Eseries

No, this isn't a new server brand from IBM. Rather, I'm talking about the latest phone announcement from Nokia. Greg sent me a link to these phones earlier and there are a couple of features that I find very promising.

First, here is a brief run-down of the features:

Features of all three initial models include the Series 60 platform 3rd Edition, QVGA or better displays, push email including BlackBerry and attachment editing, Wi-Fi with VoIP, Bluetooth 1.2, 75 MB of memory plus hot-swap memory card slots, speakerphone, EDGE and 3G high-speed data, corporate phone system integration, Push-To-Talk, and remote device management via the OMA DM standard.

First, BlackBerry and attachment editing is a must! The Nokia 9300 should have BlackBerry Connect without attachment editing. So, it's good to see the attachment support here. Secondly, it has Wi-Fi with VoIP support. I would be curious if VoIP is only available with VoIP connectivity or if it's available with EDGE/3G as well. Regardless, I could have a small candy-bar phone with BlackBerry and use my corporate VoIP at my desk on a Wi-Fi link (or if I'm in a hotel, conference, etc...) and have my current landline telephone number active. One feature I missed earlier was corporate phone system integration. In Nokia's press release we read that "Companies deploying an Avaya or Cisco IP PBX can connect the new Nokia devices directly to their corporate phone networks, enabling functions employees have come to expect from a corporate network like four-digit dialing and assisted call answering."

It appears that Nokia is really stepping up to take control of the business market and I will be available to test these...