Original press release of US (AMPS) version of Nokia 323
Sears to Distribute Nokia Cellular Phones in US
January 05, 1996
Both companies emphasize quality and style, family and security
Nokia, the world's second largest manufacturer of cellular phones, and
Sears today announced an agreement whereby the retail giant will distribute
Nokia phones in its Brand Central departments throughout the United States.
The agreement is the first of its kind signed by Nokia in this country as
part of its recently launched national retail campaign to broaden the Finland-based
manufacturer's U.S. distribution. Market research studies conducted by Nokia indicate
strong purchasing appeal across a broad range of consumers in demographic and
psychographic groups.
"This agreement signals Nokia's strength in the consumer marketplace and will
dramatically increase the availability of Nokia cellular phones nationwide," said
Paul Chellgren, president of Nokia Mobile Phones, Inc., the U.S. sales unit for
Nokia cellular phones. "We are extremely pleased to have a major retail customer
such as Sears in the first 90 days of our national retail campaign."
Sears will sell two Nokia cellular phone products: the recently announced Nokia
636, a handheld portable designed for first-time users, and the award-winning
Nokia 232, a small, lightweight handportable with easy-to-use features for both
business users and consumers. The Nokia 232 is the first cellular phone available
in the United States in an array of designer colors and patterns that reflect
consumers' individual tastes and lifestyles.
"Sears Brand Central offers the most popular assortment of competitively-priced,
quality brands in home electronics," said Chuck Cebuhar, divisional vice president,
Home Electronics, Sears Brand Central. "The Nokia 636 and 232 are examples of finely
designed products that provide both style and security for all members of the family."
The Nokia 636 is the first phone designed for the retail market. The phone is easy to
operate and comfortable to hold. In its standard configuration, the phone weighs 8.5
ounces, provides two hours of talk time and 26 hours of standby time. The Nokia 636
has a large 16-character display, four, one-touch "function" keys and menu-driven,
abbreviated NAM programming instructions make activation easy for Sears associates.
The Nokia 232 is a phone for every style- and performance-conscious consumer. It
includes such advanced features as an easy-to-learn interface highlighted by a large
16-character display, an extensive list of programmable features, as well as an
award-winning design. With its extended battery, the Nokia 232 weighs 8.7 ounces
and provides one hour and 50 minutes of talk time and 26 hours of standby time.
Four one-touch dialing keys make the Nokia 232 as easy to use as it is fun to carry.
Both the Nokia 636 and 232 cellular phones are available now in Sears stores nationwide.
Nokia Announces New Dual-Mode AMPS/N-AMPS Portable Cellular Telephone for N-AMPS Markets
January 05, 1996
The 232N combines the award winning design of the 232 with the power of
digital messaging.
Nokia, the world's second largest manufacturer of cellular phones, today
announced the Nokia 232N, a N-AMPS version of the award winning Nokia
232.
The new phone features a large 16-character display with permanent
signal and battery strength indicators, four "one-touch" dialing keys
for instant access to emergency services, voice mail, frequently called
numbers and the famous user-friendly Nokia menu interface. In addition,
the 232N is data ready via an optional cable which enables you to
connect the phone to any compatible PCMCIA modem card allowing you to
send and receive faxes, data and e-mail via a cellular network. The
phone also comes with a full complement of accessories ranging from AC
& DC chargers to installed hands-free car kits with three watt
boosters.
To support Digital Messaging Service, an optional enhanced service
offered by most N-AMPS cellular networks, the 232N is capable of
receiving and storing up to 20 short messages in the same manner as a
pager. These messages can take the form of short text messages such as
CALL HOME or CALL OFFICE, the calling party's phone number, or a
notification that you have a voice mail waiting. The 232N even
simplifies the process of responding to messages by enabling the user to
call back a number left in a message or to retrieve voice mail messages
with a single keystroke.
N-AMPS, or narrowband AMPS, is a system-overlay technology that allows
enhanced digital-like features, such as Digital Messaging Service, to
phones operating in a traditional analog-based AMPS network.
In its standard configuration with a 550 mAh NiMH battery, the Nokia
232N weighs 7.6 ounces, provides 1 hour 10 minutes of talk time and 15
hours of standby time. Optional NiCd and MiMH slim and ultra extended
battery packs are available which provide up to 2.5 hours of talk time
and 32 hours of standby time.
Like its fashionable cousin, the Nokia 232, the 232N is also available
in a variety of colored and patterned faceplates allowing users to
customize their phones to match their individual tastes.
"With the 232, Nokia set the standard among AMPS phones for hiding
powerful features behind a friendly user interface and packaging it all
in a beautifully designed phone," said John Ferrari, product marketing
specialist for Nokia Mobile Phones, Inc., a unit of Nokia, Inc., the US
subsidiary of Finland-based Nokia. " This tradition will continue with
the introduction of the 232N, which again will set the standard among
dual-mode N-AMPS phones in terms of powerful, easy to use features
contained within an award-winning phone design."
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