Alec Saunders, one of the nicest people I met at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain is the CEO of Iotum which has just this morning announced Calliflower. Calliflower is a free conference call service originally only on Facebook, but now it is a stand alone application (you can still find it on Facebook). I have been joining in on Alecs podcast (SquawkBox) as often as I can for the last few months which utilizes Calliflower and it has been nothing less then enormously useful in my opinion. Check it out for yourself and let me know what you think.

Nokia is getting better at launching phones.  It was only a few weeks ago the N78 became available world wide and today it became available here in the US.  This is much better then the months and months we used to have to wait for US editions.  Anyways back to the announcement.  With the launch of the N78 NAM (North American Model) I think Nokia is working on taking a foot hold back in the US.  This is well needed if they intend to meet their goals.

Directly from the Nokia Press Release:

Starting today, convergence craving consumers across the United States can set their sights on the newest Nokia Nseries
device to hit American store shelves, the Nokia N78. Combining advanced mobile features such as integrated A-GPS, a
3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and high-speed HSDPA connectivity on North American 850/1900 MHz
networks, the Nokia N78 is perfect for enjoying new Nokia services such as Nokia Maps and Share on Ovi. Along with
this full suite of data features, the Nokia N78 has also been engineered for maximum voice and messaging performance
as well. Now available through select consumer electronics and wireless retailers, online retailers including the
www.nseries.com site and at the Nokia Flagship Stores in Chicago and New York, the Nokia N78 retails for
approximately $560.

I have been using the European version N78 and must say, I am really really enjoying it.  This is my favorite phone in a very long time.  I didn’t think I would like it this much but I really do.  If it has the feature set you are looking for I highly recommend it.  Just make sure to the the correct version to your location.

A little late to the table with the actual announcements but you can find the press releases below for my next phone the Nokia E71 and the other phone released yesterday (also very exciting) the E66.

PRESS RELEASE

Email made easy: Nokia unveils two new Nokia Eseries devices optimized for personal and professional email
June 16, 2008

Slim, stylish Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 multimedia computers offer easy access to range of email solutions, including Microsoft Exchange

London, UK – Nokia introduced today the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 – the latest email-optimized devices from the Nokia Eseries product range. The sleek Nokia E71 with full QWERTY keyboard and the stylish, slide-to-open Nokia E66 easily mobilize a broad range of personal or professional messaging needs, including Microsoft Exchange, the world’s most widely adopted corporate email solution. Both devices are expected to begin shipping in key markets in July. The Nokia E71 and the Nokia E66 are expected to retail at EUR 350, before applicable taxes and subsidies.

“The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 were designed for people who lead a mobile lifestyle and want quick and easy access to their personal and work email. With both of these devices, we have responded to consumer feedback by making calendar and contacts available at the touch of a button,” said Søren Petersen, Senior Vice President, Devices, Nokia. “Equally important, people want well-crafted devices that are as beautiful to use as they are to behold. Stainless steel was chosen as the core material for these devices, giving them additional strength and a touch of class. Furthermore, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 offer all the latest multimedia features that people desire.”

Easy, one-touch access to email
The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 come fully equipped for easy-to-install and easy-to-use professional and personal email. People who use Microsoft Exchange at work can access their email using the Mail for Exchange mobile email client, which comes pre-loaded with the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66. With these Nokia Eseries devices, people can get reliable real-time access to their email, calendar, contacts and tasks, as well as download attachments like Word, Excel, Powerpoint or PDF files directly to their devices.

The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 support email accounts from more than a thousand internet service providers (ISPs) around the world, as well as Gmail, Yahoo! mail and Hotmail. Additionally, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 support the Nokia Intellisync Wireless Email solution as well as third party email solutions like System Seven and Visto Mobile. Both devices come with the new switch mode that allows people easily to switch between personal and work home screens.

“With mobile email penetration and access to wireless applications growing at a rapid rate, Nokia is well positioned with its extensive lineup of market leading handsets to address the needs of consumers, high-end users and mobile professionals alike,” said Andrew Brown, Director, Wireless Enterprise Strategies Global Wireless Practice, Strategy Analytics.

