Bell Video Calling, sleek look and extensive personalization capabilities make the Nokia N97 the must-have device for socially connected consumers.

Montréal and Toronto , December 10, 2009 - Nokia and Bell today announced the launch of the much anticipated Nokia N97 smartphone in Canada. Bell is the first carrier in North America to launch the Nokia N97. This powerful smartphone offers extensive personalization capabilities, allowing clients to customize their mobile experience to suit their taste and personality. Whether you like the latest sports score, late-breaking news or celebrity gossip, you can customize the Nokia N97's homescreen with the web content, widgets and contacts that are important to you.

The N97 also features Bell Video Calling, a new service available on Bell Mobility's new HSPA network that lets clients make and take phone-to-phone video calls with other Bell Mobility clients - or even receive video calls on their mobile phones from their Facebook friends through an exclusive application built on Facebook Platform.

"As the first carrier in North America to offer the high-demand Nokia N97, and the only one with it this holiday season, Bell offers socially connected clients a unique and highly personalizable device. It takes communicating to the next level with Bell Video Calling, while making Internet access fast and convenient," said Adel Bazerghi, Senior Vice President of Products at Bell Mobility. "Operating on Bell's all-new HSPA network, the Nokia N97 offers clients access to the fastest, largest and most reliable mobile network in Canada and roaming in 200 countries worldwide."

Social Butterflies

For those who love being the first to know, users can browse the web on the wide 3.5" display for the latest information and stay in touch with family and friends through their favourite social networking sites, including Facebook, which comes pre-loaded on the device. The Nokia N97 makes it easy to update social networks automatically with real-time information, related pictures and videos for approved friends to see. Friends, social networks and news are all available with a touch on the homescreen.

Messaging is made easy on the Nokia N97 with a full touchscreen and a slide out QWERTY keyboard. Email is right at your fingertips with Nokia Messaging, allowing users to sync up to 10 email accounts to their mobile device. In addition, the smartphone comes with pre-installed IM and Bluetooth connectivity with A2DP.

 

"The Nokia N97 is designed to fit the way people live, how they connect to the Internet and to each other," said Richard White, General Manager, Nokia Canada. "The Nokia N97 introduces leading technology for people to create a personal Internet experience and it's helping to transform the Internet into your Internet."

 

In addition, the Nokia N97 offers a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics to take pictures of all the places they go. Images can be geo-tagged to specific locations and shared instantly with friends or uploaded online via Ovi Share and other online social networks. Consumers can also capture video clips at 30 frames per second and not worry about storage capacity - the Nokia N97 has 32 GB of memory on board and expandable memory of up to 16 GB that lets clients take their videos and images with them.

Navigate Just About Anywhere

In addition to offering fast HSPA and WLAN Internet connections, the Nokia N97 offers consumers a complete out-of-the-box GPS navigation experience for walking and a non-consecutive 10-day trial of driving navigation. When driving, Ovi Maps for mobile is a full-fledged car navigation solution with enhanced safety and real-time traffic information. When walking, the service provides pedestrian-friendly directions, including routes that take a pedestrian up one-way streets and through parks, pathways and other shortcuts. Along the way, clients can see 3D landmarks and search points of interest like restaurants or ATMs that can be added to the route.

 

The Nokia N97 comes pre-loaded with maps for all of Canada. As with any Nokia device with Ovi Maps, users may update their maps at any time and add free maps for more than 180 additional countries around the world by using Nokia Map Loader, a downloadable PC application available at www.nokia.ca/maps.  Users can also preplan routes and save favourite places on their computer at maps.ovi.com and sync seamlessly with Ovi Maps on their Nokia N97.

Apps At Your Fingertips

Adding to the Nokia N97 mobile experience, the device comes preloaded with a variety of content and applications. There is something for everyone, whether they are interested in keeping in touch with friends through social networking sites or receiving the latest news and views from Bollywood and all of South Asia. Other preloaded apps can help users stay informed of late breaking news, get the latest weather forecast, know who won the soccer match and make them a trend-setter.

Additional features on the Nokia N97 include:

    * Personalized home screens - the widescreen display can be fully personalized with frequently updated widgets of favourite web services
    * Access to Ovi Store, to personalize your phone with cool apps, download games, ringtones, themes and more content
    * Access to Ovi Share, to upload photos and videos online, and to Ovi Files, allowing clients to remotely view, download and send the music, photos and files on their computer
    * Built-in FM radio transmitter and stereo FM radio


The Power of Video

Available throughout its new network coverage area, Bell Video Calling makes a phone call almost as good as being in the same room. Unlimited Video Calling can be added to any Bell Mobility plan for $5 a month and is included in many plans at no extra cost.

 

Calls made using the online Facebook application can originate from any computer with a web cam around the world without incurring long distance or usage charges. To download the free application, search for the "Bell Video Call" application on Facebook and follow the easy steps to complete the installation. Users can customize their Facebook accounts to select which friends can see the Bell Video Call application on their profile. Once installed, friends with access to the video calling application will be able to visit the client's profile page and click on the Bell Video Call tab to start a video call.

Accessorize

The following accessories from Nokia allow users to stay connected hands-free to their Nokia N97 anywhere:

Nokia Bluetooth Stereo Headset BH-905 - This new over-the-ear headset features revolutionary technology to ensure crystal clear sound and to eliminate background noise. Integrated one-touch keys allow clients to easily switch from calls to music.

Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-804 - Nokia's smallest wireless headset is the size of a piece of gum and boasts a discreet design, lightweight feel and a stylish aluminum cover. Enhanced audio quality with DSP makes it easy to keep conversations going while on the run.

Nokia HF-510 -

The Nokia Speakerphone HF-510 can be optimized for the car, home or office and has up to 30 hours of talk time and 180 hours of standby time. The OLED display shows caller ID and the battery level so drivers never have to worry about missing a call when on the road again. Echo cancellation and noise reduction through Digital Signal Processing will reduce background noise so there are no longer unwanted interruptions.

 The Nokia N97 smartphone is available from Bell for $199.95 on a three year contract with a minimum $50 voice and data plan, or $599.95 without a contract .

For more information on the Nokia N97, please visit www.nokia.ca or www.bell.ca. 

Pictures available for download at bce.ca/en/news/mediakit.