Seen and Noted : Nokia unveils N97 Mini

The thing I guess to take out of this announcement is that we all learned that there is an event called Nokia World ('09 in Stuttgart, Germany). But we also learn that everywhere outside of the U.S. gets a broader range of Nokia hardware.

That said, what's notable about this device for me is the touch screen interface, (with slideout keyboard) Facebook integration and a 5 (yup) megapixel camera.

Here's the official dope:

"the N97 mini still packs 8GB of storage, a 3.2-inch touchscreen and full QWERTY keyboard into its 14.2mm thin frame. It’s also the first Nokia device to sport Lifecasting with Ovi – a new partnership with the world’s largest social network, Facebook. The N97 mini is based on the same tilt display design of its N97 big brother, built into a smaller body complete with new design touches.

The Nokia N97 mini works seamlessly with Ovi Store where users can add new applications, widgets, ringtones and other content to their device. It also sports Ovi Maps and comes with integrated A-GPS and compass along with with voice navigation for driving or walking. Over 155,000 points of interest are also available through Lonely Planet guides and restaurants through Michelin Guides.

Up to 12 days standby time are on offer and up to 28 hours music playback (in offline mode). The 5-megapixel camera comes with dual LED flash and video light, along with a Carl Zeiss Tessar lens. The 8GB of on board memory can be expanded to 24GB with the addition of a 16GB microSD card.

The Nokia N97 mini will be available next month for an estimated retail price of EUR450 ($640.71) before taxes and subsidies."

Marguerite Reardon of CNET:

"The handset maker also announced two new music phones: the X6 and the X3. The X6, which has a touch screen and 32GB of built-in memory, will be Nokia's new flagship music phone. The company expects to ship the new phone in the fourth quarter for a list price of 450 euros, or $639. As with the N97, users will also get the Comes With Music service bundled into the phone...In yet another attempt to diversify, Nokia also plans to offer more sophisticated hardware, in the form of a mini-laptop or Netbook--last week it announced the new device, dubbed the Nokia Booklet 3G. At the event in Germany on Wednesday it announced that it will ship the mini laptop in the fourth quarter with a list price tag of 575 euros, or about $817."