Nokia E75 preview

There is little doubt that E71 was one of the most popular business phones of 2008. It proved to be more than a worthy successor to the E61i. So will the E75 be one of the business phones of 2009? Here are the highlights:

• Slideout Keyboard (The HTC S740 better watch out!)
• 3.2 Megapixel Camera. (No step up from the E-71)
  
• 2.4 inch QVGA screen (slightly larger than the 2.36 inch QVGA E-71)Lots of screen real estate:
• 50 MB On board memory (110 MB for the E-71)3.2 inch screen with 400 x 240 pixels resolution 
  
• Weight: 139 gms (Compared to the 126 gm for the E-71) which is incredibly light for a phone with a slide-out keyboard)
• Dimensions: 111.8 x 50 x 14.4 mm (w x d x h) Slimmer than most sliders
• N-Gage gaming capabilities
  
  

The E75 is one of Nokia's major launches for the year and was among the 5 phones the brand unveiled at the Mobile World Congress. This phone will also be one of the first phones that will actually bridge the fun and business elements and will aim to fill a vacuum in Nokia's portfolio of a Business phone with a slideout keyboard and entertainment options. Nokia hopes this is where the E series will meet the N series (with its gaming capabilities) even though for a lot of users comparisons with the E71 will be inevitable. While there is no official word on the India launch date, some sources mention an Asia launch in April. The E75 might be priced in the Rs 23,000-28,000 price band (Based on list prices in Europe at about 375 Euros) 

Firaaq - Review

Why you must watch it:

• Nandita Das' Directorial debut
  
• A very objective look at the days that followed the Gujarat riots
• Terrific performances from the entire cast  
  

Look out for: Deepti Naval who delivers a stunning performance as Aarti the submissive homemaker who has been traumatised by the riots. 

The Good: Performances, Screenplay,
The Bad: Not very engaging and slow in parts. 

Bottomline: The big question on everyone's mind - Does Nandita Das direct as well as she acts? And my answer - An overwhelming Yes! Firaaq follows the lives of different people in the aftermath of the Gujarat Riots. It is objective and does not try and point fingers at any individuals or perpetrators. The film has a great cast that includes Naseerudin Shah, Deepti Naval, Sanjay Suri, Paresh Rawal, Shahana Goswami and Tisca Chopra. Each one of the lead players is perfectly cast and delivers super performaces. While nothing can ever potray the real horror and scale of the post Godhra riots in Gujarat, Firaaq captures the marked shift in Inter-religion dynamics in a post-Godhra Gujarat. So whether it is Sameer a yuppie Muslim (Sanjay Suri) married to a Hindu or Muneera (Shahana Goswami) a lower-middle class woman whose best friend is a Hindu, their relationships undergo a sea change. The film captures the lasting effect of the riots and the polarisation; that alone makes Firaaq worth a watch