subject: Nokia's New N97 Mini Shrinks the N97 into 3 Colours [print this page] Author: susan hargreaves Author: susan hargreaves
Nokia claim that the Nokia N97 Mini is aimed at the fashion and youth market more than the original N97 model and we couldn't agree more. This new N-Series phone is far more pocket friendly than its predecessor by slimming down on its overall dimensions, screen sized and battery weight the new Nokia N97 Mini now slips easily into your pocket without the bulge! Initially released in October last year on Vodafone tariffs the N97 Mini has gone on to be launched on Orange, O2, T-Mobile and most recently Virgin Mobile as well as being offered as a SIM Free phone and on the Pay As You Go scheme. At a slightly lower price band than the original Nokia N97 the Mini edition falls well within a new customer base looking for a stylish phone that's big on features without breaking the bank. Since its original release in what is known as its Cherry Black colour format, the Nokia N97 mini has gone on to be launched in two further colour schemes called the White and Garnet editions. The Nokia N97 Mini White swaps the exterior colouring of the casing for a new cool, white finish whilst the Nokia N97 Mini Garnet edition is finished in an almost burgundy, copper colour with hints of metallic red. The white N97 Mini is currently available on Orange and Vodafone contract deals with further network releases expected very soon including a T-Mobile launch whilst the Garnet edition has not enjoyed the same big roll outs as the other two models being only currently available as a SIM Free phone with no network ties. There are no more releases planned for the N97 Mini as it is now available on all UK networks aside from 3 Mobile which has no plans to launch this little handset even though they do offer the bigger Nokia N97 model. Competitors to this high-end N-Series phone include the likes of the Nokia N900 which although uses a different OS called Maemo does incorporate an equally useful slide out Qwerty keyboard. The Nokia N900 does however offer more on the features front and this is reflected in its pricing being a much more expensive handset. If you can do without the slide out keyboard than a good alternative could be the recently released Nokia X6 which features exactly the same touch screen and is more music focused with a years worth of free music downloads thanks to the 'Nokia Comes with Music' service. Competing products from other manufacturers with slide out keyboards include the Samsung Omnia Pro, LG GW520, HTC Touch Pro 2 and recently launched Motorola Milestone. Those without a keyboard but with a similar feature set include the LG BL40, HTC HD2, Sony Ericsson Satio and Samsung Jet.About the Author:
The Nokia N97 Mini and recently launched Nokia N900 are two of many new mobile phones to feature a slide out Qwerty keyboard to be released this year.
