While i’m still digesting the loads of information shoveled my way, along with finalizing coverage for both HWM and HardwareZone.com, I realized that somehow, large scale events like these always find a way to slap me in the face. Kick me in the nads. Throw a wet blanket over the fire. Break my heart. You get the idea.

Case in point? The Nokia N97 Mini. Why so? Part of the answer lies in the fact that i’m now using a Nokia N97. The full-sized one that comes with mode storage and a directional keypad. The picture below neatly illustrates the second part of the answer to the question.

On the left: a white Nokia N97 Mini. On the right: my personal Nokia N97. Almost 200MB of free phone memory on the Nokia N97 Mini, versus a smidge above 10MB on their slightly older (former) flagship device.

Damnit. Damnitdamnitdamnit. Why, Nokia, why do you do such things to me?

Anyone willing to trade a N97 Mini for my  used, but very well kept N97?

Nokia’s clearly been preparing for the N97 for quite some time. From late last year when the N97 was first announced, to the hiccups over the recent Ovi Store launch, it’s clear that Nokia’s banking on content. The Ovi Store, as well as the other parts of the Ovi Initiative (Share, Files, Maps, Mail etc) are clear indicators that content is where its at, whether creating, sharing or consuming. New devices like the N97, as well as older devices like the 5800 XpressMusic are in turn platforms for users like you and me to create and consume that content, with Ovi coming in between to help with the sharing aspect of things. It’s not just about the apps, mind you, its also about content such as ring tones, mobile phone themes and wallpapers; content that is still very much a large part of the mobile ecosystem in countries like Singapore and Malaysia. Add carrier billing into the mix, and Nokia’s got the basis for a very attractive revenue stream.

For all that to happen however, efficient and reliable delivery networks need to be in place; namely 3G connectivity and its ilk. Whether you call it Broadband on Mobile or HSDPA, Nokia’s basically banking on the various telecommunications service providers to be able to provide those networks to the end user, whether downloading map data on Google Maps, keeping tabs on your Twitter account when away from your desktop or plain Internet access while chilling out at your favorite coffee joint.

To a certain extent, Singapore’s got the head start on the other countries in the region, what with SingTel, M1 and StarHub already having relatively affordable data plans available. Personally, I’ve been on a S$15 data plan from SingTel for the past year or so, getting about 1Mbps downstream, with 50GB of bandwidth thrown in. Thanks to the magic of Bluetooth tethering with my laptop, I’ve been able to get online from just about anywhere on the island. M1′s got a prepaid mobile broadband package going on too, charging S$18 for three days’ worth of unlimited data on the island. StarHub’s got something similar as well, dubbed MaxMobile Prepaid, which even comes with a USB mobile broadband modem for a relatively affordable price. Failing that, there’s always one of the many Wireless@SG hotspots available at any Starbucks outlet, for example.

Malaysia on the other hand, appears to have their own set of 3G services available; both Maxis and Celcom, for example, have been offering 3G data packages for quite some time now, though the much larger land mass means that coverage isn’t anywhere as comprehensive, with coverage mostly confined to the major cities throughout the country i.e. Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kota Kinabalu etc. Common complains include frequently dropped calls and crappy and slow international links. This section on LowYat.net, one of the hottest internet communities in Malaysia, says it all.

The Nokia N97′s a device that’s clearly designed for the Internet. With the widescreen display and widgets that work best with an active data connection i.e. Facebook, weather, email etc, getting the most out of the device clearly requires that the user has access to some sort of connectivity, whether its 3G or WiFi. Take a picture with the 5MP camera and upload it onto Ovi.Share or Flickr. Open up Nokia Maps and look up the nearest ATM or the location of the nearest MRT station. Hit up the Nokia Music Store to purchase and download some tunes over the air. Load up Twitter and Facebook to check up on friends and family while taking that train ride back home. Doing a spot of internet banking while waiting for your lunch appointment to reach the restaurant. Getting in some emails while on the taxi. All these activities need some form of internet access, and unless you’re lucky enough to be around a reasonably fast WiFi access point whenever you need to get online, 3G is pretty much your next best bet.

