N-Gage (device)
Mobile phone and handheld game system / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The N-Gage is a smartphone combining features of a mobile phone and a handheld game system developed by Nokia, announced on 4 November 2002 and released on 7 October 2003.[2] It runs the original Series 60 platform on Symbian OS v6.1.
Codename | Starship |
---|---|
Manufacturer | Nokia |
Type | Handheld game console and mobile phone[1] |
Generation | Sixth |
Release date | 7 October 2003[2] |
Lifespan | 2003–2006 |
Discontinued | 24 February 2006[3] |
Units sold | 3 million (as of 30 July 2007)[4] |
Media | MultiMediaCard |
Operating system | Symbian OS 6.1 (Series 60) |
CPU | ARM920T @ 104 MHz |
Storage | MultiMediaCard, 3.4 MB internal memory (1st gen N-Gage)[5][6] |
Connectivity | HSCSD, GPRS, Bluetooth[5][6] |
Online services | N-Gage Arena |
Related | Nokia 7650, Nokia 3650, Nokia 6600 |
N-Gage attempted to lure gamers away from the Game Boy Advance by including telephone functionality. This was unsuccessful, partly because the buttons, designed for a telephone, were not well-suited for gaming. The original N-Gage was described as resembling a taco, which led to its mocking nickname "taco phone".[4][7][8]
Nokia introduced the N-Gage QD in 2004 as a redesign of the original "Classic" N-Gage, fixing widely criticized issues and design problems. However, the new model was unable to make an impact, and with only 2 million units sold in its two years, the N-Gage and its QD model were a commercial failure, unable to challenge their Nintendo rival.[9]
The N-Gage was discontinued in February 2006, with Nokia moving its gaming capabilities onto selected Series 60 smartphones. This was announced as the N-Gage platform or "N-Gage 2.0" in 2007, carrying on the N-Gage name.[10][11]