NEWS: Nokia's N96 'multimedia computer'

We know what you're thinking - neither computer or phones are exactly 'core' products for us here at What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision.

But at the same time regular readers will know that mutimedia mobiles, capable of playing music and video, as well as media PCs, ideal for streaming and downloading content, are showing themselves on our pages more and more.

Nokia's N95 received a five-star verdict back in the February issue, and now we have the eagerly awaited N96, which the Finnish company is calling the world's first multimedia computer...

The main selling point for this handset is 'optimisation' for video and TV. As well as the 2.8in screen, 16GB hard disk memory and support for various video formats, the phone - come on, it is a phone really - will also offer a DVB-H TV tuner is selected markets. Choose us, choose us...

When it comes to video the phone will support MPEG4 and WMV, while a USB 2.0 connection and WLAN and HSDPA support are also on-board. There's a microSD card slot, too.

The obligatory camera is here too, this one with a 5-megapixel sensor, while the N96 also has built-in 3D stereo speakers so you can be annoyed by teenage kids playing the latest hardcore-funky-dub-techno-grime out loud for all the bus to hear.

While the iPhone naturally dominates any talk of phones, certainly in our world, Nokia was eager to stress it was looking in to touchscreen phones, but wouldn't be pushed on a date. Nokia's chief executive, Olli-Pekka Kallusvo, said: "We will bring out touch products... but not gimmicky touch." So there you have it...

Technorati Tags: iPhone, multimedia computer, N96, Nokia, phone

Joe Cox
Content Director

Joe is Content Director for T3 and What Hi-Fi?, having previously been the Global Editor-in-Chief of What Hi-Fi?. He has worked on What Hi-Fi? across the print magazine and website for more than 15 years, writing news, reviews and features on everything from turntables to TVs, headphones to hi-fi separates. He has covered product launch events across the world, from Apple to Technics, Sony and Samsung; reported from CES, the Bristol Show, and Munich High End for many years; and written for sites such as the BBC, Stuff, and the Guardian. In his spare time, he enjoys expanding his vinyl collection and cycling (not at the same time).