Nokia rolls out 6600 fold, 3600 and 6600 slide

Nokia this morning stepped out of its routine to launch three new minimalist cellphones that target the new mid-range. The 6600 fold has some of the company's most advanced displays and centers around a hidden screen on the outer shell: while the surface appears blank, double-tapping the shell lets users check for the time or missed calls. Inside is one of Nokia's first OLEDs which provides a full 16 million color palette. Like the 3555 and 6555, the clamshell creates a seamless back which is reportedly more comfortable than on traditional flip phones.

The 6600 fold is also a relatively advanced media phone despite its size and comes with a 2-megapixel camera and dual-LED flash, AAC/MP3/WMA and H.264/MPEG-4 playback, and a microSD slot pre-supplied with a 512MB card. The phone will sell for 275 Euros ($431) in the summer and supports both US calling and UMTS on the 850MHz band, suggesting a release in the Americas.

Two sliders also join the lineup. While the 6600 slide uses a traditional LCD, it still responds to a double-tap for basic info. The thicker, aluminum and steel frame lets Nokia use a sharper 3.2-megapixel camera. Other features are virtually identical for the device, which supplies both 850MHz calling and WCDMA data and will sell for a slightly lower 250 Euros ($391) in the summer timeframe.

The 3600 slide provides a somewhat simpler design but shares the same 3.2-megapixel camera and adds Nokia's first background noise cancellation techniques to improve calls in loud environments. The Finnish designer also equips the 3600 slide with a TV-out jack and prices it the lowest of the three new models at 175 Euros ($274).

Nokia has also launched the BH-803, a matching Bluetooth headset that shares the steel design.

6600 fold

6600 slide

3600 slide