Colour variants of mobile phones is not a new phenomenom, however the new Nokia N79 has found company with another in the range that is a little different.

Rather than simply changing the colour of the external casing Nokia have reverted back a few years to a time when personlising a mobile phone was a major craze, we are only talking about a couple of years ago but the fad of buying and changing exterior fascias looks set to return in a big way.

The Nokia N79 is supplied with three different coloured fascias also known as Xpress-On covers, depending on the users mood these panels can simply be ‘popped off’ and replaced with a colour of the users choosing, the new Nokia N79 White edition is no different to the original model.

The Nokia N79 back panels or fascias come in many different colours, these include: Light Sea Blue, Espresso Brown, Olive Green, White and Coral Red, each Xpress-On cover has a built in chip which will automatically change the colour of the interface theme accordingly. ie: Slipping on the green fascia will change the colour of hte wallpaper, menu options and selections to a green theme.

This is a step further than the personlisation of days gone by and makes for a great USP, if for example you were a girl about town out in a nightclub not only could you match the colour of the external casing to match that great new dress but when the N79 lights up this will also compliment the look!

Aside from the cosmetics, this new N-Series handset packs a punch when it comes down to features and makes for a real alternatrive to the other latest releases from this high specification range including the Nokia N96 and Nokia N85.

The latest Nokia N79 White edition offers exctly the same technology, features and candy-bar design as the original model which is also known as the grey edition.

The Nokia N79′s 5 mega-pixel camera & Carl Ziess optics lets users capture moments in amazing clarity whilst the dual LED flash allows for quality photographs even in the poorest lighting conditions. Geo Tag support automatically records the location of photos, to let users see when and where their pictures were captured.

The Nokia N79 White offers built in AGPS technology alongside Nokia maps software providing instant navigation, on foot or by car, letting users find their way to a destination quickly and easily. An extensive POI (Points Of Interest) database means that new places can be found in the users location, find cinema’s, clubs, bars or even cash points.

The Nokia N79′s high speed 3G (HSDPA) and Wi-Fi connectivity allows user sto stay up to date with the latest news, sports, views and gossip plus fast connections to on-line neighbourhood- friends, deeds and favourites user scan also connect to the web with the Nokia MiniMap web browser, which displays complete websites just like a desktop.

Browse, stream and download millions of songs at the Nokia Music store, downloads can then be stored on the 4GB microSDHC memory card. 3G services also allows for face to face video calling with compatible handsets making communication that little bit more personal and facilitating professionals.

A relatively new software addition to this range of phones isNokia lifeviNe which simply and automatically documents mobile activity creating unique personal files about whatever a user wants. Photos, videos and music can be tagged on a map wherever a user may be and uploaded on-line to be saved, searched or shared with friends.

The new white edition of the Nokia N79 has initially been made available as a SIM Free device which is unlocked to all of the UK networks operators, this is great news for consumers who may struggle to pass the strict network credit checks or who may need to replace a lost or stolen phone. It also opens up the possibility of purchasing the N79 as a present for tohers as there is no registration required at point of purchase.

The Nokia N79 may be classed as a fashion phone but with the onboard features and technology this phone has to offer it will be an attractive proposition for busy professionals and business users alike. The Nokia N79 is the first candy-bar designed phone to be launched since the previous Nokia N82, with the new features and personlisation aspect this phone should appeal to those users now looking to upgrade their older model.

susan hargreaves

Despite the highly controversial risqué ad campaign, CW still didn’t rig in higher ratings during the Gossip Girl’s 2nd season. With only 2.44 million viewers, the 2nd season of the show did not meet the station’s expectation to raise the digits.

CW decided to make a bold marketing steer. Although the show predominantly gained fame because of online viewing and fan sites posting episode videos, they discontinued to stream Gossip Girl videos on the net. The marketing tactic was supposed to be geared towards amassing higher viewership for the show from the mode of television. Instead, the move produced opposite results for the network. The ratings fell lower compared to its 1st season’s 2.5 million.

CW’s decision to pullout the GG videos on the web deleted one major access point of the show’s fans since they are largely composed of teenagers who are heavy internet users. Although the numbers show low ratings, the popularity of the teen soap never waned. This unprecedented fame is caused by hundreds of Gossip Girl fan sites on the internet. With hundreds of them spreading the word about the hit teen drama, fans of the show continue to grow in number.

While most shows which don’t do well ratings-wise are immediately axed by networks, Gossip Girl is a different story. Its rich fan base has kept the show alive and thriving amidst rating issues. The show also has the back of its network as seen in the drastic measures it is undertaking to keep Gossip Girl afloat.

Although Gossip Girl is trailing behind competitors in terms of ratings, it is still undeniably the most watched series among teenagers. It has increased its female teen demographic by 14%, and 30% in the 18-34-year-old bracket. DVD sales and viewings, when factored in, also makes a lot of money for the show.

Josh Schwartz said in an interview said that the producers are after the show’s performance and viewer’s response rather than the ratings. ”This show is a bigger deal than the ratings are reflecting…I can honestly say I don’t check the ratings after the show airs.” Josh Schwartz and CW’s President of Entertainment, Dawn Ostroff, are firm in permeating pop culture rather than topping the ratings.

Given all these, there’s still no denying that the series has infiltrated pop culture, a feat other teen-oriented shows failed to reach. Its massive fan base all over the globe, rich endorsement deals, and fan sites are indications that the show has already leeched itself into the very heart of this generation of teens. Its mixture of gorgeous actors, provocative content, brave marketing stints and undeniable appeal on the big teen market are factor that make up for the show’s ratings.

Joel Owens