Nokia announces N97 internet phone

02 December 2008

The latest Nokia Nseries handset features a large 3.5 inch touch display and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard

Nokia is going head to head with the G1 Google phone the, BlackBerry Storm and the Apple iPhone with its latest Nseries device, the N97; a touchscreen smartphone designed for social networking and location-based services.

The Nokia N97 features A-GPS and an electronic compass, so apparently it knows exactly where it is at all times. It will also enable users of social networking sites to share their locations with friends as well as update their status and share photos. 
In addition to A-GPS, the device features Maps on Ovi, a free service that lets users pre-plan journeys and points of interest with their PCs and then sync them with their phone.

At the heart of the handset is a large 3.5 ins touchscreen and a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard, making it a good bet for messaging. Indeed, the handset features Mail on Ovi together with Nokia Messaging which enables both consumer email and instant messaging. users will also be able to access a variety of email and instant messaging accounts including Yahoo! Mail and Yahoo! Messenger, Windows Live Hotmail, Gmail and Google Talk.