Nokia N97 Mini Starts Shipping [Nokia N97 Gets Software Upgrade, Everybody's Happy]

We previously reported regarding Nokia’s new N97 mini that it was expected to be available in stores starting October 23rd, but things took a wrong twist and the mobile phone has been delayed for another week. But this seem to be about it, as the new Nokia N97 Mini has been officially announced to be available in stores with an estimated retail price of EUR 450 (some $660 at today’s rate) before taxes and subsidies.

“In September, 2009, we exceeded 2 million Nokia N97 devices sold, and now introduce the Nokia N97 mini, underscoring the success of the design. We have also listened to consumer feedback about the performance of the device. The Nokia N97 software update 2.0 is a way for us to optimize the device and add new features and functions,” said Jose-Luis Martinez, Vice President, Nokia Nseries. “We are also excited about the early feedback that we have received on the Nokia N97 mini, which carries a very similar feature set to the original Nokia N97 and comes in a pocket-friendly size for those out and about.”

Speaking of its pocket-friendly design, the new Nokia N97 Mini appeals to the style conscious with its “around a centimeter” thickness.

Other features include a tilting 3.2-inch touch display, a QWERTY keyboard with some bad reviews, 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity. On top of that there’s flick scrolling, shortcuts on the customizable homescreen, Nokia Messaging for email access, together with Ovi Maps 3.1 (with 3D maps), Ovi Contacts and Ovi Store.

Those who wouldn’t go for the new Nokia N97 Mini should know that all these goodies are now available for N97 users, too, through a software update that you can get it from http://www.nokia.com/softwareupdate.