Nokia has begun shipping the N-Gage QD - its attempt to address the failings of its original game deck-cum-phone.
Crucially, the QD is more compact than its predecessor, and its more curvaceous casing makes the unit more easy to operate as a mobile phone. The unit"s gamecard slot is now hot-swappable, and is located in the handheld"s base, behind a rubber panel - so N-gage users no longer have to remove the battery first.
Nokia said today that the QD offers better battery life than the first N-Gage yet sports a brighter screen.
As per the previous edition, the QD supports Bluetooth-based multi-player gaming and can connect to Nokia"s global N-Gage Arena community. A new N-Gage Arena launcher app makes accessing the N-Gage Arena easier than before, providing direct access to the N-Gage Arena community directly from the game deck.
Nokia expects the QD to retail for around €50 (£30 or $60) with an airtime contract.