WebSite Malaysia.Net

By SUBASHINI SELVARATNAM
bytz@thestar.com.my

Nokia has showcased three smartphones, the 700, 701 and 600, which will be powered by latest Symbian operating system called Belle.

One of Belle's exciting features is the NFC (Near Field Communication) sharing and pairing technology, which will be available in all three models.

NFC makes it very easy to share content such as contacts, images and videos between NFC-enabled devices.

It will also allow the smartphones to pair with NFC-enabled mobile accessories such as speakers, headphones and headsets.

Nokia also has a few surprises for gamers. For instance, touching two NFC-enabled devices together will unlock additional levels in Angry Birds and a hidden blade in Fruit Ninja.

Belle will also increase the number of homescreens from three to six, providing more room to display applications and services.

The 700 is the most environmental friendly phone Nokia has made to date. The touchscreen phone makes extensive use of eco-friendly materials, the company claimed.

At only 50cucm3 and 96g, the 700 is also Nokia's most compact smartphone in the Symbian range.

It has a 1GHz processor, 2GB of internal memory (with the option of expanding with a microSD card) and 5-megapixel camera with LED flash.

The touchscreen is 3.2in in size and is made of Gorilla Glass which is highly resistant to scratches.

Moving on, the 701 is a sleek and slim smartphone that comes with a 3.5in display that's bright enough to be viewed under direct sunlight. This model also features active noise cancellation for crisp and clear audio.

It has a 1GHz processor, 8-megapixel camera with dual LED flash, a second front-facing camera, and 8GB of internal memory.

Meanwhile, the 600 is designed for music lovers. The company said the 600 is the company's loudest smartphone and it has a built-in FM radio antenna for listening to radio without headphones.

Also, its built-in FM transmitter allows it to broadcast music from the phone to an FM radio. For music playback, the phone is rated to last up to 60 hours.

It has a 1GHz processor, 5-megapxiel camera with LED flash and 2GB of internal memory. Nokia also unveiled its Essence Bluetooth stereo headset which can be paired with NFC-enabled smartphone by simply tapping the two devices together.

The company said the headset uses special active noise cancellation technology to eliminate background noise to deliver higher-fidelity sound.

The 700 (US$390 or RM1,150), 701 (US$420 or RM1,250), 600 (US$260 or RM770) are expected to be available later this year.