Nokia 5800 XpressMusic now official

Oh, look. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic (more commonly referred to as the “Tube“) announcement was right on schedule. It’s not the first time Nokia’s announced a new handset, but this is landmark stuff we’re talking about here.

As it’s hinted in its namesake (read: XpressMusic), the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will indeed be a music-centric handset, and will be one of the very first devices to support Nokia’s “Comes With Music” program. Feast your eyes on live pics and official specs after the short break.

Other than being Nokia’s first touchscreen handset that’s worthy of being called an iPhone rival, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be the first device running the 5th Edition of Nokia’s Series 60 OS. And with it comes two new features that Nokia’s trying to promote as the handset’s strengths.

New Features

First, there’s the Media Bar, which Nokia calls “a handy drop down menu that provides direct access to music and entertainment, including favourite tracks, videos and photos.” It also offers a direct link to the Internet and online sharing sites. Then there’s the Contacts Bar, which again according to Nokia, “lets consumers highlight four favorite contacts on their home-screen and, through a single touch, track a digital history of recent text messages, emails, phone logs, photos and blog updates.”

Music and Multimedia

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic comes with all the basics you’d expect to find in a multimedia-oriented handset: graphic equalizer, 8GB memory, support for all main digital music formats, and a 3.5mm jack. Nokia also claims that it will have built-in surround sound stereo speakers that offer the industry’s most powerful sound.

Touchscreen Display, Camera and Connectivity

The touchscreen display on the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic measures 3.2-inches and has a 16:9 aspect ratio, which makes it widescreen and capable of 30 FPS video playback and recording. Recording can be done, of course, via the built-in 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. It comes with one-touch sharing to Ovi, Flickr, or Facebook. Input is done via its virtual alphanumeric keypad, virtual QWERTY keyboard, a pen stylus, or plectrum (otherwise known as a flatpick, for “true music enthusiasts”). GPS, as well as Bluetooth, 3G, and Wi-Fi will be found on board.

Release Date and Pricing

The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic will be released some time in Q4 2008, and will retail for 279 EUR (about $385 USD) before taxes and subsidies. The version with “Comes With Music,” meanwhile, won’t be available until next year, for a still to be determined price. And as an XpressMusic device, it will be available in Blue and Red variants.

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Posted on 02 Oct 08 - Filed in Nokia, Wireless - Comments - Written by David Gonzales

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