ESPOO, Finland - Nokia has launched a new version of the 5530, with the inclusion of a DVB-h tuner that allows mobile TV viewing in regions where the service is offered.

The Nokia 5530 Mobile TV Edition is a compact 3G handset dedicated to social networking, music and gaming. The Finnish giant expects it to cater to the growing audience of mobile TV, which is to reach over 300 million people by 2012.

The device also has a 2.4" display with 240x320 pixels in resolution, which might be rather small for viewing TV; and a 3.5mm audio jack to complement the multimedia offerings.

The software for mobile TV allows "one-click access to live broadcasts", to set reminders, and to create personal channel lists. The quality of reception is guaranteed by the antenna in the headset accessory. The battery in the 5530 is said to provide up to six hours of continuous DVB-h usage; this former component has been criticized for allowing minimal viewing of mobile TV, but advancements in technology now allow longer viewing time periods.

The phone will provide access to social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, and also to Nokia's own Ovi Contacts for sync and backup of content. Instant Messaging clients come preloaded, for Windows Live Messaging, Yahoo! Messenger, Google Talk, ICQ, AOL, and others.

The handset features a 3.2 megapixel camera with an LED flash. This low-end component ensures a low price of EUR 155 (US$230) without subsidies and taxes.

In certain regions, the Nokia 5530 Mobile TV Edition is available in a Comes With Music package, which offers unlimited music downloads for a year.

Mobile TV with DVB-h technology has rolled out in the following countries: Austria, Finland, Ghana, Kenya, India, Italy, Namibia, Nigeria, Netherland, Philippines and Switzerland, with more to come in future.

[EUR 1 = US$1.4866]