Mobile Phone News

Filed under: Software, Nokia, Symbian

As the new business-class torchbearers in Nokia’s smartphone lineup, it only stands to reason that the new E66 and E71 would support BlackBerry connectivity out of the box. After all, the E61, E61i, E62, and E65 all did, thanks to RIM’s BlackBerry Connect client and the sobering realization that just such a software package is the only way for some employees to get out of using a RIM device at their office. Alas, support for BlackBerry Connect has quietly been dropped from the gorgeous new devices — and as much as we’d like to say otherwise, no amount of beauty is plan to make up for being unable to grab the average user’s corporate email. Users are upset, particularly those who upgraded from older models assuming that BBC support would be carried over, so RIM had better be cooking up an update if they want to avoid the grizzly scene that usually ensues when you fire up a bunch of people wearing formal business attire.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: Culture, Handsets, Nokia, Misc

Germany wanted $6.2 million in research subsidies back from Nokia, and in addition to the “tens of millions” that the company has already relinquished after the highly-disputed Bochum plant closing, it’ll be coughing up another €1.3 million ($2.04 million) to hopefully close the door on the matter. Said payment will be addressed to North Rhine-Westphalia, which was Truly angry after the handset maker decided to hack 2,300 jobs from Germany and relocate operations to Romania for “decrease labor costs.” The sum in this place is in addition to the €20 million “Growth for Bochum” foundation that the outfit started, but apparently that show of goodwill didn’t really change the hearts of those already bitter.

[Via PhoneScoop, image courtesy of Reuters]

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Filed under: Handsets, Motorola, GSM, EDGE

We only peeped the Linux-powered Motorola VE75 a short week ago and the good people at China’s Zol.com.cn have already loaded their site to bursting with pics from every angle. While the site doesn’t offer up anything new in the nitty-gritty detail department, it does include a handful of interface pics if you were left curious from our first mention. Release Dat. is listed as mid-August for about 3000 Yuan — or roughly $450.

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