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Nokia is launching its latest E-Series smartphone-the Nokia S52-which offers business users the ability to talk up to 8 hours without recharging the handset, as well as support for both Microsoft Exchange and IBM Lotus Notes Traveler for e-mail use.
On May 6, Nokia announced that it will launch the S52 smartphone in the second half of 2009. Nokia did not announce specific carriers and service providers for the S52 smartphone, and since Nokia announced the handset device in Warsaw, Poland, it’s not clear when or if the smartphone will hit the U.S. market.
Nokia listed the S52 phone at a starting price of 245 euros, or $326 (U.S.).
The latest Nokia smartphone comes at a time when the handset maker is looking to expand its business with the opening of the online Ovi application store, which looks to challenge the success Apple has had with its App Store. At the same time, Research In Motion and Palm are also looking to expand their smartphone offerings and enter the lucrative world of mobile applications.
In a series of presentations in late April, Nokia executives began painting the new Ovi store as more than an online store for applications but as a broader platform that should attract developers. Nokia also showed off its N97 smartphone and demonstrated how its Ovi apps work on the device.
In addition to 8 hours of talk time, the Nokia S52 smartphone offers noise cancellation technology that makes it easier to talk and listen to calls. For enterprise users, Nokia is including VPN (virtual private network) technology that allows the phone to sync with the company’s voice mail system. This technology, which Nokia calls Call Connect, allows users to have one voice mail system, and it also allows them to route calls to one device.
The Nokia S52 smartphone works with Exchange and Lotus Notes to make getting e-mail easier. There is also support for Nokia Messaging. Other features include support for HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access) and HSUPA (High-Speed Uplink Packet Access) connections, a 3.2-megapixel camera, and A-GPS (Assisted GPS).
Finally, the Nokia S52 offers a 1GB microSD card and a free, 60-day trial of Files on Ovi.