New Gadgets and Gizmos

I’ve shared some info on the naming convention used by Sony Ericsson. Again, I turn to Wikipedia, which has a very detailed article on how Nokia names its phones.

For those who’ve been under a rock for the past 10 years, the top cell phone manufacturer in the world usually uses four digits to designate its models, reserving the special “N” and “E” prefixed for some of its most versatile and capable products.

1. 1000 “Ultrabasic” - The cheapest (or “affordable” as marketing peeps would say) phones offered by Nokia. My experience has been that these phones usually only do calls and SMS, but do them pretty well. The lack of high-end features also means that 1000 series phones are usually the most responsive.
2. 2000 “Basic” - Also cheap, but carry some extra features like Bluetooth. Some “higher-end” variants even have cameras built-in.
3. 3000 “Expression” - Another creative way of saying “cheap”. More recent (as of 2008) 3000 models are borderline mid-range, color-screen gadgets that are capable of taking pictures, playing music, and even connecting to a PC.
4. 4000 - For some reason Nokia hasn’t named any phones 4xxx (as far as I know). Maybe the Finnish company could start doing so once they use up the other 8000+ digits?
5. 5000 “Active” - A fitting series name, especially when you look at models like the relatively old 5500 (a ruggedized product meant for jogging), the 5300, 5700, 5310, and 5610 (all music-oriented phones).
6. 6000 “Classic Business” - Here’s where Nokia starts blurring the lines. Granted, the 6500 Slide is pretty mid-range, perhaps even high-end. But that’s not the case with the decidedly entry-level 6030. The confusion is probably due to the so many Nokia phones out there starting with a 6.
7. 7000 “Experimental” - Very descriptive of the series, since the first S60 smartphone, the 7650, falls under here. You’ve also got aesthetic experiments like the Prisms. And who can forget the 7110, with the roller and snappy keypad revelation?
8. 8000 “Premium” - To be honest, the only experience I have with these series is that phone from the first Matrix. I did witness a friend confidently take his phone out, and press the button to release the cover, only to have it fly off! Lol.
9. 9000 “Communicator” - Every geek knows this as the predecessor to Nokia’s current E series (see below). First models of this series even ran on GEOS, not Symbian, while latter ones worked on the defunct Series 80.
10. E-Series - The “E” stands for Enterprise. This series is literally all about business, usually featuring phones with minimalyst styling, comprehensive feature set, and best of all, responsiveness. I fell in love with the E51, E61, and E6i1 for these very reasons, and I’m totally excited about the upcoming E71.
11. N-Series - I’m less ambivalent about the N-Series, and it’s not only because of the high-end prices. I totally understand Nokia’s push to cram everything imaginable into a phone, but does it have to come at a cost to responsiveness, battery life, and many others? A few models have won me over though, especially the N82.

Yes, just like with Sony Ericsson, there’s a lot behind the name of Nokia phones. By the way, I didn’t cover the Mobira series, which existed during Nokia’s infancy on the mobile market, and the failed N-Gage dedicated gaming phones; check out the source for more details.

Source, image from newlaunches.com.

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