Without data, a cutting-edge smartphone like the Nokia N97, or say, the new Android-powered HTC Magic won’t be any better than any other cheap mobile phone that does nothing more than making and receiving calls. The devices are already waiting in the wings, it’s going to be up to the service providers to give the end user a good enough reason to pick up a smartphone.

Despite hanging in the air for close to half a year now since the initial announcement back in December, Nokia’s soon-to-be flagship Nseries device is due to be made available sometime in June this year, a little less than two weeks from now. The timing is no real coincidence, after all, Nokia did say they’d be releasing the phone in the tail end of the first half of 2009. What’s more, CommunicAsia is just around the corner, and it makes even more sense that Nokia would choose their Nokia Connection event to shout about the N97, ahead of the anticipated iPhone upgrade and other devices to be announced by competing mobile phone makers at CommunicAsia.

A couple of weeks back, I had the opportunity to check out a couple of prototype N97 devices courtesy of the chaps at Nokia. In short, the hardware was pretty much final, though the software was buggy as hell, suddenly restarting every now and then.

Rather than launch into a full-on review of the Nokia N97, here are some of the key plus points that I feel the N97 brings to the table.

• Build - The past few mobile phones from Nokia were relative disappointments. With the exception of the newer Eseries devices i.e. E71, E66 and E75, devices like the Nokia N96 and the N85 felt more like stopgap devices, launched simply to fill in the gaps between major product announcements like the N97. Build quality on those devices were so-so, lots of glossy plastic used, but not once did you feel that you were getting something substantial for your money. This time around, the N97 actually feels like a solid, premium device. The screen flips open to reveal the keyboard with a satisfying click, and Nokia’s kept the glossy bits to a minimum, preferring matte plastic this time around. Size-wise, the N97 is only slightly bigger than my N82 in terms of volume. This device should fit nicely into just about any pocket.
• Widgets and connectivity – The home screen features widgets which are customizable, from the likes of Facebook to AccuWeather and Stocks. Given that many of these widgets can take advantage of active data connections available i.e. 3G, WiFi etc, aside from the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic, the N97 is clearly geared for an always-online experience. Forget shortcuts; the widgets give you a quick look at what’s going on, whether the latest email that arrived in your inbox, or the latest Facebook update from friends and family. Data plans for mobile broadband are getting cheaper by the day – I myself use a 1Mbps plan with a 50GB data cap from SingTel for less than S$20 a month. The only problem with an always-online device would probably be if you travel often. Unless you have alternative SIM cards for your destination country, roaming data charges are something to be wary of.
• Improved touchscreen – Even though the software on the prototype N97 was far from complete, the resistive screen on the N97 was so much more responsive than the one on a production 5800 XpressMusic, for example.
• QWERTY - The 3-row keyboard takes some getting used to, especially since the space bar is located on the right hand side of the keyboard; not too convenient if you happen to be a lefty. Nevertheless, like the keyboard on the E75, the one on the N97 is quite well designed, with just enough spacing between the keys for fat-fingered folk like myself to type away with a minimum of fuss.
• Mega storage options – 32GB of built-in storage is one thing, but to also have a microSD slot takes things to a whole new level. While Nokia isn’t the first to do something like this, throwing in a 16GB card gives you a grand total of 48GB for your music, videos and whatever else. I own a 32GB iPod touch, and even then I can barely find enough stuff to fill it with, what more 48GB on the N97.

Bottom line, even though spending time with a prototype is nowhere near a proper experience, I do think that the N97 might be just the device that Nokia needs to give their business a nice shot in the arm. I haven’t felt this much anticipation since the Nokia N95 first came onto the scene a couple of years back, and to be honest, June can’t come fast enough for me.

For more information on the Nokia N97, do check out Nokia Singapore’s official product page.