Nokia unveils new gadgets,services

By Matti Huuhtanen, Associated Press

HELSINKI, Finland — Nokia unveiled new Internet services and gadgets Wednesday to help customers download music and play games on mobile handsets — in a strong push to challenge rivals, including Apple's iTunes and iPod.

The latest move by the world's largest mobile phone maker, which has a strong position in emerging markets with basic handsets, is further recognition that high-end markets require multitask handsets with photo, music and video capabilities and quick access to the Internet.

Nokia said it will focus its Web services in a new site known as "Ovi" — Finnish for "door" — that will include an online music store that allows users to browse for music "with millions of tracks from major labels" and buy downloads onto their devices, including one that holds up to 6,000 songs.

Enlarge	Courtesy: Nokia
One of the products unveiled is the Nokia 5310 XpressMusic, which has up to 18 hours of music playback and memory for up to 3,000 songs, offering up a rival to Apple's iPhone.

The new services will also enable the transfer of music from PCs to compatible Nokia devices, and give customers the chance to play and download N-Gage games on "tens of millions" of Nokia devices sold worldwide, the Finnish company said.

The high-power launch of the new services, announced in London, sent Nokia stock to its highest level this year in Helsinki, closing up 4.6% at euro23.31 ($31.77).