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Nokia 5510 - Cell Phone and More
matthew.thompson writes: "Nokia have released a phone to give the RIAA nightmares - it includes built in MP3 playing AND encoding and an FM stereo radio - so you can MP3 up tracks from the Radio or from an external source via a line in jack. It's also got a full qwerty style keyboard and GameBoy Advance style layout. RIAA headache inducing features here and piccies etc here." I'm not quite sure how this works - Nokia's page says the gizmo plays "secure" mp3 files, which sounds to me as if it is crippled. Here are some hi-res photos. Update: 10/11 12:59 GMT by M : Ahh, my misreading. It says "secure AAC and MP3 files", and apparently "secure" is intended to apply only to AAC. According to the FAQ, the phone is crippled - only stores crippled AAC files, not unencumbered mp3's. A shame.
Devices that do everything are usually pushed aside in favour of an individual device that does something.
I like that kind of 'modularity'.
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And the Angel said unto me, "These are the cries of the carrots! The cries of the carrots!"
I don't like how this cell phone that doesn't really have any new features at all (phones with mp3 players have been available for almost 2 years).
get this much exposure, while the technically more interesting solutions (GPRS, built in bluetooth, POP3 and SMTP client etc.) like the Ericsson T39 and the upcoming T68 doesn't.
the only thing new about this thing is the keyboard and the poor stand by time.
It's a great device, a novel new design, has plenty of new devices, but until we upgrade our wireless capability in N. America, we won't be using it for a while.
Availability: Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific in the 4th quarter of 2001
I say we go the DoCoMo route, insted of WAP anyways. Plus, where's the PDA functionality. It seems more a gameboy than a business tool.
--- RFC 1149 Compliant.
The MP3 features are nice, but it's great to finally have a full keyboard that doesn't require a stylus to operate (ala Palm-ish phones). The only real, cool feature IMHO. I love my Nomad, don't play handheld games much and not interested in being in Nokia's "club".
... ahh ... err ... phone?!
There does need to be some significant improvements in *power* options if we are supposed to be convinced to be electronically tethered 24/7. I doubt the 2hrs claim will be the norm for most folks.
All the next rev needs is Java, integrated GPS, color screen and old Nintendo/Atari emulation. Now *that* will be a great
Mind the gap...
It seems more like a gameboy than a business tool
Agreed. After looking at their music info page, I'd swear the target market is the teenage Napster crowd.
But with detachable faceplates for Nokia phones and such, that tactic has been used for a while now.
I like fire ants. They are very spicy!
Anyway, it would be false advertizing on the part of my employer, if it did.
Blue skies, Barthy Burgers, girls...
Already a lot of public places forbid you from using cell phones. With all due apologies to the road warriors, I have a feeling that the convergence of music games et al into a cell will only add more to the problem.
Waiter: Sir, you cannot talk on a cell inside the hotel sir.
Me: Oh no, I was just excited about Commander Keen.
Waiter: Huh? I doubt you are allowed to talk to Mr.Keen either, sir.
Me: aaaaaaaaarggggggggghhhhh
Wow...congratulations. I can't seem to type out SMS messages faster than about 10 WPM.
While the keyboard is far from perfect, when banging out quick messages while in a loud nightclub this new design has some added benefit over the dinky 12 keys provided on most mobile phones (yes I know you can turn on the dictionary...but still).
Even if I lived outside the US I probably wouldn't grab one of these new phones, but I do think that it's an interesting step in the mobile front. As other posters have mentioned this is definitely targetting the Napster "generation" (teens, some college kids) who love glitzy new features like this. I'm not a big fan of mp3 players, even, but I know my teenage sister wouldn't mind having one, and considering that she spends a lot of time on her mobile phone this phone might appeal to her.
but maybe it could become more cooler if Nokia worked together with some PDA-company (Best choice would be Palm IMHO). They could reduce the keyboard's size be building one of these in it to make more room for the screen.
Devices is this one allready excist but most are a PDA that you can make phonecalls with or a cellphone that remembers your appointments.
Can I tune in, encode and stream? Why? Cuz I potentially could! There's always some novel use for seemingly useless technology. And someone who reads /. will probably hack it to achieve such a feat!
