Nokia has big plans to raise its Series 40 handsets for matching them with mainstream 1 GHz processor-bearing smartphones. South African blog Excellular managed to capture blurry images of a Nokia 600 handset codenamed Cindy that features Symbian Anna user interface. Nokia 600 Cindy seems to have a 3.2 inch capacitive touchscreen display and may eventually get launched as Nokia N6.

According to the specifications leaked to Thai website FlashFly, Nokia 600 Cindy will have a 1 GHz processor and 5 Megapixel camera.

The device will also come with a Near Field Communication (NFC) chip and built-in FM radio. Some apps, such as Skype, Shazam, YouTube, F-Secure, Vlingo and PDF reader will come pre-installed on the handset.

It is expected that the handset will support 3G networks and will be attractively priced &#151 targeting the youth.

No official word on the brand name or model number of the leaked device has been announced. Considering the state of the leak and the device, you may expect this handset to show up by the end of this year or maybe early next year.

The Google Android team is working on its next flagship device, which is to be launched by the end of this year. This smartphone will be the first handset to feature the Android Ice Cream Sandwich update. BoyGeniusReport was tipped, stating that the phone is likely to be branded as Nexus Prime and that it will be Google’s third flagship device after Nexus One and Nexus S. Nexus Prime is to have a dual core 1.5 GHz processor, and will probably display 720p resolution on a Super Amoled HD screen.

According to BoyGeniusReport, Nexus Prime will run on a dual core 1.5 GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 processor. This processor is capable of supporting full 1080p HD video playback and 1080p stereoscopic 3D. To compliment that, the 1.5 GHz processor will be coupled with PowerVR SGX540 graphics that will power the next major Android update, dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich. Nexus Prime will not have a custom interface and will deliver a “plain vanilla” Android experience just like the Nexus S and Nexus One did.

Google’s flagship handset will flaunt a Super Amoled HD display, which sort of hints at Samsung being the hardware manufacturer. It’s quite possible that Google ordered displays from Samsung, but that’s just a possibility. As hinted earlier, the Nexus Prime won’t have any hardware home button on the front panel and will have capacitive buttons instead.

It is likely that Ice Cream Sandwich will be delivered to existing Android devices in the market in due course of time after Nexus Prime is launched. Rolling out the latest Android updates for different existing devices is challenge for several handset OEMs and the process often leaves smartphone owners frustrated. Hopefully, with the launch of Android Ice Cream Sandwich, Google plans to change the way the update cycle for older and existing handsets works.

Following the announcement last month, Nokia India today has finally launched it Symbian Anna based Nokia X7 and E6 smartphones

Symbian Anna brings along a host of new features along with increased performance, it also has a new Browser which is expected to be three times faster than the existing browser. E6 and the X7 are priced at Rs 16000 and Rs 22000 respectively.

Earlier, this month Nokia had opened the pre-booking for the E6 smartphone. Nokia E6 is targeted primarily at business users and Nokia also claims that this phone can be operated using single hand only.

The display on the E6 is a 2.4 inch capacitive touch display with a Resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. It’s made of Corning Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance. The device comes with 8 GB of internal memory and support for Micro SD cards up to 32 GB. The 1500 mAH battery, as per Nokia’s claim, provides a month on standby and 7.30 hours of talk-time over 3G and longer over GSM connections.

Nokia E6 supports 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth 3.0 with support for stereo Bluetooth headphones through A2DP.

The device measures 115.5 x 59 x 10.5mm and weighs 133 grams. The 8 Megapixel full focus camera has a dual-LED flash, 2X Digital Zoom (3X in video mode) and offers HD 720p video recording at 25 frames per second.

Nokia has positioned the X7 as an entertainment smartphone, and has 4 inch Amoled screen that displays 16 million colors in a 640 x 360 pixel resolution. The display is made of Corning’s Gorilla Glass, which protects it from minor scratches and breakage from accidental falls. To add more strength to the phone, Nokia has designed it in a stainless steel shell, which will enhance its longevity too.

X7 features a pre-Installed 8 GB Memory card that can be upgraded to 32 GB, and it has 320 MB of internal memory functioning as its RAM/ROM. The device measures 119.7 x 62.8 x 11.9 mm but is comparatively thin around the edges and weighs 146 grams.

The device supports both 2G and 3G network connectivity; 802.11 b/g/n WiFi support along with Bluetooth 3.0; and USB connectivity. The installed 1200 mAh battery is expected to give up to 450 hours of standby and 4.5 hours of Talk time on 3G networks, and will support the phone for longer on 2G.

Both the device are now available in the market at all Nokia Priority dealers and Nokia affiliated stores around the country.

Announced almost a week ago, Motorola Xoom tablet loaded with Android 3.0 Honeycomb is now on sale both online as well as at retail outlets. This is surprising because Motorola hasn’t officially announced the market operating price of Xoom tablet yet. A spokesperson said on behalf of Motorola that the official market prices of the device would be announced shortly.

The market operating price of Motorola Xoom WiFi is about Rs 34,500 and its WiFi+3G model costs Rs 41, 500. Xoom WiFi is available online at a price ranging from approximately Rs 31,500 to Rs 32,500; while the WiFi+3G model is available at approximately Rs 39,000 to Rs 39,300.

Motorola Xoom tablet was first unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show 2011, along with Android 3.0 Honeycomb, a tablet-specific operating system. Housing a powerful dual core 1 GHz Nvidia Tegra 2 system on chip, Xoom has a 10.1 inch widescreen HD (1280 x 800 pixel) display. With a 5 Megapixel camera at the back and a 2 megapixel camera on the front, the Motorola tablet certainly packs an impressive set of features.

India already has Apple iPad 2, a 7 inch Samsung Galaxy Tab, Creative Ziio, Acer Iconia, and BlackBerry PlayBook in its tablet segment and now Xoom has joined the competition. Next month, we expect Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, Asus Transformer, and ViewSonic ViewPad tablets to hit Indian markets.

Usually, tablets are available in 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB versions &#151 all mostly possessing 1 GHz single or dual core processors. For all these tablets, the balance of price and features plays a crucial role. This is because potential buyers always tend to evaluate whether to go for a high end tablet or to buy an entry level laptop for about Rs 35,000.

Nowhere do we see tablets actually replacing netbooks or entry level laptops. However, these new products certainly are setting up a new gadget segment altogether.