Nokia E71 all up in AT&T's labs
by Chris Ziegler 
posted May 8th 2008 at 9:00PM
While we twiddle our thumbs and wait for some sort of official confirmation that this thing even exists, Boy Genius Report has heard some rumblings that AT&T is putting the Nokia E71 through its paces with the intention of launching it -- in your choice of black or white, no less. Multiple Eseries colors certainly aren't without precedent, so we can buy that much -- and AT&T has previously launched the E62, so we can totally picture this going down. What's more, we've now heard from an independent source that the AT&T-branded E71 does in fact exist and is currently being crafted in Nokia's San Diego facilities (production models won't be born in the same place, we presume). Just a warning, guys: if this ends up happening as an EDGE-only device, we're going to lose it.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Razor1973 @ May 8th 2008 9:28PM
This needs to be made official NOW!!! My E61 and E61i are hating me for posting this and wanted their replacement so badly.
Brad @ May 8th 2008 9:53PM
It looks cool. But I remember when there was such a huge fuss about the E62 when it came out on Cingular, and it turned out to not be worth all the hype. So I look upon this new device skeptically.
zephxiii @ May 8th 2008 10:19PM
@brad: thats because the E62 was the super stripped down version of the e61. half the cpu power, half the ram, no 3g or wifi....I still love my e62 though
@everyone else: this is hot, we need to start a petition so that ATT doesn't strip down the phone or screw up the firmware!!! then send it to both ATT and nokia!
Razor1973 @ May 8th 2008 11:58PM
You're absolutely right about the reason for the ill fate of the E62 and about the need to start a petition. I took the initiative, as I need a worthy replacement for my Eseries phones.
http://www.petitiononline.com/NokiaE71/petition.html
Mr. H @ May 9th 2008 10:32AM
The E62 didn't have half the RAM and CPU power of the E61 as far as I know. It just lacked the wifi and had a few different connection options.
zephxiii @ May 9th 2008 12:55PM
Yes, the E62 has half the RAM of the e61, and also has a much slower CPU, believe it was a like a single core vs. a dualcore on the E61, hence the E62's slower performance.
Fernando @ May 8th 2008 10:39PM
at&t is ruining it as we speak, I can feel it D:
...at least it have a higher chance of coming with us 3g now.
jdclarke @ May 8th 2008 11:37PM
EDGE only?
I thought AT&T was going to have an all 3G lineup very soon?
Al @ May 9th 2008 1:35AM
There are FCC docs that confirm there will be a 850/1900 3G version. The rumor is that there will be a 1700 AWS version, but nothing to confirm it with.
bachviet @ May 9th 2008 1:42AM
It's confirmed that there are at least 3 versions of the E71 (RM-346,
RM-357, and RM-407).
The RM-346 is the Euro/Asia version (E71-1) with HSPA 900/2100.
The RM-357 is the US/AT&T verions (E71-2) with HSPA 850/1900.
The RM-407 is the US/T-Mobile version (E71-3?) with HSPA 1700/2100
(WCDMA band I/IV).
There are FCC filings at www.phonescoop.com for these phones.
BTW, I am going to get the RM-407 once Nokia releases it unlocked/unbranded or T-Mobile releases it branded.
john @ May 9th 2008 9:41AM
Excellent news, bachviet!
I'll probably do the same. Not sure which plan-type I'll get it on (they only seem to give the $30/mo Total Internet with no voice to WinMo phones ... but that's the plan I'll probably go for), but I think this device is in my future.
john @ May 9th 2008 9:46AM
Though, it would have been better to see the RM-357 and RM-407 combined into one device. But this is good enough.
PEZ @ May 9th 2008 6:36AM
Nokia's blackberry-type phones always look unfinished. Something always seems to be not right in the design department.
Razor1973 @ May 9th 2008 10:35AM
Unfinished? Have you ever had an E61i in your hands? The finish is amazing with that REAL metal battery cover, those plastics that are so nice to the touch and every button or moving part feeling snug in its place. I've been using mine for a year now and it feels just as sturdy as it did when it was new. Now, if you mean software-wise, then I will give you that. Even though in everything but the business software the Eseries will kick BlackBerry ass, this is really their first serious immersion in this field (save the 9300) and they need to improve it a little.
BKWatch @ May 9th 2008 10:01AM
My bet: No WIFI on an AT&T version. Bat life on the E61 is not great; with a smaller form factor (and smaller battery) and 3G that is going to be real hard to run Wifi as well. Which is a real shame, as wifi is useful for both overseas and VOIP.
Mr. H @ May 9th 2008 10:32AM
The battery life was great on the E61. I never heard anyone complain about it. I could normally get 3 days of heavy usage, and about 5 days of normal usage out of it.
bachviet @ May 9th 2008 11:14AM
I used the E61i for couples of months before I sold it. It's a great phone with great battery life. The phone is very well built however I can't stand the pop-port thus I sold it.
BTW this phone uses the BP-4L battery, which is also found in the N810 Internet Tablet, E90, and E61i. This battery has 1500 mAh capacity so it's not a small battery.
john @ May 9th 2008 12:04PM
Where are you seeing the tech specs on the E71?
The fact that it uses the same battery is very nice. I could get a couple spares, and an external charger, and share them between the E71 and the N810, probably.
Razor1973 @ May 9th 2008 12:06PM
But very flat. I personally don't care much how tall or wide my phone is as long as it's thin. That's why I love the E61i. I'm glad they designed the battery that way.
bachviet @ May 9th 2008 12:57PM
You could find the filings for RM-357 and RM-407 here:
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/fcc_query.php?gc=PYA&pc=RM-407
http://www.phonescoop.com/phones/fcc_query.php?gc=PYA&pc=RM-357
M2K @ May 9th 2008 4:19PM
I ordered and returned an Nokia E51 because it wasn't a 3G 850/1900 phone. I just wish I had read the fine print before I ordered it. It was a great phone except for the non US 3G. If someone doesn't provide a 3G candybar phone soon I may just have to buy another E51 and live with the EDGE connection.
If the E71 is just the big brother to the E51 with 3G it should be an awesome device. The built in 802.11 on the E51 was a nice feature especially when using the build in VOIP or something like FRING.
john @ May 9th 2008 5:36PM
You did notice that the E71 will 3 versions, didn't you?
1) Euro/Asia 3G
2) AT&T 3G
3) T-Mobile-USA 3G
Jamesnet @ May 13th 2008 11:19PM
Wahoo mine is on the way, not sure what one it is.. Will post details when it shows. It is somewhere over the pacific..
I have 3 E61's (I have no idea why)
My E1i
The 71 is going to rock.
SylNYC @ Jun 2nd 2008 10:44PM
Nokia E 71 video walkthrough/review
PART 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tAghR7zw9w4
PART 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=DMs7z1CAxH4
Enjoy!!!