The Finns of Arabia

Nokia has recently launched a special edition of the Nokia N73 which is exclusively available in the Middle East and North Africa markets.

The phone specifically targets Muslim consumers, and its launch coincides with Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. In a statement, Nokia says that the applications on offer are "carefully tailored to meet the needs of consumers in the Arab world".

At first glance, it seems this is not an overstatement. The new Nokia N73 Special Edition includes a portfolio of pre-loaded applications including a collection of Azkars (verbal prayers) for the morning and the evening, an Islamic organiser with audible alarms for the five daily prayers, a Qibla direction indicator and a Hijri calendar. The Hajj and Umrah application provides simple step-by-step descriptions for the Hajj and Umrah, while the Ramadaniat application explains all the instructions and rules for the holy month of Ramadan. Also included with these on the 2GB miniSD card are two Islamic e-books and a universal dictionary application which supports English, Arabic, Farsi, Urdu and French.

The phone will also include unique Ramadan greetings, and a customised e-card application that enables families and friends to send greeting cards via SMS or MMS in celebration of the holy month. Neil Gordon, the company's vice president for multimedia in MENA says: "This new edition is a reflection of Nokia's commitment to continuously provide consumers with tailored services, based on their needs and requirements".

In addition to the pre-loaded content, consumers using the Nokia N73 Special Edition can also download additional applications directly from the Download! feature on the phone.

Exclusive content such as extra e-books and the ‘Name of Allah' application are also available to customers.

Nokia bills its N-series as a range of high performance multimedia computers, where consumers can use a single device to enjoy entertainment, access information, and to capture and share pictures and videos, and the Special Edition is no exception.

The stylish new phone is available in an elegant soft white colour with subtle highlights, and comes right out of the box with a 2GB mini SD memory card, matching leather pouch, and a quality stereo headset.

In addition to its 2.4-inch display, the phone features a 3.2 megapixel auto focus camera with Carl Zeiss optics and integrated stereo speakers. The device operates on a quad-band network, and functions across all 3G, EDGE/GSM networks.

The Symbian operating system based device is able to accompany you across the globe with uninterrupted service (depending on your telecom service plan). The Nokia N73 Special Edition is currently available in retail outlets.