Think of it like a next generation Power Glove. With circuits detecting stretches in a flexible material, signals are sent to a device that could interpret user input, be it for gaming, virtual reality, or other creative uses. The patent includes haptic feedback mechanisms – small vibrations or even pressure could go a long way to polish virtual interactions. Imagine having that little finger sleeve pull your fingertip backwards when you push a button, as if it was actually there. In addition to the finger joint sleeve, there is also a wristband pictured which could add further functionality.

Nokia seems to be a bit behind the competitors in figuring out how to make full touch user interface work on it’s smartphones. But they are getting better at this and should eventually figure things out. The basic idea is pretty simple. Create a comfortable sleeve, with embedded sensors that react to the stretching and relaxation of the human skin.

As the skin stretches differently when you move your fingers and/or hand, the input device can figure out the different gestures and transmit them as commands to a mobile device wirelessly. The input device can be used to intuitively control a wide range of mobile gadgets, including your phone, game console, media player, laptop, near eye-display and many others.

This kind of controller may not seem too practical and looks pretty far fetched, but, if wearable electronics will become as popular as some are predicting, it might come in quite handy in a few years.

Remote Input Sleeves from Nokia via Intomobile.

Now you can carry your clique with you in your pocket with Nokia Surge.

Nokia Surge is a socially supercharged smartphone, an ideal device for active consumers who like to stay connected whether using IM, text or email, sending multimedia messages or updating and connecting via their favorite social networks.

With a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard in a slim, stylish design and Symbian S60 multi-tasking capabilities, Nokia Surge is the ideal smartphone for users who is always in touch with their social circle. A recent survey commissioned by Nokia revealed that people are so hooked on staying in touch that they would rather give up coffee and sweets than live without their mobile for two weeks.

In addition to an impressive suite of messaging capabilities, the Nokia Surge offers a powerful browsing experience, including Flash support to view most sites in full HTML or watch YouTube videos.  Nokia Surge allows users to post messages, images, videos, and comments to web sites like Facebook on-the-go with the pre-installed JuiceCaster application.

With a complete email solution, downloadable applications and full HTML browser with Flash support, Nokia Surge hits the sweet spot between a quick messaging phone and a smartphone because of its strong feature set.

This socially charged smartphone comes in a sleek slide form factor that supports social networking and messaging – and all on an open platform.

For more information visit Nokia.com.

Hot on the heels of all these other updates flying around, Nokia finally turns it attention to a NAM device, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic NAM, to be exact. We got word that the firmware has been updated to v21.2.025 via NSU. NAM variants of the 5800 XpressMusic do not typically have the FOTA settings installed, so FOTA isn’t likely going to be available.

There’s currently not a changelog available although Ovi Contacts actually works now, whereas it crashed consistently with the previous firmware. We also guess, a number of bugs and issues have been resolved, and some applications updated. The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic does have UDP (User Data Preservation), so you’re likely safe to update the firmware without having to backup your information, but we suggest that you do anyways – just in case.

It’s good to see Nokia has not forgotten the NAM version of its first S60 touch device, Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. Yes, the Finnish giant has released an update for the device.

More on the firmware update at Symbian Guru.

Step1:

Clean the mobile phone screen surface thoroughly to ensure that there are no dust particles, fingerprints or other contaminants. Make sure to finish with a lint-free dry cloth so that the surface is fully dry before you apply the protector. (Oil or wet particles are difficult to remove when trapped between the protector and the screen.)

Step2:

Remove a portion of the screen protector’s plastic backing from the top down. Be careful not to touch or expose the underside of the screen protector to dust or fingerprints.

Step3:

The screen protector is precision cut to fit the phone screen. For a perfect fit, align carefully the screen protector along one edge of the phone screen (I would recommend the top right hand corner as that is where you will be tapping a lot), and make sure that it is square against the edge. Slowly peel off the rest of the backing and brush down on the screen protector with a dry cloth to allow it to cling to the rest of the screen.

Caution: The screen protector clings to dry surfaces and will attract dust when exposed. Please try not to remove the screen protector from the dust-free screen too many times to avoid dust particles from clinging on the underside of the protector.

Additional Note: If you do get bubbles, do not panic. Simple use your stylus and lightly push bubbles to the side. The end result should be bubble free.

To place an order for the Nokia E75 Screen Protector and take advantage of the lifetime Warranty, visit the Specials Section.

Two days ago, we posted that Nokia is up to something that is unbreakable and it is about to release the “unbreakable” phone in less that two months. Well it happened.

That rumored imminent announcement has come sooner rather than later as Nokia has made the rugged 3720 classic official today. The press release was light on the specifications but did confirm that the 3720 classic will be IP54 certified for water, dust and shock, and will feature an Integrated LED flashlight, 2.2-inch display, 2 megapixel camera with flash, microSD card slot (ships with 1GB card installed) and extended battery life. The Nokia 3720 will be available later this summer in a variety of colors. This summer you will be able to pick up what Nokia is calling their “most rugged mobile handset to date.” It’s fairly standard, feature wise, with triband GSM/EDGE supporting the 900/1800/1900 MHz bands, 240 x 320 pixel 16 million color screen and Bluetooth 2.1. What stands out is the IEC 60529/Level IP54 certification for being dust and water resistant.

