Nokia introduced the new Nokia 9500 Communicator in Cannes on February 23, the first in a series of new enterprise-grade mobile devices designed for corporate customers. The Nokia 9500 Communicator is one of the first cellular devices on the market designed to meet the demands of corporate IT departments for customisation, manageability and security.
The tri-band device supporting E-GPRS (EDGE) and Wi-Fi 802.11b is expected to be available in volume during the fourth quarter of 2004 with an unsubsidised price around '800 (AUD$1300).
With the announcement of the new enterprise-class communicator series, Nokia's recently formed Enterprise Solutions business group evolves the company's portfolio of business-optimised devices to include a full range of differentiated devices.
'Nokia understands mobility better than anyone,' said Mary McDowell, Nokia Enterprise Solutions' newly appointed senior vice president and general manager.
'The Nokia 9500 Communicator combines our knowledge of enterprise customer needs and critical usability issues with our expertise in mobile connectivity and security, resulting in the first mobile device that enables fast and universal access to corporate services, and is backed by proven application and software support from leading IT vendors."
Key Functions and Features
Like its predecessors from the first Communicator family, the Nokia 9500 Communicator takes the most popular office solutions mobile by bringing e-mail, personal information management, with PC synchronization, browsing, vertical enterprise applications and even document, spreadsheet and presentation creation into the pockets of mobile professionals, allowing them to effectively utilize their time while on the road. Other features of the sleek 222-gram device include:
- Tri-band GSM capability (two variants: 900/1800/1900 MHz and 850/1800/1900 MHz)
- GPRS/EGPRS (EDGE)
- Wireless LAN IEEE 802.11b
- Symbian Operating System 7.0S Platform with J2ME Personal Profile environment
- In-built VGA camera & Multimedia messaging
- Bluetooth audio and data support
- USB connectivity (Nokia Connectivity Cable DKU-2)
- 80 MB of free user memory
- Two color (up to 65k colors) displays with
- 640x200 pixels, Series 80 User Interface
- 128x128 pixels, Series 40 User Interface
- E-mail support: POP3, IMAP,
- Email: IMAP4, POP3, SMTP, SyncML
- Security: SSL/TLS, Ipsec VPN
- Browsing: HTML/XHTML, HTML 4.01, JavaScript 1.3
- Office tool support: documents, spreadsheet, presentations
Also unveiled were the Connectivity desk stand for convenient charging and synchronization with a compatible PC, the Mobile Holder, which firmly holds the Nokia 9500 communicator in place in the car, and the Antenna Coupler, which provides a connection to an external antenna. For personalization, optional colour covers are expected to be available.
Interoperability and Compatibility Compatible and interoperable with existing IT infrastructures, the Nokia 9500 Communicator supports remote management using over-the-air provisioning, PC tools for device management, and customization capabilities. It also provides IT managers with a cost effective, easy-to-maintain and frequently updated device base, easing maintenance and deployment. Based on the Symbian operating system 7.0, JavaTM Personal Profile and MIDP2.0, the Nokia 9500 Communicator series offers developers a well-known and respected foundation upon which to build innovative solutions, facilitating forward compatibility with future members of the new enterprise Communicator family.
Secure Mobile Connectivity The Nokia 9500 Communicator supports a broad range of standards-based security solutions. Data traffic can be effectively secured by a variety of standard Virtual Private Network (VPN) solutions. For example, the Nokia Mobile (VPN) solution - consisting of the Nokia Security Service Manager and the Nokia Mobile VPN Client - integrates with existing corporate infrastructure and extends the use of IPSec VPN to mobile devices. Additionally, Symantec plans to provide unique firewall and antivirus protection with advanced over-the-air update features. The Nokia 9500 Communicator also supports other key security features such as device lock and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for web-based applications.
Broad IT Industry Endorsement Leading corporate information and communications technology vendors are already endorsing and/or supporting the new Communicator series with applications and software built especially for the new platform. Nokia's close collaboration with these vendors will provide corporate customers with best-in-class solutions that enable them to mobilize business processes, and make effective and secure remote connections to their existing IT infrastructures.
Companies that have already committed their support for the Nokia 9500 Communicator series include:
- Cap Gemini Ernst &Young -@Anyplace Mobility Offerings
- Cisco Systems, Inc. -Wireless LAN infrastructure interoperability
- Computer Associates -streamlined management of mobile devices
- Fujitsu -IT services and solutions provider
- HP - mobile printing solutions
- IBM - IBM's WebSphere Everyplace software offerings optimized for the Nokia Communicator
- Oracle -Access to Oracle Collaboration Suite - email, files, calendar, web conferencing, faxes etc.
- SAP AG -intends to investigate opportunities for SAP' solutions for mobile business arising from Nokia's Communicator platform
- Symantec -mobile device Internet security solutions, including firewall and antivirus
