Nokia World 2013 in Abu Dhabi : TechPinas Will Be There! New Flagship Smartphone and Windows Tablet Expected To Be Announced!

From the get go, I've made no secret of my admiration for Nokia.

I mean, how can I not love this brand? The first cellphone I ever owned was a Nokia 5110 -- my parents gave it to me back in high school and it was a big purchase for them then as we're not really financially well-off. The first phone I bought with my own money was a Nokia 3220 with those LED disco lights; I happily spent my entire Christmas bonus from my first job at the Ateneo on it and had no regrets whatsoever. The first smartphone - with multitasking, great camera, etc. - that blogging gave me was the Maemo-powerhouse Nokia N900 side-slider, which is now a key piece in the TP Gadget Vault. And up to this very day, TP Friends, one of my daily phones is the trusty Nokia Lumia 920; It's my reliable companion whenever I attend tech events in the Philippines and outside the country.

Needless to say, Nokia has always been a part of my life.

Also, as many of you know, I started blogging from my bedroom (and really, until now, I still prefer blogging from my room or our living room at home and not in a cafe or in an office -- that's just my style) and Nokia was first tech company that invited me to an event (it was the media launch of Nokia C3, I still remember it like yesterday) sort of opening doors for me to be part of this industry. I'll always be grateful for that opportunity and for the Finnish brand's kindness and trust.

Last week, when I got the invitation from Nokia's PR agency to go to Abu Dhabi for the Nokia World 2013 event, I said yes without a second thought. I know that Nokia World 2013 could very well be the last major event of Nokia as an independent handset manufacturer - following Microsoft's recent acquisition of Nokia's handset business, which is set to officially take effect in 2014 - and I want to be there to show my full support for the brand that has always supported me since day 1 of my blogging career.

Nokia World 2013

And of course, as a Pinoy tech-blogger, I'll be there to keep Filipino gadget aficionados (like you) posted in real-time on the new products and freshest announcements from the Finnish company. So if you haven't, I hope you can follow me on Facebook and Twitter so you can get updates directly from me during the event.

TP Friends, off hand, I'm not yet sure if Nokia will - if at all - launch any new handset or tablet at Nokia World 2013. What I know is that I'm scheduled to interview Mr. Jim Mainard of Dreamworks on his thoughts about the industry-leading imaging hardware and software of Nokia's Lumia line of smartphones and that there will be "product demos" on the 22nd. That's it.

Based on rumors and speculations divulged online by various sources over the past few weeks, however, I'm expecting Nokia to announce a new flagship smartphone - that will directly supersede Nokia Lumia 920, a new entry level Lumia, three smartphone lite Asha handsets, and a Windows tablet.

According to insiders, Nokia Lumia 1520 (codenamed "Bandit") will be the company's new flagship phablet set to compete directly against Samsung Galaxy Note3. It is believed that the device will flaunt a massive 6-inch full HD display and will run Windows Phone 8 GD3 operating system with its Snapdragon 800 chipset. Sporting a 20 MegaPixel PureView camera, Nokia Lumia 1520 cannot and will not eclipse Nokia Lumia 1020 in terms of imaging capabilities but it will provide a good alternative for users looking for a bigger handset with an excellent camera. As for the design, (looking at supposedly leaked shots) the phablet will be a cross between Nokia Lumia 1020 and 925 having the same unibody polycarbonate shell with matte finish and a protruding, rather small camera module at the back.

Nokia Lumia 525 is said to be the new entry level release. Unlike its predecessor - the very popular Nokia Lumia 520, 4-inch 525 is said to be positioned more as a WP handset for music lovers as it will ship with big over-the-head earphones.

Currently, one of Nokia's best-selling releases - especially in developing nations - is the affordable Nokia Asha 501. Perhaps seeing great potential in this "sub-$100 full touchscreen" category, the Finnish giant is believed to be poised to introduce Nokia 500, 502, and 503 at Nokia World 2013. These dual-SIM handsets - with slightly varying features and capabilities - will more or less have similar technical specifications as that of 501 but will flaunt an improved shell with transparent dual-shot color panels and will ship with more pre-installed apps.

Finally, I'm expecting Nokia to formally introduce its much-talked about Nokia Lumia 2520 (codenamed "Sirius") Windows 8 tablet. Insiders say that the slate, which also comes with a polycarbonate unibody case, will feature a 10.1 inch display with 1366 x 768 pixels resolution and will run Windows RT operating system with a Snapdragon 800 processor.

There you have it, TP Friends. These are all the devices rumored to be unveiled at Nokia World 2013. Who knows? Nokia might pull off a few surprises -- and that's something I'm sure everyone would love to happen. Well, however it pans out, expect me to be there to let you in on the details.

The Opening Keynote will be delivered by Nokia CEO Stephen Elop on October 22, 2013, 11AM Abu Dhabi Time or on the same day at 3PM Manila Time. Stay tuned for updates.