She is pretty small at only 115 mm x 47 mm x 15.3 mm, weighing in at 94 grams with a 1050 mAh battery that can provide 7 hours of talk time and 18 days standby. I can see a lot of my friends picking this up as a holiday/weekend phone for the cottage/lake.

Nokia’s not exactly known for its beefy, ultra-survivable gear, but unless the human race plans on getting a whole lot less clumsy, rugged phones will always be a good idea — and Nokia 3720 certainly seems to fill the bill. The Series 40-based mobile phone features a 2 megapixel cam with LED flash, triband EDGE, FM radio, microSD expansion, and the latest and greatest Bluetooth 2.1, but the real news here is that the phone is built to meet IP54 standards. A quick check with our handy-dandy IP code reference tells us that means that “ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment; complete protection against contact” — in other words, your phone might get nasty dirty, but it’ll keep chugging — and it can withstand “splashing” water.

Nokia 3720 Press Release

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic is officially approved by the FCC and is ready for the United States market. Although it does not comes with 3G.  Lack of 3G means that the device is ready to sing along AT&T’s network, relying solely on WiFi for decent Internet speeds. Touch-friendly S60 5th edition sits on top of Symbian OS, making sure you can easily (or not that easily) find your way around numerous functions the 5530 XM has to offer. A number of 3rd party apps are available through Ovi Store, allowing for further expansion of the handset’s feature set.

Anyway, now that the FCC has cleared the device for sale in the U.S., we only have to wait for Nokia to bring this magnificent phone to its flagship stores in New York City and Chicago. Alternatively, they may secure a deal with AT&T to eventually spur the sales. We’ll see how that goes.

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic Specifications:

• Dimensions: 104 x 49 x 13 mm
• Weight: 107 g
• Display: 2.9 inch widescreen (640 x 360 pixels) with up to 16 million colors
• Camera: 3.2 megapixels with autofocus and LED flash
• Video capture: widescreen 640x 360 pixels up to 30 frames-per-second
• Memory: Up to 70Mb phone memory with 4GB in-box MicroSD card, supports up to 16GB MicroSD memory
• Connectivity: High speed MicroUSB connector, 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, Bluetooth 2.0
• Data connectivity: GPRS/EDGE, WLAN (IEEE 802.11 b/g)
• Talk time: Up to 4.9 hours
• Standby time: Up to 14 days
• Music playback: Up to 27 hours
• Video playback: Up to 7.3 hours

Nokia 5530 XpressMusic Key Features:

• Touch-screen responsiveness gives tactile feedback and the fastest, most intuitive access to all the phone, web and multimedia features crammed inside – including music, video, gaming, social networking and messaging.
• Contacts carousel – one-touch access to 20 favorite contacts, each displaying their most recent emails, calls or social media updates and a thumbnail picture chosen by you.
• Media Bar pops-up to give quick access to instant messaging like Windows Live Messenger, on-board videos or YouTube, access to other sharing sites like Ovi Share, Flickr, Facebook, MySpace, VOX – or just to browse the web.
• Music features include a world-class quality music player for excellent audio quality, FM radio, stereo speakers with surround sound, dedicated full touch music keys, 4GB built-in storage expandable to 16GB for up to 12,000 songs with album art.
• Listen to music – plug in the superb Nokia Stereo Headset WH-205 that comes in the box, and features a great tangle-free lead, or plug your choice of headphones into the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, or listen over Bluetooth stereo audio.
• Synchronize and manage music with Nokia Music Store, upload and download tracks via WLAN, Bluetooth or MicroUSB. Manage playlists on the go, or via PC with Nokia Ovi Suite.
• 2.9-inch brilliant widescreen with up 16 million colors brings videos, album art, hotos and phone menus vividly to life.
• Accelerometer automatically switches between landscape and portrait format whether you want use the phone, browse the web, watch a video or play games.
• 3.2 megapixel camera with flash and autofocus for snapping good quality photos and videos.

Check for updates on the availability of this marvelous phone in your country. Go to www.nokia.com.

The latest version of the Symbian operating system is expected to be on commercially available smartphones early next year.

The Symbian Foundation will release a beta version of the open source Symbian within the next few weeks, according to a company executive.

The official version of the open source operating system should be available for full release in about six months, and it should be on retail smartphones in early 2010. The OS will be called Symbian2, and it combines elements of previous versions of Symbian, Nokia’s S60, MOAP, and UIQ.

