here’s telecom giant Nokia’s latest release — the Nokia Booklet 3G, a compact (10.1 in.), lightweight (1.25 kg), battery-efficient (12 hours!) mini-laptop that offers a host of nifty features (you can use it with any phone). It runs on Windows 7 (OS), and has GPS, HDMI output, Bluetooth function, 3G (naturally), Wi-Fi port, Ovi suite, etc. and stylish looks.

with 12 hours of battery of life — along with a few other yummy features — the Booklet 3G is almost irresistible. except for the price tag, of course. it is priced at $820 (rather a bit much for a netbook), which you can expect to climb by 30%–60% the moment it hits local stores (taxes, add-ons, etc.)

still, if you’re into mobile computing, but can’t really stand the hassle of too much weight and continuous recharging and have some cash to burn, Nokia Booklet 3G might be a nice option.

after 21 months of faithful, dogged service, my battle-scarred Nokia N73 has finally upped and died on me. *sniff*

it’s been showing unmistakable signs of old age lately but i’ve been stubbornly holding on to the idea that i could nurse it back to health — basically grasping at straws to keep it going and justifying its recalcitrant performance. last week, though, after failing to make a couple of local phone calls, i knew i had to face the fact that it was time to replace it.

and so with much regret, i trudged to the Nokia service center to ascertain whether it was still salvageable (which felt like performing last rites or something). the technician there told me the battery was fine, so it was definitely the unit that was the problem (another nail on the coffin). as a last recourse, i had the whole thing reformatted, which meant that i’d be losing a lot of data (contact details, images, video clips, etc.) in the process. i’m supposed to pick it up tomorrow to hear about its final fate.

the next item on the list was to search for a new mobile phone. after a half-hearted look over the list of available units via SmartComm’s retention plan, i quickly realized that none of the models on the list appealed to me so i browsed around several electronics outlets.

i’d been more or less planning to buy another Nokia phone, but after going back and forth over my choices i finally settled on this sleek-looking Ericsson G900 unit. i’m usually not too hung up on detailed product specs since i probably won’t be using most of those features anyway, but i must admit i got sold on some of its highlighted features — things like 5-megapixel camera, touchscreen function, Wi-Fi capability, 2.4″ screen, etc. (and even a stylus for those who prefer to use it).

This G900 unit has been with me for about 2 days and i’m still learning the ropes (an uphill climb, whew!), but so far i’m fairly tickled with it. like most average users, i find the idea of poring over the manual a real chore, so i’m basically blundering my way around. it’ll probably take me months to figure out everything heheh… but i look forward to that.

there a couple of things should be noted though… the Ericsson G900 is not perfect, nor is it for everyone. like the first Ericsson unit i owned (SE W800i), some of its buttons — particularly the camera controls — are hard to manipulate. moreover, Ericsson phones are generally not as user-friendly as Nokia units. for instance, it took me three attempts to successfully install the phone software and until now i’m still finding it hard to use the Ericsson PC suite.

ah well…

it’s july 11 — which means various stores in different corners of the world are finally selling those snazzy iPhones!

i can only sigh in envy and gnash my teeth in regret as articles about the iPhone’s global debut begin to trickle in.

it looks like the first one to roll out this highly coveted gadget is the highly saturated Japanese market (tokyo), where iPhone fans and would-be owners began lining up 3 days before it became available to the public.

and, of course, the media is not about to let this trend go unnoticed. here are a couple of amusing accounts on what enamored buyers were willing to go through just to get their hands on the sleek 3G device.

aside from the huge and juicy US market, the popular gadget is also making its highly anticipated debut in Hong Kong (just look at this guy’s shirt), Australia, and New Zealand, among other places.

so, why am i not rushing to join the queue? for one thing, i don’t think they’re available in local authorized outlets (Globe) right now. and the real killer is its PRICE. i have an active Smart subscription, and i don’t think i really need another line at this stage.

of course, there’s always the pre-paid option, but that would cost me more than what i’m prepared to spend (P25K at least) for a mobile device at this stage. i mean, can you believe it? a lower price tag is supposed to be one of iPhone’s main selling point, for cryin’ out loud.

(uhh… excuse me while i blow my nose.)

hmm… it looks like my wish list is about to get longer.

in a keynote speech yesterday, Steve Jobs announced that Apple will be launching its latest iPhone models by july 11: the 8 GB (black, $199) and 16 GB (in black and white variants, $299).

well, blow me down.

just when i was congratulating myself for having resisted the idea of blowing a few thousand bucks on an iPhone, here comes Apple with a new product that i can barely resist.

for the record, the new models will be 3G — which means faster connection (it covers wi-fi, too!). it comes with a few nifty extras, but i’m already sold on its sleek new look: thinner, lighter and more streamlined.

Globe Telecom is the authorized local distributor (a bit of a bad news for a long-time Smart subscriber like me). oh well, let’s hope local taxes don’t push its price tag to stratospheric level.

oh man, i can hardly wait.