Sophisticated tool, premium design inside and out
With a stainless steel case, etched graphics and available in two colors – grey steel or white steel – the Nokia E71 bears the hallmarks of Nokia quality and craftsmanship. The cool metallic finish is complemented by the bright colour display, which showcases the Nokia E71 device’s brilliantly simple user interface. Designed for both one-handed and two-handed use, the Nokia E71 pays special attention to ergonomics, as evidenced by its narrow shape and specially designed keypad.

The Nokia E66 offers a premium look and feel with its stainless steel accents and smooth sliding design. Sharing the same key features as the Nokia E71, including an enhanced calendar, contacts and customizable home screen modes, the Nokia E66 offers unique additions, like an orientation sensor that automatically optimizes itself for full screen viewing or silences the ringer when the device is turned over. Available in grey steel or white steel version, the Nokia E66 leaves a lasting impression as a sophisticated business tool in a distinct design.

Always Entertaining
In addition to email and personal information management, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 support the latest Ovi services including maps, music and media sharing that power users expect from their device. This includes fast and seamless browsing with HSDPA, wireless LAN and 3G connectivity, Assisted GPS (A-GPS) and Nokia Maps for navigation, a music player with support for up to 8 GB expandable memory and a 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera.

Built for Businesses of all sizes
In addition to serving entrepreneurs and smaller businesses, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 also come fully equipped with a robust suite of enterprise grade features, including a built-in encryption functionality for both the device memory and for the memory card. Both Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 also include integrated mobile VPN support that gives mobile professionals access to their company intranet, and device lock and wipe to protect corporate information. Incorporating underlying technologies that allow IT departments to effectively manage security settings, corporate applications, data and advanced voice features, the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 expand the range of Nokia Eseries devices that support enterprise-specific deployment.

Accessorize with Style
Also announced today were a number of Nokia accessories that support the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66. The Nokia Car Kit CK-100 and Nokia Display Car Kit CK-600 offer convenient handling, simplified installation and software updatability. The Nokia Car Kit CK-100 features Nokia Talk voice guidance and a remote control, while the Nokia Display Car Kit CK-600 features a removable color display and a remote control with illuminated keys for active call management. For increased mobility, Nokia also announced the sleek Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-212, as well as the Nokia Mobile Holder CR-106 and Nokia Mobile Holder CR-105 designed to complement the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 respectively.

Mr Wong Soon Nam, Vice President, Consumer Marketing, SingTel, said: “Our customers will enjoy a superior, cost-effective wireless email solution with SingTel’s Broadband on Mobile and the new Nokia Eseries devices. These will give them a competitive edge and the ability to effortlessly retrieve important information on the move, making their office truly mobile.”

“The Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 carry the promise of the Nokia brand, which revolves around quality, reliability and usability,” said Mr Golinelli, Executive Vice President, Sales, Consumer Domestic Mobile Services, Telecom Italia. “Our wide range of customers is interested in functionality but also in design and the Nokia E71 is the right and new concept for a new way of working.”

“With the growth of corporate mobility adoption, the users’ demands for new solutions and devices get stronger. The new Nokia Eseries devices, Nokia E71 and Nokia E66, attend to our consumers’ different profiles and needs, due to their design and features, which fit both users’ daily work and leisure moments in this connected society,” said Paulo Cesar Teixeira, VP, Operations, Vivo.

I was lucky enough to spend some time with the E71 a few months back and I am ready to use it full time. The integrated VOIP SIP stack, WiFi, Quad Band GSM, and US 3G are some of the stand out features for me. I look forward to getting my hands on the E71 North American Edition as soon as possible.

Good work Nokia!

This is great news for the Nokia E Series lovers like myself out there. Nokia has added 2 new sibilings to the E Series family in the way of the E66 and the E71. Both have stellar product sheets and here they are, Nokia E66 and Nokia E71.

I was lucky enough to get to play with the E71 a few months back and boy was it a hot piece of kit back then. I can only imagine that it’s gotten more stable. The screen on this baby was being used to it’s fullest extent and not wasted like some of it had been in previous E Series models like the E61, E61i, and E62.

I will add reviews as soon as they go up.

Very exciting news for Qik, they have announced that they are starting early beta testing on the Samsung BlackJack and the Moto Q. This is great news for Windows Mobile users. Congratulations Bhaskar and the rest of the Qik team. Good Luck guys and keep up the good work.