So apparently a healthy exchange of cash and a captive audience glued to one of the biggest flicks of the year are all it takes to land early dibs on Nokia's elusive Tube. The Tube -- which will likely be branded either XpressMusic or XpressMedia and carry model number 5800 -- represents Nokia's first serious foray into the wide world of touchscreen smartphones (don't even try to pull the Series 90 card, people), so there's quite a bit of buzz building around it. Just like there's lots of buzz aroudn this new Batman joint. Coincidence? We think not!

We've been hearing whispers about Nokia's touchscreen "Tube" phone for what seems like ages, and now it appears that the wait is almost over... with potentially less than inspiring results. In a statement released today from the company's head of devices, Kai Oistamo, the phone-maker says it will be launching a series of touchscreen devices in the second half the year, with the first model -- likely the Tube -- aimed at the "volume market." Oistamo claims that the mid-range market (not the high-end sector that devices like the iPhone 3G occupy) account for 50 percent of the total value of the touchscreen phone game. Essentially, it looks like Nokia's strategy will be business as usual, likely flooding the field with unspectacular mid-range phones, rather than taking on pricier competition like recent Apple and Samsung devices head-to-head, at least initially. Of course, who can argue with the company that shipped 122 million units in Q2 2008?

Random flickr feeds aren't the typical way for hot new Nokias to be discovered out in the environs, but hey, who are we to question a good thing when we see it? Pictures of one totally unknown Nseries have emerged -- alleged to be the N79 -- showing a sublime S60 candybar in a pair of colors. Next, we have more of the just-scooped N85, including some of a white version, so we're definitely feeling more confident by the minute that it's the real deal and not some ridiculously sophisticated fake. Last but certainly not least, we have some shots of the XpressMedia 5800 affectionately known as the "Tube," a device that'll likely come to be Nokia's first to use S60 Touch. This one is Vodafone branded (doesn't really surprise us, we guess) and features a 3.2 megapixel sensor with Carl Zeiss optics, a stylus, and the key to our hearts. How much longer do we have to wait for these, Nokia?

[Via Talk About Nseries]

According to Nokia chief designer Alastair Curtis, Nokia will be offering several -- nay, a "lot" -- more products in the US very soon. "In the next few months," Curtis promised, "operators will carry a lot of new products from us." While Nokia controls 40% of the worldwide handset market, they only have a 10% share in the United States. It seems they're not happy with that and want a bigger piece of the American pie. Bring it on, Nokia. We're ready to see these phones from you, say, in the form of an E71 or Tube?

Like detective work? Good, this one's for you. That's the supposed first picture of Nokia's Tube which we've enhanced a bit to see all the detail. According to Symbian-Freak, the device code-named "Tube" will be Nokia's first touch S60 device but will not be a flagship phone. Another higher spec'd phone will ship "shortly after." The display is said to be between 3- and 3.5-inches with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a camera (with another up front based on the picture) which they say is "way better" than the iPhone's but not on par with the existing N-series shooters. The phone is said to ride atop quad-band GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA radios with built-in Bluetooth, WiFi, uPnP support and a stylus. Something you'll apparently need judging by that skinny scroll bar. GPS? Yup, that too. No multi-touch on this model but it is said to provide haptic feedback in a package supposedly smaller (maybe a little bit wider) than the N73. We also notice an "XpressMedia" label on the phone which would indicate an affiliation with Nokia's XpressMusic class of media devices. You'll also notice that the icons have been slightly revised since we went hands on with the S60 Touch UI back in February. Real deal or not, it's a mystery worthy of your skills.

[Thanks Jose and to everyone who sent this in]

It appears that Nokia is readying its official response to the iPhone, a project grossly codenamed "Tube" that will feature a touch interface. The new handset -- which is said to closely resemble Apple's device (see above, we assume) -- was shown during a slideshow at the Evans Data Developer Relations Conference in Redwood City, California. The slide demonstrated the phone's UI, including a promotional shot featuring Shrek The Third. Tom Libretto, vice president of Forum Nokia, believes that the company can compete for the iPhone's marketshare, though the phone-maker hasn't set a street date for the device. Apple has sold more than 4 million units since the iPhone's launch, but Libretto smugly noted that, "We've done that [volume] since we've had dinner on Friday," (though he failed to mention that it was 4 million low-end candybar handsets). He then put on a monocle, puffed on a Cuban cigar, and knocked back a tall glass of Cristal while chortling, "Oh, I do say!"

[Thanks, Alex]