Que Deus te de em dobro o que me desejas
[May God give you double that which you wish for me]
What stops you from using this from in the US with the GSM provider of Voicestream? It looks like it is compatable with the US GSM freq (EGSM 900, GSM 1800 and GSM 900/1800 dual-band). I believe Voicestream uses 900. And if the phone is bought is Europe locked, then you can go to any small store (privatly owned) and they can unlock it for like $10 US. Any ideas on this, because it sounds it will work in the US without problems?
"recently selected by BMG and Universal Music as the preferred platform for digital music delivery. Advanced Audio Coding is highly compatible with digital copy protection protocols and watermarking"
Almost the same as RIAA approval right there.
and from the Music FAQ
"In what format is the music saved in my hard disk?
All the songs are saved in encrypted AAC format."
Everything is encrypted.
"Can I play downloaded MP3 files on the Nokia 5510?
Yes, the Nokia 5510 can play MP3 files in protected format. Copies of the downloaded music files are added to the Nokia Audio Manager database. Nokia Audio Manager encrypts the music files and downloads the protected MP3 format to the memory of the Nokia 5510."
Yes, MP3's are encrypted too.
There IS one good piece of news though...
"Does the Nokia 5510 support WMA?
No, it doesn't"
No support for Microcrud format, heh heh.
- - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
Sure it's great, I disagree with those saying that you should have devices that do only one thing... Yeah, a cell phone, laptop, palmtop, cdplayer, mp3 player and a radio... sounds heavy, cumbersome.... I'd rather have everything in one small device.
However... it's not that much compared to what's available from DoCoMo: color screens, smaller phones, music playing (including mp3) with even speical headphone with a small remote on the cord (a but like the one for the sony CD walkmans). I think we should start asking more from north american phone companies... if they can't offer similar offerings, they shjould just shift their network to fit the foreigh ones... because right now north american wireless service sucks!
It's better even in africa!!
So asking for better service here really is not asking too much!
As far as I can see, this thing has no email client.
If it had one, I would have been interested.
But this one is for SMS senders only (ie Kids).
I personally don't see the point in SMS. I pay 10-15Pf (less than 5-7 cents) a minute for a nationwide one minute call on my calling plan. An SMS (160 characters) costs 3 times as much.
My ideal phone (not yet invented)
- supports compact flash cards for MP3s (not MMC like all MP3 capable GSM phone use)
- triband
- HSCSD (GPRS is too damn expensive)
- IRDA
- E-Mail client
- Full keyboard
Ericsson has a phone that comes pretty close,
but lacks MP3 and full keyboard.
An alternative to passport? I found this more interesting than a new phone. .NET as a proprietary solution, but now Nokia is making a shot too, and their effort aims for an open and standards-based solution."
"Microsoft is attempting something like this with its Passport effort which is tied into
So we've got an old cellphone network here in the US and Europe has got a newer one. What happens 5 years from now, when the next generation hits? Will your modern network be able to upgrade easily then? Or will you be in the same boat we are?
Similar thing with HDTV - don't want to make HD programs until people have the boxes, don't want to buy the box until there's a lot of digital programming (and the cost comes way down.)
These things have a way of sorting themselves out. It might be that Africa ends up being the most wired country, 50 years from now, because when they finally get around to building their infrastructure they will be using the brand new stuff and we'll all be stuck with the old crap.
During the 80's and Reagan's Voodo Economics, Japan was top dog, financially. They used to hold meetings to try to figure out how to help out the US economically. Now look at whose economy is in the crapper.
Alright, in europe, every youth carries a cell phone, its a requirement...well at least in sweden and finland. So, if they can get music out of it also, then thats wonderful. That means not having to carry a minidisc along with the cell phone, and with tight pants all the craze, there isn't much room for a plethora of devices.
Two, there is a massive element of irony that this phone, with its full keyboard, will sell beautifully on the deaf market. (The irony being that it plays music)...SMS is a HUGE thing for deaf people, who can use their cellphones to communicate to full potential, and a full keyboard is a godsend for them.
Its a grand product.