Nokia's N-Gage 2 has apparently surfaced on the Web, and the images clearly indicate how the mobile phone giant has solved the first version's notorious telephonic user-unfriendliness: it has made the device oval-shaped.

You can see the (blurry) pics of the console's front and back here. They certainly show a sleeker, more compact, more curvaceous design than that sported by the N-Gage of old.

The new model - described as being smaller and thinner than the original - also features a game slot that's rather more readily accessible than its predecessor's. It's on the console's underside - you can see an arrow on the first, rear-facing pic.

Interestingly, the front shot shows a camera menu, but there's no sign of said device on the back, unless it's hidden under that bit of grey paper on the right.

The pictures suggest that famous game coder John Romero had indeed seen a prototype of the device, a claim he blabbed to a Russian computing website earlier this year, and which he subsequently denied in an email sent to this reporter.

We understand the new version will be based on Texas Instruments' OMAP 2 processor, which are due later this year. OMAP 2 uses Imagination Technologies' PowerVR MBX core, as does Intel's 2700G mobile graphics chip. The Intel part was launched yesterday.

We've heard talk that N-Gage 2 will be announced later this week, possible tomorrow. ®

Related stories

Nokia to fix sidetalking, swapping with Son of N-Gage
Doom developer 'confirms' N-Gage 2
Nokia 'fesses up to poor N-Gage sales
Sega Dreamcast spawned Intel PDA graphics tech