As a Series 60 phone the N-Gage will have a full complement of applications and will be able to use the existing Series 60 applications.
Games are set to be sold seperately to the device on MMC cards. This indicates an MMC slot will be built into the phone, much like the 3650. Games will be sold via various channels including taditional game retailers and mobe phone shops.
The device is due to launch in the forth quarter of this year worldwide in time for Christmas.
Nokia have launched a website devoted to the N-Gage which can be found here: http://www.N-Gage.com/
Updated:
Thanks to lagonda for this.
More details are now available on the Nokia website.
http://press.nokia.com/PR/200302/890630_5.html
This is the text of the Nokia Press Release:
Nokia N-Gage (TM) mobile game deck - the revolutionary gaming experience
February 05, 2003
Major global games publishers excited to publish on wireless multiplayer platform
Nokia today showcased its new mobile games, the Nokia N-Gage (TM) game deck, at "Get Ready to N-Gage" events in London, UK and Sydney, Australia. The Nokia N-Gage game deck enables an enriched interactive gaming experience by introducing an innovative wireless multiplayer platform for both local and remote gaming. The Nokia N-Gage game deck allows users to play the latest high quality titles in a new way - multiplayer games connected locally via Bluetooth wireless technology or over-the-air games over mobile networks. Enabling new business models, the Nokia N-Gage is a unique platform that also provides opportunities for game developers and publishers, network operators and other service providers to generate new revenue streams and develop new games and service concepts.
"The Nokia N-Gage brings the start of a whole new gaming experience to the market, with an ergonomic design optimized for playing games. Nokia is working with world-renowned game publishers, including Activision, Eidos, Sega, Taito and THQ, and developers to provide an appealing and balanced catalogue of high quality games to the marketplace. Titles will include both the latest blockbuster games and a variety of titles across game genres," said Anssi Vanjoki, Executive Vice President, Nokia Mobile Phones. "The game experience can further be enhanced when network operators and service providers enter the value chain by providing game related mobile services such as downloadable game levels, additional features and game characters or even running online multiplayer games and communities. With these building blocks in place, the Nokia N-Gage platform will help to unleash the creative and innovative spirit of the games industry."
The high performance games for Nokia N-Gage game deck are sold separately on game cards (using the MultiMediaCard standard). Game card distribution enables a new kind of mobile gameplay experience with richer graphics, enhanced sound and more extensive game worlds in which to play. Nokia will also act as a game publisher to create branded N-Gage game titles and develop an evolving games portfolio.
Nokia N-Gage game deck devices and game titles will be available in major retail outlets, game-specific and video game retail outlets, as well as in regular mobile phone delivery channels in all major markets.
Nokia welcomes the games industry to publish and develop innovative new concepts for the Nokia N-Gage game deck. Game developers interested in learning more about the Nokia N-Gage game deck, including submitting information about applications for the Nokia N-Gage and other Nokia devices and platforms, can find more information at www.forum.nokia.com/games.
Besides gaming, the Nokia N-Gage mobile game deck also features a digital music player (MP3/AAC) and stereo FM radio, as well as a tri-band GSM 900/1800/1900 mobile phone. The Nokia N-Gage game deck is planned to be available in volumes across five continents in the 4th quarter 2003 well in time for the holiday shopping season.
Features:
- Large color screen with backlight, 176x208 pixels with up to 4096 colours
- Series 60 platform and Symbian Operating System (OS)
- Bluetooth wireless technology for gaming
- An eight-way directional controller "Rocker" for game play
- Multimedia messaging (MMS)
- Triple band GSM (900/1800/1900), GPRS mobile phone
- Digital Music player (AAC/MP3) & Stereo FM radio
- Nokia Audio Manager PC SW for managing own music files
- Comprehensive range of applications; e-mail and personal information management
- XHTML browsing
- Java (TM)application support
- Connectivity:
calendar synchronization with PC, USB for music file and application download
Usage times:
- Games up to 3 - 6 h (depending on game type)
- Talk up to 2 - 4 h
- Standby up to 150- 200 h
- Music up to 8 h
- Radio up to 20 h
Size:
- Volume 139cc
- Dimensions (L x W x D) 133,7 x 69,7 x 20,2 mm
- Weight 137g
About N-Gage:
Please visit www.n-gage.com for the Nokia N-Gage game deck logo, photos and on-demand event webcast
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They have also got several announcement from games developers.
Check the links on the Nokia press release page
Further detailed specification are available here on the N-Gage site. Importantly for power users the amount on phone memory stays at 4MB. The phone will come with a 64 MB MMC card. Also the phone will come with a USB cable, presuambly for PC connectivity. It looks set to be the most powerful Series device yet.