Nokia 6710 - Big Plans in the Navigation Market

Nokia has released the Nokia 6710, and is talking about its navigation capabilities as a primary feature of the unit, as they leverage their NAVTEQ map investment that they made to buy the mapping company. Nokia already "got it" from a location aware and location based services standpoint, which undoubtedly pushed them into the purchase, but we now have the push into navigation handsets like never before; consumers want it and the technology is more than capable to deliver.

With automotive and pedestrian modes combined with the advanced map content like aerial photos, 3-D buildings and traffic alerts, the unit gets pretty appealing. The 6710 Navigation unit has a 2.6-inch screen (small compared to the 3.5-inch standard GPS unit), outdoor optimized QVGA screen, runs on the 3G/GSM and features A-GPS to get faster satellite fixes.

Via Engadget and Nokia Press Release

Full Press Release Below....

Since the first Nokia Navigator made its appearance two years ago, the company has been updating and improving its location based services steadily and has now introduced the latest arrival in its Navigator line, the Nokia 6710 Navigator. Another new arrival is the Nokia 6720 classic, which builds on the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) heritage of traditional candybar phones that excel in all areas.

"The navigation solution provided by the Nokia 6710 Navigator is second to none and provides everything you would expect from a dedicated GPS device with all the benefits of a converged mobile device," says Markku Suomi, vice president at Nokia. The solution includes the latest developments in the Maps software with real time 'drive and walk' navigation, full regional maps and hardware elements like the dedicated navigator key, touch area for easy zooming and a large display optimized for outdoor viewing. "We want to make the experience as simple and effective as possible, which means the navigation licenses are pre-installed and ready to use as soon as you turn on the Navigator," continues Suomi.

The recent integration of Maps with Ovi allows people to pre-plan their journey at home on their PC and synchronize with their mobile device. Additionally, Maps has been updated to include a number of new features such as high-resolution aerial images, 3D landmarks for over 200 cities, terrain maps, weather service, premium travel and events content and traffic and safety warnings. With both of the new devices including a compass, working in conjunction with the new features of Maps, the pedestrian navigation experience has been significantly improved.

Included inbox is the Nokia CR-111 car holder, which cradles the Nokia 6710 Navigator easily in the car and completes the driving navigation solution. For those that want a little extra, there is a new arrival from Nokia accessories in the Nokia Speakerphone HF-310, which boasts high quality hands free with echo cancellation and noise reduction. The speakerphone is easy to use in the car or office and can be installed easily with three different fixings.

To complement the impressive mapping capabilities, both the Nokia 6710 Navigator and the Nokia 6720 classic offer an improved design with a slightly curved shape, providing a pleasant feel with a soft touch surface. When holding the devices to take photos with the 5 megapixel camera, standard with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash on both handsets, the new shape makes them easier to hold. "With the high quality camera and GPS capability of both devices, geo-tagging the exact location a picture is taken is easier than ever," continues Suomi.

The Nokia 6720 classic makes sure that people also get the best voice experience with the curved design fitting perfectly to the users face and new active noise cancellation, a feature appearing for the first time in the Nokia 6720 classic, which significantly improves the quality of voice by cutting down on external ambient sounds. Of course, all other features one requires are easily accessible with up to 20 days of standby time, high speed uplink and downlink Internet access and a TV-out connection for sharing images and video.

The Nokia 6720 classic is expected to begin shipping in the second quarter of 2009 at an estimated retail price of 245 EUR before taxes and subsidies. The Nokia 6710 Navigator will join in the third quarter with an estimated retail price of 300 EUR, before taxes and subsidies.

February 17, 2009

Nokia 6710 - Big Plans in the Navigation Market