Nokia N-series phones to have Linux OS

Nokia Oyj will use Linux MeeGo software in its N-series lineup, hoping the new platform will give it a better chance to battle against rivals such as Apple Inc and Google Inc.

The N-series has been Nokia's crown jewel for years and it dominated the smartphone market before Apple's iPhone was introduced in 2007.

Nokia's next flagship smartphone, the N8, will be the last N-series phone running Symbian software. Symbian remains the market leader for smartphones, but has lost market share in recent years with the rise of the iPhone.

Linux is the most popular type of open-source computer operating system available to the public. Its direct rival on PCs is Microsoft, which charges for its Windows software and opposes freely sharing its code.

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic

Nokia has a brand new handset that sees it go head to head against the iPhone thanks to the inclusion of a touch screen with the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic. This innovative handset aims to being the best total music experience possible to the public, although anyone using the iPhone might want to dispute that. Bear in mind that the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic is one of the first few devices that support Comes With Music, Nokia’s groundbreaking service that provides up to a year’s worth of unlimited access to the entire Nokia Music Store catalogue. Sounds like iTunes has yet another competitor springing up to eat into its lucrative market share, but only time will tell whether Comes With Music is a one-off thing or is it really serious enough to mount a decent challenge.
The Nokia 5800 XpressMusic’s touch screen capability makes it perfect for the Media Bar drop down menu that offers direct access to music and entertainment, including favorite tracks, videos and photos. Not only that, you can use the Media Bar to connect directly to Internet links as well as access online sharing. While the iPhone has recently received word that it will be supporting Flash content, the Nokia 5800 XpressMusic already comes with Flash content support right out of the box, providing a richer web surfing experience. Other features of the 5800 XpressMusic include 8GB internal memory, a 3.5mm headphone jack, integrated surround sound stereo speakers and a graphic equalizer.
The 3.2″ widescreen display comes with a 16:9 aspect ratio and with the 3.2 megapixel camera, you will be able to view videos captured in VGA quality at 30fps as well as stunning images with ease. Not only that, those images and videos can also be shared through an online community of your choice including Share on Ovi, Flickr, or Facebook. No idea on how much the XpressMusic 5800 will cost, it will definitely be a high end handset when available.