Nokia showcase 6700 Slide and 7230…whilst chopping R&D staff

Two new mid-range Nokias have hit the internet; both with 3G, a 2GB microSD in the box, and both arriving early next year…

Nokia has announced two new handsets that take on the sliding form factor, the Nokia 6700 Slide (the slide counterpart to the increasingly popular Nokia 6700) and the Nokia 7230.

This is on the same day that over 220 jobs were cut at a Nokia R&D centre in Japan and in a week already characterized by 330 job losses in various R&D sites in Denmark and Finland. Nokia may be the market leaders in terms of handsets, but they have suffered considerable financial losses and job cuts in the previous year, not to mention unneeded coverage for activity outside of what they are usually good at (such as suing a major rival…).

Continuing job cuts from Nokia aside, the Nokia 6700 is sure to pack a punch. Encompassing a 5-megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss lens, there is the opportunity to edit and upload pictures to the web and the prospect of e-mailing and messaging with a host of programmes, including the Nokia Messaging service embedded on the handset. This will come as a relief to those who regularly have to cringe at the ever-failing Symbian E-mail client that ships with most versions of Symbian.

The Nokia 6700 on first look has the specifications of a good multimedia phone, but still retains the sombre demeanour through its sturdy aluminum casing, albeit available in 6 very different colours; pink, silver, cyan, blue, red and purple. All of this encompassed in a compact handset with HSPA 3G connectivity and price tag of €160 before tax.

“For the design-conscious consumer” is how Nokia chose to introduce the 7230. Rounded edges and a funky design is the norm for Nokia handsets that are often aimed towards the hip and fashionable sect. The specifications are listed as a respectable 3.2-megapixel camera (though, without the Carl Zeiss goodness), large 2.4”display, Bluetooth and microSD support . The 7230 will be available for slightly less than the 6700 Slide at €100 and both handsets are expected to ship with a 2GB microSD card in Q1 2010.

Whilst nothing spectacularly amazing, both the handsets are a solid addition to Nokia’s portfolio at seemingly reasonable prices.

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