Nokia dual SIM phones: C1, C2 announced + Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit

Nokia has unveiled its latest Cseries mobile phones with three new products under the Nokia C1 name, as well as the new dual-SIM Nokia C2 which will follow at the end of the fourth quarter of 2010. At a media conference in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, Nokia also took the wraps off the Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit, an alternative charging solution built especially for people with limited access to electricity. Nokia C1-00 is Nokia’s first dual SIM mobile phone. Nokia C1-00 features dual band (900/1800 MHz), FM radio, flashlight, and 3.5 mm headphone jack. It measures 107.1x45x15 mm and has a weight of 72.9 grams. Priced at EUR 30 before taxes and subsidies, Nokia C1 owners will also benefit from a standby battery time of up to six weeks, the longest ever for a Nokia mobile phone, especially useful in those parts of the world where access to electricity is sometimes limited. Nokia C1-00 is expected to ship in the third quarter of 2010.

Nokia C2 features a dual SIM with dual standby capability. Along with the many capabilities of the Nokia C1, the Nokia C2 can also keep both SIM cards active; meaning calls and text messages can come to either number while the phone is on. The first SIM card on the Nokia C2 sits underneath the battery and the second is 'hot-swappable', a feature unique to Nokia which means it can be removed and inserted when the phone is on.

Where available, the Nokia C2 also offers a wide range of information covering healthcare, agriculture, education and entertainment via Nokia's Ovi Life Tools, as well as the email account for the developing world, Ovi Mail. In addition to Ovi Mail, people's favorite consumer email and chat accounts can be pushed direct to the phone via Nokia Messaging. Listening to music is simple with the FM radio and music player, with a massive amount of music storage with the phone supporting micro-SD cards of up to 32GB. The estimated retail price of the new Nokia C2 (C2-00), before taxes and subsidies, is EUR 45. Nokia C2 is expected to ship towards the end of the fourth quarter 2010.

The second and third devices in the Nokia C1 family (C1-01 and C1-02) are both single SIM products, and Nokia's most affordable devices offering microSD compatibility, enabling people to store up to 32 GB of music, photography, or whatever other media suits them. Both new devices bring very individual designs and exciting colors, bright color screens, web browsing over GPRS and access to Nokia web services such as Nokia Messaging.

In addition, owners of the Nokia C1 (C1-01) will also be able to take video and photographs using the built-in VGA camera. The estimated retail price of the new Nokia C1-01, before taxes and subsidies, is EUR 39. While the Nokia C1-02, before taxes and subsidies, is EUR 35. Nokia C1-01 is expected to ship in the early fourth quarter, and the Nokia C1-02 towards the end of the fourth quarter 2010.

Providing free and environmentally friendly electricity for mobile phones, the Nokia Bicycle Charger Kit consists of a charger and dynamo, as well as a holder to secure the phone to the bike. When the kit is installed, the dynamo - a small electrical generator - uses the movement of the wheels to charge the handset through the standard 2mm charging jack used in most Nokia mobile phones.