continues with the Nokia X6
Pioneering new ways for the world to experience music, Nokia today announced the launch of the new Nokia X6. Capable of playing up to 35 hours of music, the Nokia X6 is a powerful entertainment device, combining 32GB of on-board memory with a slick 3.2″ finger touch interface.

The ultimate device for music lovers and social butterflies, the Nokia X6 has a 16:9 widescreen optimised for photos, videos and browsing. With direct access to Ovi Store, the Nokia X6 is a hive of activity that brings 20 friends and virtual communities, like Facebook, to your homescreen.

Jo Harlow, Vice President, Nokia, commented: “The Nokia X6 and Comes With Music is a powerful combination, enabling music fans to download all the music they could ever want – quickly, easily and for free. We’re giving people convenient access to and ownership of a vast music library and an exciting new touchscreen device to play their music on.”

The new Nokia X3 also joins Nokia’s music portfolio. The Nokia X3 is designed for music lovers and is the first Series 40 Ovi Store-enabled device. The Nokia X3 is a sleek and compact music device that comes with stereo speakers, built-in FM radio, and a 3.2 megapixel camera.

To make the most of the entertainment experience, Nokia introduced the Nokia Mini Speaker MD-9, a pocket-size speaker for big sound, and the Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-505, an ergonomic and lightweight neckband headset for great music and call audio quality also in noisy environments.

The Nokia X6 has an estimated retail price of EUR 450, with the Nokia X3 retailing for an estimated EUR 115. Prices are before taxes and subsidies, and both devices will ship during the fourth quarter of 2009.

In fact the keyboard is described as only remaining so as to retain the family resemblance, which is a pretty poor reason in our opinion.  Meanwhile the internal memory takes a dive from 32GB to 8GB, and Eldar’s shot of the N97 Mini next to the N900 leaves us wondering why we should bother being interested in the former considering the similarity in sizes.

What’s more promising is that Murtazen has at least one more touchscreen Nokia device that he has to preview ahead of Nokia World next week, together with the news that the company “is preparing a bunch of other touchscreen-enabled phones”.  Some of these, he suggests, will be real rivals to the N97 Mini; we’re hoping we get to play with them when SlashGear goes to Nokia World next week.