This beta release will be the first real fruit from the Symbian Foundation, which was put into motion when Nokia purchased Symbian outright and spun it off into a non-profit organization about a year ago. The goal of the foundation is to create an open source mobile OS that can be used by any handset manufacturer. The foundation’s members include AT&T, Samsung, LG Electronics, Vodafone, and other influential industry players.

While Symbian is still the most widely used smartphone operating system in the world, Nokia did not want it to lose momentum as Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android emerged on the scene. Those rivals arguably have easier software development kits to develop for, and virtual application stores that made distributing programs easier. By making Symbian open source and royalty-free, Nokia is trying to expand the footprint of the mobile OS.

The foundation has also laid out an aggressive timetable for software updates; expect an updated OS nearly every six months with improved functionalities. While it is technically possible to run Symbian2 on some existing devices, the decision will be left up to the device manufacturer and carriers.

Nokia is understood to be developing a mobile phone that runs on Google’s Android software platform in a strategic U-turn for the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer.

The new touchscreen device will be unveiled at the Nokia World conference in September, say industry insiders, as the Finnish handset giant tries to revive its fortunes in the smartphone market.

Nokia, which makes roughly four out of every 10 mobile phones sold, has been losing out in the market for phones that can access the internet, send emails and download third-party applications, to products such as the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry Storm. The Android software platform, meanwhile, has been gaining ground with over half a dozen handsets expected to be available by the end of the year.

The smartphone segment is critical as it is the only part of the mobile phone market which is growing. Cash-strapped consumers are either holding on to their existing phones and opting for cheaper SIM-only deals or “trading up” to more advanced gadgets such as the iPhone.

Opting to use Android, an “open source” platform that any software developer can access, is a reversal of the company’s previous strategy in mobile phone software.

A year ago, Nokia bought out the partners in its Symbian mobile software joint venture and announced plans to make its products free of charge to other manufacturers in an attempt to see off the threat posed by Android and the iPhone.

But the response to the opening of Symbian has been relatively muted. By contrast, users of the iPhone have already downloaded over a billion applications in just nine months and Android has attracted a host of developers offering their “widgets”, or applications, to consumers through the Android Marketplace.

Gadget fans have already hacked one of Nokia’s existing devices, the N810 internet tablet, so it can run the Android system but the new device is expected to fully integrate the Android platform.

There has also been speculation that Nokia is looking to extend its smartphone range as a result of its recent deal to collaborate with chip giant Intel. Nokia however denied the rumors. Through a spokesman, Nokia responded, “Absolutely no truth to this whatsoever, everyone knows that Symbian is our preferred platform for advanced mobile devices.”

Let us wait and see the next chapter of this story. There is no smoke if there is no fire. The Nokia World Conference will be on September. Let us all speculate and be patient.

If you are the type of person who are “overly” protective of your gadgets from everyday wear and tear. You might need to check this item featured on our Specials page. The item is for your Nokia E71. The Nokia E71 Metal Case is a form fitting, aluminum solid case specifically designed for the protection of your E71 from scratches and day to day wear and tear. The aircraft grade aluminum is used to make the case strong and durable yet light in weight. This is a nice case. It is very protective of the phone including the screen.

The case itself is fantastic. It’s snug, fits the phone great, sturdy, and well thought out. It features cut outs for all input and output device ports and camera. The metal clip ensures that the case is securely fixed and shut when not in use and provides quick access when in needed.

Here are the features of the Mr. Gadget Nokia E71 Metal Case:

• Thin, Lightweight and strong.
• With transparent plastic protection.
• Removable 360 degrees belt clip included.
• Anodized aircraft-grade aluminum prevents from scratches.
• Neoprene inner lining for extra protection and shock absorber.
• Easy access to all buttons and features.
• High tensil strength aluminum.
• Cutouts give easy access to all handheld features.
• Easy to install.

Available in Silver and Black, it is indeed a Perfect Partner for your E71.

Check out the Nokia E71 Metal Case and other accessories on our specials page.

To see more accessories or products related to the E71 Metal Case, visit and log in to the catalog page.

I played golf for the first time 2 weeks ago and I really enjoyed it. My only problem with it is that it takes a lot of time and effort – so different from the current high-intensity action sports I play such as basketball and volleyball.

Now if you have a Nokia / Symbian device you can play golf without having to brave the elements, carry out clubs or spend countless periods trying to find your ball – with Par 72 Golf !

Par 72 Golf is a realistic 3D golf game with three 18 hole courses. The game features hills, water, sand traps, and sloping greens.

Features of Par 72 Golf fo Nokia:

• Three unique courses, set in mountain, desert, and seaside. environments
• Each course has 18 holes, rated par 3, 4, and 5
• Three dimensional hills, water, undulating fairways, sand traps, and tiered greens
• Top scores leaderboard
• Realistic wind, aerodynamics, gravity, and friction
• Perspective view
• Zoomable overhead view
• Automatic club selection from 11 clubs
• Wind and distance indicators
• On screen menus
• Resume play
• Sound effects

Par 72 Golf II – Games Symbian Software