The Nokia N96 Launch, Or Why Nokia Has Finally Seen the Light

Posted on October 28th, 2008. Written by Rico.

If you’re really interested in the Nokia N96, you probably already know how many features are crammed into its 103 x 55 x 18mm body (length, width, thickness). You probably know all about its built-in WiFi, HSDPA, and Bluetooth, not to mention its roomy 16GB of internal memory and microSD. And of course, its 5.0 megapixel camera and GPS receiver. Heck, I probably don’t even need to tell you about the N96′s Dual ARM 9 264Mhz CPU, TV-out capability, or the 3.5mm jack that supports standard earphones and headphones. Or even its P35,000 launch price.

So I’ll talk more about the launch event in the Philippines, which was held yesterday night at the Silvercity Mall.

The launch event wasn’t exclusively about Nokia’s new official flagship; the event staff made sure to tell me about Smart’s myTV mobile TV service as well. In any case, the apparent budget for the night made it clear that both Nokia and Smart were serious about their respective products.

Practically the whole mall was rented out, and a relatively generous promo was advertised as available until 4 am this morning. Basically, you sign up for a Smart plan 5000 or 8000, and you get an N96 and an E71 for free.

Despite this, it seemed people (yours truly included) seemed more interested in two things: the giveaway of 50 brand-new N79s and N96s, and the beautiful women hired to mingle with the VIP crowd.

There’s not that much to say about the giveaway: people submitted raffle stubs and winners were chosen. Much more can be said about the models, because it’s a clear sign that Nokia has seen the light! In the grand tradition of LG Angels, the local arm of the Finnish company finally realized that you need some eye candy to liven things up.

So without further ado, feel free to ignore all other aspects of the launch event, save for the fact that it officially announces the Nokia N96′s availability in the Philippines (again, at P35,000), as well as the relaunch of Smart myTV, and just take a look at the pics below (click on a pic to see a full-size version).