208 Feature Phones

The slow death of feature phones isn't putting a damper on Nokia's development plans. The Finnish company today revealed the new Nokia 207 and 208 (pictured) "candybar" devices, equipped with Internet access in a colorful package.

"For many, it will be their first phone with 3G Internet, social networks and multimedia," Nokia's Ian Delaney wrote in a blog post. "For others, it's an adaptable workhorse that can act as a second phone when it makes sense to leave your smartphone at home."

Though closely related, the two phones differ slightly: The Nokia 208 has a 1.3-megapixel camera with smart features like voice-guided self-portrait, sequential shot and Ceramic tile, and comes in dual SIM and single SIM flavors; the Nokia 207 is single SIM with no camera.

Just because they don't come with a touch screen and a virtual personal assistant, doesn't mean the new handsets are useless in this connected age. Full 3.5G HSPA Internet support provides fast online access for surfing the Web and streaming videos, as well as checking social networks and using chat services like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp — all of which come pre-installed.

"The Nokia 207 and Nokia 208 are designed for people who like a classic phone and traditional keypad but don't want to miss out on smartphone experiences, like staying connected to social media and accessing the Internet," Timo Toikkanen, executive vice president of Nokia mobile phones, said in a statement.

Both versions carry a 2.4-inch display running on a 1020mAh battery; the single SIM variant offers more than a month's standby time, while available talk time lasts up to 12 hours on a 2G connection. The devices also include Bluetooth, micro USB, and an SD card that supports up to 32GB of storage.

All three phones — Nokia 207, Nokia 208, and Nokia 208 Dual SIM — come in red, cyan, white, and black, and will begin shipping in the third quarter for 52 Euros ($68). While the company mentioned a European release for the Nokia 207, it did not reveal details about any other regions.

Trainer David Jacobson entered Wednesday’s card just three wins shy of Todd Pletcher’s record 40 victories for a Belmont spring/summer meet.

Jacobson, whose 144 starters were 44 more than his nearest competitor, could move closer to that record Friday when he runs Sure Route in the $100,000 Magnolia Jackson Stakes, which goes as race 3 on a nine-race program that begins at 3 p.m. Eastern. The Magnolia Jackson, for fillies and mares, is run at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Jacobson’s barn has been under 24-hour surveillance from the New York Racing Association and state investigators since May 24, the day after he won four races from five starters at Belmont. Pre-surveillance, Jacobson won 19 races from 62 starters at this meet. Post-surveillance, he has won 18 races from 82 starters.

“I want NYRA to keep them here,” Jacobson said Wednesday. “I want to know when and if they’re ever going to leave. I want a heads-up. I enjoy the security.”Asked why he wants continued security, Jacobson said, “It would cost me a lot of money to have the security that I have that NYRA is paying for. Instead of having one night watchman, I have three, four, or five.”

Jacobson said that breaking Pletcher’s mark – set in 2003 –would be “very rewarding. Especially the spring meet, which is not supposed to be one of my stronger times of year.”

Sure Route has accounted for two of Jacobson’s 22 second-place finishes at the meet. Jacobson claimed Sure Route for $62,500 at Aqueduct on April 20 when Sure Route finished second in a turf race. She has raced twice on the dirt, getting beat a nose by Delightful Quality going seven furlongs on May 24 and finishing second to Royal Lahaina in the off-the-turf Mariensky Stakes on June 7.

“I pick her as one of the top two choices in there. She’s really doing well,” Jacobson said. “Six-and-a-half might be a little short for her, but at Belmont you can maybe overcome that with the wide turns. She has two really good races at seven-eighths, and she couldn’t be doing any better.”

Smart Stride returns from a near 13-month layoff for new trainer Pletcher. Part-owner Eric Fein said that Smart Stride has basically been ready to run for seven months, but races he and then-trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. were looking to run in haven’t filled. A similar problem existed recently for Pletcher, who has taken over the training of Smart Stride since Dutrow has been suspended.

“I don’t know what she’s going to do Friday,” Fein said. “Your guess is as good as mine. I don’t think Todd is crazy about her right now, but I’ve never heard anybody be crazy about her in the morning before.”

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